Australian players walk back to the pavilion after the end of day 2 of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth on November 23, 2024.
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After a hard day for his wards on the field, Australian coach Andrew McDonald discussed his team’s prospects with the media in the current first Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday (November 23, 2024).

Excerpts..

Playing arena

“The wicket has changed considerably and if you look at the seam and swing, it was down compared to yesterday (Friday). (K.L.) Rahul and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal played extremely well. Our guys got the balls in the right areas, and there were some play-and-misses, so anything can happen if you get some edges on that, and it could have been a totally different day (against India).”

Mood and strategy

“The morale is always good, it’s a pretty level team, whether it’s a good day or a bad day. There’s no doubt we are clearly well behind the game at this stage, but that’s not to say that tomorrow can’t change very quickly. Test cricket ebbs and flows. It’s about 20 odd overs to the second new ball, we have got to work out a way to navigate through a few batters before that second new ball arrives and that could be our entry point.”

First day nerves

“No doubt both teams would have had some nerves leading into a big series, so there might have been some errors. I think as a batting unit when you get a look at a wicket and then obviously your bowlers go about their work, and you get a second opportunity, it looks a bit different in terms of your mindset. You know what to expect and you can work from there.”

Australia’s Pat Cummins
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Australian skipper Pat Cummins is determined to “make amends” against India in the upcoming five-match Test series, as he aims to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in over a decade.

The two teams will face off in a five-match series starting November 22 in Perth. India will come into the contest with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy firmly in their grasp, having held it for nearly a decade and winning two consecutive series in Australia.

“We’ve had a bit of a break, so I’m excited for the five-match Test series. Excited to get into it,” the 31-year-old said to Star Sports.

“We haven’t had a lot of luck against India over the last few Test series, but we always pride ourselves on playing well here in Australia,” he said.

India had won the last Border-Gavaskar series in Australia 2-1 in 2020-21. Rishabh Pant’s second-innings heroics of unbeaten 89 in the final Test saw India chase down 328 to seal a historic three-wicket win at the Gabba.

It came after enduring a humiliating collapse in the first Test in Adelaide, where they were shot out for 36 — their lowest-ever Test score.

“The last two series were a long time ago, so I think we’ve gotten over it. But we have really high expectations when we play Test cricket in Australia,” Cummins said.

“I think that’s from the fans and the media as well. So anytime we don’t win down here, of course, you look at those series a bit more closely.

“The last series, in particular, was a really tough one. It went right down to that last session at the Gabba, and unfortunately, we couldn’t pull it off. A lot of the guys in the team are the same as those who played in that series, and we’re here to make amends,” he added.

Cummins identified Rishabh Pant as India’s “X-factor,” but stressed that his team is focused on rectifying the setbacks from four consecutive series defeats to India.

“Rishabh had a great series here in Australia last time. He’s always a bit of that X-factor in the middle order,” he said.

“You never quite know what you’re going to get, which is exciting, even as the opposition. And he’s always got something to say behind the stumps — he’s very funny, makes me laugh.”

Asked how the Australian bowling lineup rates talented youngsters like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Cummins said: “I’ve played a little bit against Shubman. Haven’t seen a lot of Jaiswal, just a bit in the IPL.

“But they both look like young guys who’ve scored a fair few runs in different formats. We’ll get down here and have a good look at them. But yeah, we’re still a little while away from the series, so I can’t say I’ve been planning too closely for them yet.”

Cummins also rued about missing key all-rounder Cameron Green who has been ruled out for six months after choosing to undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his lower back.

“He’s a big loss for us. Not only for his batting, but he’s probably the best gully fielder I’ve ever seen, and a great bowler we need as well, so we’re really going to miss him,” he said.

Australia will face Pakistan in a white-ball series before the much-anticipated Test series against India.

It will be the first Test series between India and Australia comprising five matches since 1992.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins. File
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Australia captain Pat Cummins is expecting the upcoming series against India to be a survival of fittest as his team looks to avenge consecutive losses on home soil when the two nations go head-to-head over five tests from late November.

The latest series begins in Perth on Nov. 22 with the Australians attempting to overturn defeats to the Indians in 2018-19 and 2020-21, when India edged a four-test series 2-1 with a three-wicket win in the final clash in Brisbane.

“The couple of home series I’ve played against India there’s always an element of attrition to them,” said Cummins. “The last series came down to the last session at the Gabba on the last day of the last test match.

“That’s a good thing to keep in mind. It is a long series, and it might be tightly held until the last game, so you’ve got to manage your resources throughout.”

It is almost 10 years since the Australians last lifted the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and Cummins will go into the series well rested having missed his nation’s recent white ball tour of England and Scotland.

The Australians will be without fast bowler Cameron Green due to back surgery and Cummins, who had injury issues earlier in his career, is backing the 25-year-old to return to the team in the future.

“We want him bowling, Cam wants to be bowling, and he has a long career ahead of him,” said Cummins.

“It’s about trying to place Cam the cricketer in the best position he can be to have the career that he’s hoping for. He’s young, so I’m sure he’ll be right in the long run.”

Cummins’ management of his own workload means the 31-year-old is hoping he can continue to captain Australia for longer than originally intended, having set 2025 as his intended cut-off when he was handed the role three years ago.

“Maybe I can go a little bit longer than I first thought,” he said. “I feel like I can manage a lot more than what I did back then, just by getting better at it and having some wonderful people around that help as well.

“I’m not going to do it forever, but I wouldn’t say it’s imminent that I’m going to step away. (2027) is the big question, but it’s a long way away.”

Ricky Ponting talks about the Indian batting strength ahead of the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting showered praise on the Indian batters and said that they adapt to the overseas batting conditions very well.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test at Perth.

Over the years, India has regained an upper hand over Australia in the series. India has won its previous four series against Australia in a row, including two wins in Australia in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons.

This has made India a much more successful side in the series, with India winning the BGT ten times and Australia winning it five times, with their last series win coming in during the 2014-15 season. Their last series win in India was in 2004-05.

Also Read: Nathan Lyon seeks English spinner Hartley’s ‘inputs’ to tame Yashasvi Jaiswal

Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, Ponting said that the Indian batters are not daunted by the Gabba or the Optus Oval like earlier times. “They won a game at the Gabba, which just doesn’t happen. I think their batsmen adapt to overseas batting conditions very well. I don’t think they’re as daunted by the Gabba or the Optus Oval, as they maybe once were. Maybe it is a selection thing, or they just don’t fear the big stage anymore,” Ponting said.

He added that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is like a World Cup for the Indians. “For the last 10 years being around the IPL, I’ve noticed that a lot of the young guys [don’t fear the big stage anymore] as the IPL is high-pressure, it is like a World Cup for them. Their batsmen are all very aggressive stroke-making players. They are not scared of failing,” he added.

Ponting showered praise on the Indian bowling attack and said that they have great depth in their fast-bowling lineup. “Their fast-bowling depth is great. The leadership in the last 6-7 years has been strong, going back to Kohli’s start of captaincy, played a big role in turning the cricket around and Dravid has continued the same in the recent four years. The influence of someone like that [Kohli] around a team would be great and they’ve got star players,” he further added.

The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium’s lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18.

The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage. The fifth and final Test, at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest.

Star batter Marnus Labuschagne reckons fast bowlers make India a “difficult” side to beat in Australian conditions. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Star batter Marnus Labuschagne reckons fast bowlers make India a “difficult” side to beat in Australian conditions as the hosts look to end their barren run in Border-Gavaskar Trophy which has lasted nearly a decade.

India has won every bilateral Test series against Australia since losing 1-2 in an away affair in 2014-15. They have recorded identical 2-1 series wins in 2018-19 and 2020-21 Down Under to remain on top.

“India’s fast bowling is very good, which is really what brings them in Australian conditions and make them such a tough team to beat in Australian conditions,” Labuschagne told Star Sports.

The middle-order mainstay termed the rivalry as ‘tough’ irrespective of where they are playing.

“There is always high anticipation. To these two teams, it doesn’t matter where we’re playing, if it’s in England, Australia, or India, it’s always a tough contest,” he said.

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon termed Indian players “superstars” while hoping to revive his on-field rivalry with India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

“I’ve always said throughout my whole career (that) I want to compete against the best and you look through the whole Indian line-up, the whole squad, there’s absolute superstars everywhere,” he said.

“I know Ashwin, we debuted around similar times and we’ve competed against each other in a number of series. I have got nothing but respect for him. He is an absolute master in the craft of off-spin bowling and it’s been an absolute privilege to play against him and learn off him,” said Lyon.

All-rounder Cameron Green reckoned the five-Test series between India and Australia starting on November 22 at Perth could be a “preview” for the final of the World Test Championship next year.

India lead the WTC table for the 2023-25 cycle with 68.52 percentage points and 74 points, followed by Australia with 62.50 percentage points and 90 points.

The WTC final will be played at Lord’s from June 11-15 next year and could feature both the current top two teams once again.

India have featured in the summit clashes of the WTC on both occasions but have lost to New Zealand (2019-21) and Australia (2021-23).

“Every single point is pretty crucial for the World Test Championship. Anyway you can kind of (or) get an idea of (to) how to get one up on your opponent, we’ll try and take,” Green said.

“If it is a bit of a preview for a World Test Championship final again, yeah, we’ve been trying to get as much information out of India and see how we can win it again,” he added.