Australian captain Pat Cummins exchanges a handshake with Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah after winning the fifth Test match, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney on January 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Four out of five pitches used in the recent Border-Gavaskar Test series between India and Australia have been rated ‘very good’ by the ICC, which found the track for the fifth and final game in Sydney to be ‘satisfactory’, Cricket Australia announced on Wednesday (January 8, 2025).

The marquee five-match series ended 3-1 in favour of the hosts, who regained the Border Gavaskar Trophy after a decade and also qualified for the World Test Championship final in June against South Africa.

The tracks at the Optus Stadium in Perth, the Adelaide Oval, the Gabba in Brisbane and the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground received the highest rating, Cricket Australia stated in a press release.

The traditionally batting-friendly pitch at Sydney Cricket Ground, which ended up a notch below in the ratings, favoured bowlers this time. Batters from both the teams struggled for the majority of the Test which ended in two and half days.

“We encourage pitches that bring out the unique characteristics of that venue and this has long been a feature of Australian cricket,” Cricket Australia’s Head of Cricket Operations Peter Roach said in a media release while reacting to the ICC’s ratings.

“We don’t look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series. What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result.

“Weather obviously plays a significant part in preparation and we know that even our most skilled curators are challenged at times by adverse weather,” he added.

Early pace, later spin at SCG

The Sydney track had a green top with variable bounce on offer and as many as 26 wickets fell on the first two days while four Indians and as many Australians were dismissed on day three as bowlers largely dominated the proceedings.

“The SCG has been striving to bring out their unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and spins,” Roach said. 

“This year was a step in the right direction to achieving this which provided an exciting finish to the Border Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the Ashes summer in 2025-26,” he added.

There was some debate around the SCG track after a few former players, including Indian great Sunil Gavaskar, called it “not ideal”. However, India head coach Gautam Gambhir had termed it as “spicy” but overall good for Test cricket.

“The series also emphasised the benefits of playing first-class cricket at major venues,” Roach said.

“It allows our curators to become more familiar with the different challenges that go into preparing wickets in different weather conditions, and also allows players to enter the Test team familiar with the conditions they will confront,” he added.

File photo of ICC president Jay Shah.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The ICC in collaboration with cricket boards of India, Australia and England is exploring the possibility of a two-tier Test system to facilitate more series between big three nations.

The Age reported that Jay Shah, the new ICC chairman, is set to meet Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird and his England counterpart Richard Thompson later this month to discuss the finer points.

“Any plan for a move to two divisions in Test cricket would kick in after the end of the current Future Tours Program in 2027,” the Age reported quoting its sources.

The BCCI is currently gearing up for its Special General Meeting on January 12 in Mumbai where interim secretary Devajit Saikia is expected to get a full-time role. Saikia was appointed in the interim role after Shah vacated his post last month to take over as ICC chairman.

A BCCI official indicated that the discussion floated around the ICC corridors in 2016, the first-time when a two-tier Test system was seriously considered.

“We don’t have any news of any such move as yet. Currently, preparations are being made for SGM and the recent tour to Australia too needs to be discussed.

“There was such a move sometime back, but we haven’t heard anything since,” a BCCI source told PTI.

The BCCI and cricket bodies of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh opposed the move, citing the possibility of decreasing revenue.

They had also argued that smaller nations would miss out on the opportunity of playing against top teams if such a system comes into existence.

However, nine years down the road the modalities have changed and even some of the reputed experts such as former Indian skipper Ravi Shastri are supporting the division.

“I’ve been a firm believer in that if you want Test cricket to survive and be alive and thriving, I think that’s the way to go.

“The top teams play against each other more often, so there is a contest; you want contests,” Shastri told SEN during the recent fifth Test between India and Australia.

Even some of the top players such as England Test skipper Ben Stokes had criticised the current model of World Test Championship.

FIle photo of David Warner and Marcus Stoinis. These two along with Ashton Agar were left out of the Cricket Australia’s central contract list for the year 2024-25.
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Veteran opener David Warner, who has retired from ODI and Test cricket, along with all-rounders Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis, was on March 28 dropped from Cricket Australia’s list of centrally-contracted players for the 2024-25 season.

Besides, Victoria opener Marcus Harris and pacer Michael Neser have also missed out on contracts that were offered to 23 players, stated a report by ‘cricket.com.au’.

Australia have a hectic season ahead that will feature the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June and a home Test series against India towards the end of the year among other engagements.

Warner’s omission was expected as he intends to call it quits from the game after the T20 World Cup. He is currently in India, playing in the IPL for Delhi Capitals.

Stoinis is the most notable omission. However, the 34-year-old, who is currently playing with Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, remains in contention for the upcoming T20 World Cup despite missing Australia’s recent tour of New Zealand with a back injury.

Pacers Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis are among those who have been offered contracts for the first time.

Bartlett (25) and Ellis (29) are joined by Victoria and Adelaide Strikers batter Matt Short (28), and Western Australia all-rounder Aaron Hardie (25) as the four new faces on this year’s central contract list.

The four players have already made their international debut for Australia.

Short and Hardie made their debuts during last year’s T20 series in South Africa, while Ellis played in Australia’s ODI and T20I tour of South Africa, and T20 campaigns in India and New Zealand.

He, however, missed the home white-ball series against the West Indies due to a rib injury.

“Matt, Aaron and Xavier have been extremely impressive in the early stages of their international careers,” national selection chair George Bailey was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au “Their performances and the way they have embraced the international stage has been exciting to watch.

“The panel believes they have strong futures and are deserved of their contracts as they work towards striving to become regulars in the Australian setup.”

Cricket Australia contracted men’s players 2024-25

Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.

Australia’s Travis Head during the 1st Betway ODI between South Africa and Australia at Mangaung Oval on September 07, 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australia’s Travis Head returned to nets on Sunday having recovered from a fracture on his left-hand, and the middle-order batter is expected to travel to India on Thursday to join his country’s World Cup squad.

Head had his protective splint removed from his hand on Friday. The South Australian had suffered a fracture on his hand after getting hit by South African pacer Gerald Coetzee at Centurion ahead of the World Cup.

Although he might miss Australia’s fixture against Pakistan on Friday in Bengaluru, Head could feature against the Netherlands on October 25 in Delhi, provided he passes the fitness test.

“It’s coming along well, and probably better than we hoped. When we decided not to go with surgery, which would have meant a 10-week recovery, we were told it would be minimum six weeks with the splint before we could look at playing again,” Head was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

“Going by that plan, the Netherlands game will be just under six weeks from impact, which is a pretty aggressive date, so everything would have to go perfectly from here to make that deadline,” he added.

Considering the nature of the injury, Head said he was still ascertaining his ability to field.

“I’m not sure what it will mean for fielding. We haven’t explored that yet,” said Head.

“There’s still a few hurdles we need to clear, and everything needs to fall into place from my end and from the team’s point of view over there before the final decision is made,” he added.

Australia are yet to taste a win in the World Cup and they are placed ninth on the 10-team table after having lost both their matches.