Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja backed his new opening partner Nathan McSweeney, urging him to play his own game against India in Perth rather than trying to ape David Warner, who was a “special player” in his own right. Approaching his 38th birthday, Khawaja, a veteran of 73 Tests with nearly five and half thousand runs and 15 tons, also believed that needing to score runs at a quick clip is nothing but an urban myth, and advised McSweeney to just “repeat the process” which has worked for him till date.

“I don’t know where this myth started that you needed someone to score really fast. As an opener you’re trying to score runs and you’ve got five days to do it. We didn’t have one Test match go for five days, last year. Opening is as much about scoring runs and just being able to absorb that time,” Khawaja was quoted as saying by news.com.au.

Talking about Warner, Khawaja said that not everyone is as gifted as his former opening partner, who could switch gears at ease in the traditional format.

“Davey (Warner) was special. He could score runs while absorbing. He could sometimes score 100 of 100 balls but he didn’t do it every time. Sometimes it took him 170, 180 balls to get that 100.

“He was consistent, he was out there, he was setting a platform for guys later to come in and score runs. Those two are both very important things,” Khawaja said.

Khawaja is confident that besides scoring runs at a fair clip, McSweeney also has the ability to bat time.

“I think Nathan does that really well. He can score runs, but he can also bat time. They’re really important facets to have in Test cricket if you want to set games up.” Khawaja warned McSweeney that there were “no guarantees in cricket” but said that the 25-year-old batter didn’t “have to do anything different” in the Test arena.

“You just try to repeat the process. . The only thing that really changes is that you have a few more people watching. Not many people watch Shield cricket.” Khawaja seems confident that McSweeney can handle the demands of an extremely high-skilled format like Tests.

“You always go through ups and downs in cricket, but when you look at Nathan, you look at his demeanour, you look at the way he plays, you feel that over a longer period of time that, yes, this guy will be able to handle the scrutiny of Test cricket and the pressure of Test cricket.” “Even though there are no guarantees, I’m sure the selectors have made a calculated decision with him,” Khawaj concluded.

File image of Ricky Ponting© BCCI

Ahead of the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former cricketer Michael Hussey backed star India batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and said that one cannot write off champion players like them. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will kick off from November 22 in Perth. Adelaide and Brisbane will host the second and third Test matches of the series, respectively. The iconic Boxing Day Test will be played in Melbourne. The final and fifth Test of the series will take place in Sydney from January 3.

Speaking on Fox Sports, Hussey said Aussies will find out where India stand in terms of “mentally and from a skill perspective” only after the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He added that India have got many players who are crowd-pullers.

“We will find out in the first Test match where they are at, mentally and from a skill perspective as well. They will be hurt by this, India. They have got a lot of crowd pullers and quality. We just heard from Gambhir talking about Rohit and Kohli not making runs. The silliest thing you can do is to write off champion players,” Hussey said.

He added Rohit and Virat come under criticism but they always perform.

“We have seen it so many times in the past – they come under criticism, but they come out and perform really well. So I’m backing them to perform well in Australia. They are proud Indians and proud Test players. But I still feel Australia will start favourites,” he added.

Earlier on Monday, while addressing the media before departing for Australia for the BGT series, India head coach Gautam Gambhir responded to questions regarding the form of Kohli and Rohit. Terming Ponting’s opinions on Indian cricket ‘irrelevant’, the former batter affirmed that both the big guns have a lot of passion and hunger for the team.

“Not at all…Ricky Ponting should think about Australian cricket, what concerns he has for Indian cricket? Virat and Rohit are incredibly tough men. They’ve achieved a lot for Indian cricket and they will continue to achieve a lot,” Gambhir said on Monday.

“They still work really hard. They’re still passionate. They still want to achieve a lot more and that is something which is very important. The hunger in that dressing room is incredibly important for me and for the entire group of people as well in that dressing room. I feel there’s a lot of hunger, especially after what has happened in the last series,” he added.

So far in 2024, both Kohli and Rohit have struggled to find their best form, attracting scrutiny following India’s recent 0-3 series loss against New Zealand. Rohit has accumulated 588 runs from 11 matches this year, averaging 29.40 with two centuries and two fifties. Meanwhile, Kohli has managed just 250 runs from six matches (12 innings), averaging 22.72 with just one half-century.

Their form is a significant concern as India prepares to face Australia, needing to win the series 4-1 to secure their spot in the World Test Championship Final (WTC). The performance of Kohli and Rohit will be crucial for India’s chances to progress to their third consecutive WTC final.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Monday shared insights on the selection of Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. He said pacer Rana has done enough bowling to come out fresh against the Aussies. Gambhir praised Reddy, highlighting his potential to contribute to the team if given the opportunity. Gambhir also hinted at moving forward from certain players in the India setup. Shardul Thakur is one veteran fast bowling allrounder who was not picked for the Border Gavaskar Trophy and many experts were surprised. However, in Gautam Gambhir’s statement there was no direct mention of Thakur.

“It is also about moving forward and I feel that this is the best set of players that we have selected to do the job for the country,” Gambhir said..

Shardul was one of India’s heroes in the previous tour of Australia, picking up a handful of wickets and scoring a half-century. He has been the seam-bowling all-rounder in Tests in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, and was part of the squad as recently as the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 Final.

“Nitish Reddy, we all know how incredibly talented he is. If given a chance, he will do well for the team. This is the best set of players we have selected to do the job for the country,” he stated.

Speaking about Harshit Rana not travelling with India A to Australia, Gambhir explained, “He’s had enough bowling. Important for a fast bowler to be fresh. It’s a five-Test series, so trainers and physios thought he is better off.”

Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy, two uncapped selections in India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, are coming after strong performances in the domestic circuit.

Following India’s shambolic fall against New Zealand on home turf, the road to the WTC final has become a tricky affair.

With a 3-0 series whitewash, India need to win the series by 4-0 to punch their ticket to feature in London for the WTC final for the third successive time, without having to rely on other results.

After the conclusion series opener in Perth, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18.

The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series’ penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.

India’s squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Australia squad for the first Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.

With ANI inputs 

Former Australia Test captain Ian Chappell believes if the Indian batters try to go over the top with their shots in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, then they will be found out by extra bounce in the conditions during the all-important series. India will reach the Australian shores after a disappointing 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand at home. The poor form of captain Rohit Sharma and talismanic batter Virat Kohli are among the visitors’ main concerns.

“India have got some batting problems. I think Jaiswal is a very good-looking young player, a left-hand opener, I think Gill can really play. But then you’ve got Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are both ageing, and you get to that point where people start talking about it and maybe it starts to creep into your head a little bit (where you think), ‘Am I getting to that age where it starts to go downhill?’, and they’re both at that age.”

“The only thing I’d say against that is they’re coming to Australia where the pitches are pretty good, but there’ll be the extra bounce and if they have gone over the top then the extra bounce will find them out,” said Chappell on Wide World of Sports’ Outside the Rope show.

India have won the past two-Test series in Australia by identical 2-1 margins in 2018/19 and 2020/21, respectively. Former Australia skipper Mark Taylor thinks that with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli not in great form, the pressure to make big runs is more on the young batters in the squad.

“They (India) have moved on Pujara and they’ve moved on Rahane, and they’ve left Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, their best two players, but all of a sudden they’ve had a bit of a rocky period… and that has put pressure now on the younger guys and also their lower-order. You still need to make the bulk of your runs from your best players, and over the last probably 12 or 18 months that hasn’t been the case for India.”

The 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy will see India and Australia play Test matches in Perth, Adelaide (pink-ball match), Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney from November 22 to January 7, 2025. It will also be the first five-match Test series between India and Australia since 1991/92.

File image of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.© AFP

After being confirmed to open for Australia A in the second four-day match against India A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), skipper Nathan McSweeney said he will be very much comfortable and confident of opening the batting against brand new Kookaburra ball. McSweeney has never opened in first-class cricket but will partner with Marcus Harris in a move that signifies the duo are ahead in the race to be Usman Khawaja’s partner for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opening game against India, starting on November 22 in Perth.

McSweeney, who represents South Australia in domestic cricket, made scores of 39 and 88 not out as a number four batter in the seven-wicket win for Australia A over India A in the first four-day game at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. “For me, nothing really changes. Batting three for South Australia, I do similar prep with the new ball. For me, it’s try and nail the same preparation. Go out there and give myself every chance to go out and do a good job for the team.”

“I haven’t done it before at Shield level (but) did it quite a bit growing up and a little bit in grade cricket. Batting three, you can be in on the second ball of the game. I’m very comfortable with it … I’m confident for sure, and hopefully I can put my best foot forward,” said McSweeney in an upcoming episode of cricket.com.au’s Unplayable Podcast.

The batter began his career at Queensland, but due to the presence of Khawaja, Marnus, Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw and Joe Burns meant McSweeney moved to Southern Australia.

From there, making 99 not out against New South Wales in the final match of the 2021-22 season, which ended South Australia’s 16-game winless streak made him a regular in the side’s line-up, and eventually became their captain. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to play for Australia. That’s the direction you train (for). I didn’t quite nail my Shield stuff at the start, and I was able to go back and learn a lot about my game and myself, and how I want to go about it.”

“Now being one of South Australia’s important players, and I feel like being captain of that side also adds a bit of extra layer of importance. It’s up to me to make sure that I can make some runs to put the team in position to win. So I think that stuff (leadership) has really helped me.”

“It’s just about embracing (the extra attention). I’ve got to think about it. I want to play for Australia. So does everyone who plays domestic cricket. It doesn’t stop me from preparing as best I can and trying to go out and play my game. Unfortunately, we don’t have any control of what they’re going to do selection-wise, so all I can control is my preparation and what will be, will be,” he said.

Being selected for the Australian Test team would also get McSweeney to reunite with Labuschagne, who has been the youngster’s mentor during his early days as a rookie player with Queensland.

“I think we have similar styles of games. The areas we score in are probably quite similar. I’ve probably tried to emulate (him) at times, and now I’ve tried to find my own way that I want to go about it (and) that’s natural to me,” he added.

“I think there’s definitely similarities and the same kind of philosophy when we bat. He’s one of the best players in the world, so you’d be silly not to try to take a few things from his book. I think the way we set up – we take guard on off stump most of the time.”

“Playing in Brisbane probably forces you to do that, because you have to leave a lot of balls. The strength of my game when I’m playing well is good decision-making. I make the bowler bowl to me and try and put him away when he misses.”

“Marnus does the exact same thing. He talks a lot about (bat) grips and everything you can possibly think of. I don’t try to tinker too much with that. It’s just about trying to make sure my mind’s clear,” he concluded.

File image of Sunil Gavaskar.© BCCI

File image of Virat Kohli.© AFP

India fast-bowler Mohammed Shami, who is recovering from an ankle injury, will not play in Bengal’s upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka, starting from November 6 in Bengaluru. The squad led by Anustup Majumdar, announced on Saturday, did not include Shami’s name. Though the Bengal squad remains unchanged for the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy against Madhya Pradesh, there is a high likelihood of Shami taking part in the match scheduled to begin from November 13 at Holkar Stadium in Indore.

Bengal, with coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla at the helm, holds the fourth spot in Elite Group C with five points after three Ranji Trophy matches.

“Shami will not be playing the Bengal game against Karnataka, and most probably, he will play the match against Madhya Pradesh. The information received from the BCCI Centre of Excellence was that he will not be rushed into action. There have also been thoughts that Shami wants to do his competitive cricket return at his pace and comfort,” said sources to IANS.

Shami, who’s taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests, bowled in the Indian team nets to Shubman Gill and a padded-up assistant coach Abhishek Nayar at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium after they lost the Test series opener to New Zealand by eight wickets on October 20.

The very next day, Shami said at a promotional event at Gurugram that he was 100% pain-free and expressed his keen interest in playing a few domestic matches. It will be interesting to see if Shami will be available for the Indian team through the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Brisbane, starting from December 14.

Shami’s last competitive cricket match was when India played the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final against Australia at Ahmedabad on November 19, 2023. In that tournament, despite not playing in India’s initial matches, Shami picked 24 wickets at an average of 10.70 to be the leading wicket-taker in the competition.

He then successfully underwent surgery on February 26 in London this year for solving his right achilles tendon problem and has been at the NCA since then for rehabilitation and recovery programme, followed by a recent gradual return to bowling.

Shami had played a pivotal role in India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018/19, where he picked 16 wickets in four matches at an average of 26.18. Though he didn’t play after the first Test in Adelaide in the 2020/21 tour due to a fractured right forearm, India managed to secure an unforgettable 2-1 triumph.

Bengal Squad: Anustup Majumdar, Wriddhiman Saha, Sudip Chatterjee, Sudip Kr Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Writtick Chatterjee, Avilin Ghosh, Shuvam Dey, Shakir Habib Gandhi, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Ishan Porel, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Md Kaif, Rohit Kumar, Rishav Vivek