Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj delivered a fiery spell on the second day of the fifth BGT 2024-25 test in Sydney, accounting for the wickets of Sam Konstas and Travis Head. Konstas, who had resumed his battle with Jasprit Bumrah, was eventually dismissed for 23 after being sucked into a full delivery from Siraj. Head, the leading run-scorer of the series, was also dismissed by Siraj in the same over, leaving the Australian team in trouble.
Despite his formidable reputation as one of the best batsmen in the world, Indian captain Virat Kohli once again fell victim to a ball outside off-stump, leading to his early exit in the last Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. This marks an underwhelming end to Kohli's series, with only one century scored and a recurring weakness against this type of delivery. To add to his frustration, the Australian bowler Scott Boland had openly discussed their tactic for Kohli in a press conference just the day before.
The fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 test at the Sydney Cricket Ground saw a fiery encounter between India's Jasprit Bumrah and Australia's Sam Konstas. The stand-in captain for the Indian team charged towards Konstas after taking a wicket, creating an intense rivalry between the two. Despite a low-scoring day with India being bowled out for 185, the excitement and tension between the players on both sides set the tone for a thrilling second day.
Ahead of the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25), former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri has expressed his disappointment over the non-inclusion of star batter Shubman Gill in the playing XI. Despite his shaky form, Gill has been a consistent performer for team India and his exclusion raises several eyebrows. Shastri believes that a player averaging over 40 in the year 2024 should not be warming the bench and questions how Gill can be out of the XI.
There is uncertainty surrounding the future of Rohit Sharma as Indian captain as coach Gautam Gambhir will assess the pitch before making a decision. Sharma's poor form and disappointing dismissals in the previous tests have led to speculation about his place in the team. With a chance to draw the series, Sharma's low average of 6.20 has become a cause of concern for the team.
Australia dominates India in the second Boder-Gavaskar Trophy test, taking an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series with one test left to play. The hosts dominated with performances from Sams Konstas, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland, while India lacked a cohesive effort despite brilliant performances from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jasprit Bumrah. The difference in the match came from Australia's lower-order partnerships, with India allowing their last few wickets to collect significant runs in both innings.
India has selected talented all-rounder Tanush Kotian to join their squad for the fourth and fifth tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series. The series is currently tied 1-1 with India winning in Perth and Australia responding with a victory in Adelaide. The action now moves to Melbourne and Sydney for the final two tests. Kotian, who has had a successful season with Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, will replace R Ashwin in the squad as he joins the team in Melbourne on Tuesday. This will be his first appearance in the Indian Test squad.
KL Rahul has been in exceptional form for the India National Cricket Team during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 20924-25. Former players Sunil Gavaskar and Matthew Hayden have praised his technique and concentration, comparing him to top batsmen like Kane Williamson. Despite frustrating rain breaks and Steve Smith's stunning catch, Rahul's knock of 84 runs helped India avoid a follow on against Australia in the third test. However, questions arise about Rishabh Pant's form in the series.
India's incredible victories and exhilarating draws at The Gabba in Brisbane have solidified its reputation as one of the most difficult venues for visiting teams in cricket lore. From the historic series win in 2021 to the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, The Gabba continues to bring out the best in India, showcasing their strong spirit of resilience and determination. Even in the ongoing series, relative newcomer Akash Deep and seasoned campaigner Jasprit Bumrah displayed this never-say-die attitude, reminding the world of India's incredible bench strength and their ability to thrive in tough situations. The rain on Day 5 may have hindered a potential victory, but India's unwavering determination has kept their hopes alive in both the BGT and the World Test Championship.
India's senior pace bowler Mohammed Shami has been named in Bengal's squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, indicating that his full readiness for the grueling Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024-25 is still uncertain. While Shami has made a comeback in domestic cricket after recovering from an ankle injury, his performance in the T20 format does not guarantee his fitness for test matches, particularly in Australia. Though there have been speculations about Shami's inclusion in the rest of the BGT series, his participation remains doubtful as he is yet to prove his fitness in longer-format matches. This could potentially impact India's performance in the upcoming test series against Australia.