File photo of Virat Kohli.© AFP

The excitement is palpable with less than a week left for the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. Named after former Australia captain Allan Border and India batting great Sunil Gavaskar, the series holds major significance due to the rivalry between the two cricketing powerhouses, especially in recent times. India have won each of their last two Test tours of Australia, and will be bidding for a third straight success Down Under. This will be the first time since 1991-92 that India and Australia will be playing a series comprising of five Tests.

Ahead of the series-opener in Perth, Gavaskar shared an interesting anecdote about the rivalry he has had with Border over the years.

Gavaskar came up with a hilarious response on being asked if he and Border have the same intensity, even though the two have become friends after their retiring.

“Well, because he’s (Border) got me out, that’s the problem. You see, he’s got me out. I never got a chance to bowl to him. If I got a chance to bowl to him and get him out it might have been different. But you know he’s a little, you know, things that you know, used to come in and do this and bowl. And can you imagine he got one ball to turn, and I played that down the wrong line, top edge and I was out,” Gavaskar told 7Cricket.

Maybe the origins of naming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy started 45 years ago.

Because of Allan Border’s three career Test wickets v India, one of those was … Sunil Gavaskar.

From 1979 to now, Sunny still can’t get over it – due to AB reminding him all the time #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BYcjtYL6oL

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) November 14, 2024

For the record, Border only took 4 wickets in 20 Tests against India, and Gavaskar was one of his preys. Gavaskar reveals Border still mocks him, having got him out in 1979.

“So you know, I am reminded of it every time I bump into him. He comes and says ‘Hello Bunny, how are you?’ What do I say to that?,” he revealed.

When India will take to the pitch at the Optus Stadium in Perth for the first Test of the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, all eyes will be on star India batter Virat Kohli, who is perhaps battling the biggest form crisis of his career.

Across all formats in Australia, Virat has scored 3,426 runs at an average of 56.16, with 11 centuries and 19 fifties in 70 innings. His best score is 169.

(With ANI Inputs)

Former Australia captain Allan Border has called for The Gabba cricket ground in Brisbane to be knocked down and be replaced by a new stadium build from scratch which can cater to hosting multiple sports for 2032 Olympics. The iconic Gabba stadium has been a fortress for Australia, though India defeated them at the venue to complete an unforgettable 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series win in January 2021. The Queensland government recently abandoned a 2.7 billion dollars plan to demolish and rebuild the Gabba for the 2032 Olympic Games.

Instead, it has invested that amount in upgrading the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC), Suncorp Stadium, and the Gabba. “I’d be knocking down the Gabba and building a new venue from scratch at Victoria Park. A brand new 60,000-seat stadium suits rugby, cricket, Aussie rules, and the Olympics, and the Gabba becomes housing,” said Border to The Courier Mail.

Moreover, after an independent review, a 3.4 billion dollars proposal to construct a new oval stadium at Victoria Park was also rejected by the Queensland government. The uncertainty around the Gabba has been so high that Brisbane is likely to be absent from Australia’s schedule of hosting Test matches for the next seven years.

“They haven’t got any certainty about the Gabba, so we’re off the roster. It’s sad, but they’ve got to have some certainty, probably over the next four years, if they can use the Gabba or not.

“Because we have an election coming up, nobody wants to touch the hot potato of announcing where the main venue would be. But I’ll have a crack and say knock the Gabba down for urban renewal, and because it’s on the city fringe, you could probably pay for the Olympics just by selling the property,” added Border.

Meanwhile, former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Ian Healy said Cricket Australia is anxious about the future of hosting cricket in Brisbane ahead of state elections happening in October this year. The third Test of this year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India will be held at the Gabba from December 14-18.

“After India and the Ashes, the next season there are only three Tests (against New Zealand) and we’ve missed out, as you do because the newest stadium is the Adelaide Oval that holds more than ours. Other governments are investing in that, and I think the other states are investing in a seven-year rotation and Brisbane’s stuck.

“It’s frustrating Cricket Australia because they just can’t talk to either side of our government because our state is shut down until after the election (on October 26). It’s a bit scary for our stakeholders, Cricket Australia is quite anxious about the future of Brisbane cricket. So, let’s hope we get our wicket front and centre, and Australia gets some victories,” said Healy on SENQ Radio.