The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has long been the ultimate litmus test for cricketing giants India and Australia. Over the years, this series has produced cricket moments that will live long in the memory of Indian cricket fans, with the rivalry now evolving into a fierce contest of skill, temperament, and resilience. As the two cricket giants fighting in the 2024-25 edition, let’s discuss India’s strategy to tackle the challenges posed by Australian conditions.

1. Understanding Cricket Conditions in Australia

Playing in Australia is a completely different challenge. The pitches are bouncier, faster, and at times offer assistance to spinners as well. One of the biggest challenge playing in Australia is to deal with the Kookaburra ball. It’s no secret that Kookaburra ball is completely different from the SG balls used in India. The Kookaburra balls are known for their low seam and quick loss of swing, and that’s where bowlers’ ability come to the fore. In addition, Australia’s world-class batting unit and formidable pace attack, led by Mitchell Starc, make them a tough side to beat at home.

India’s success in the ongoing 2024-25 the Border-Gavaskar Trophy depends on how the team adapt to the conditions. Every ground is different. The conditions in Perth are different from what Indian team will be facing in Adelaide, Melbourne or Brisbane. So it’s all about adapting, and adapting fast.

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2. More Responsibility From Top Order Batsmen

In Australia, the key to a strong batting performance lies in facing the new ball which often does most of the trick for the fast bowlers. Since grounds in Australia are large, batsmen can easily tire out the bowlers. India’s top-order, which consists of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, must shoulder responsibility to see out the the new-ball spell from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. If India’s top-order batsmen manage to keep wicket column of the likes of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood empty, then India could find themselves in a great position in this series.

Key Focus Areas for Batsmen

• Playing the Short Ball: Australian pitches are known for their bounce and quickness. Aussie pacers, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, are expert at exploiting bounce. Indian batsmen need to mitigate the threat of bounce while also learning when to leave deliveries.
• Building Partnerships: Winning a test match requires big totals. India’s middle order, featuring players like Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, must focus on capitalizing on starts and converting them into centuries.
• Attacking Nathan Lyon: Australia have only one recognized spinner in their ranks, in the shape of Nathan Lyon. If Indian batsmen can attack him, then this can leave Australia short on bowling options. That also means, there will be more pressure on their pacers.

Also Read: Top 10 Performances by Indian Cricketers in BGT Trophy

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3. Balanced Bowling Attack

The big reason for India’s wins in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar series was their world-class bowling attack. In Australian conditions, pace is king, but spin can also play a decisive role if the match goes to fourth and the fifth day.

Fast Bowlers: The Spearhead of the Attack

Though India are without Mohammed Shami, they still have Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, two of India’s most formidable pacers. Their success will hinge on:

• Exploiting Early Swing: Using the new ball effectively is crucial, as the Kookaburra loses swing after the first 10-15 overs.
• Hitting the Deck Hard: Consistent line and length aimed at the top of off-stump will test Australian batsmen’s patience.
• Reverse Swing: As the ball looses it shine, reverse swing becomes a vital weapon.

4. Spinners: Must be more than a Support Act

Australians conditions definitely favors fast bowlers, but the pitches at grounds such as Brisbane and Sydney also have something for spinners. In Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, India have te best spinning duo in their ranks. Jadeja’s all-round abilities and Ashwin’s experience could prove invaluable in turning games around on wearing tracks.

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5. Keeping Jasprit Bumrah Fresh

India is not a one-man team, but their bowling heavily relies on Jasprit Bumrah. The Mumbai Indians star was the biggest reason for India’s win in the first test at Perth. He picked up a fifer in the first innings and another three-wicket haul in the 2nd innings to end the match with a man-of-the-match award.

Having said that, the Indian captain has to ensure that Bumrah isn’t overused. He has a history of injuries, so putting excessive burden on Bumrah, especially when Mohammad Shami is missing, could be counterproductive.

Also read: Best matches of Border-Gavaskar Series

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6. Leveraging Bench Strength

The Border-Gavaskar series is a marathon. It’s a five-match test series, so it’s likely that there will be rotation due to factors such as fatigue and injuries. The 2021 series is a perfect example of bench strength. India were plagued by injuries and the absence of key players such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah and yet India recorded a series win. It was down to players such as Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur who stepped up to the occasion.

For India to emulate success from last tour, every player has to perform at the optimum level to help the team negotiate Australia’s threat. Players such as Akash Deep and Sarfraz Khan, to name a few, must be ready to play if the situation demands.

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7. Better Use of Technology (DRS)

Modern cricket relies heavily on technology. It’s not just down to data analytics of opponents and making looking to find weakness in opposing batsmen through videos, or using any other form of technology, but the success also depends on the use of DRS.

It’s no secret that India’s record at taking DRS is poor ever since MS Dhoni retired. Bowlers normally ride on their emotions when an umpire deem a decision against them, and they try to convince the captain, in India’s case, Rohit Sharma. But Indian captain must keep the emotions out and should take the DRS decision based on merit.

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Conclusion

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains one of the most exciting test series in world cricket. The ongoing 2024-2025 edition is heading towards a blockbuster series. India won the first test match but in a series as long as this, a 1-0 lead is very dangerous. It can change quickly. For India to remain in a commanding position, every player and the team management as well have to bring their A-game to the very last phase of the game.

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