Mumbai, Aug 14: India will tour Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November 2024. The five Test series will begin on November 22 at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Though the cricket matches on the field are still two months away, but the war of words and result predictions have begun.
Soon after former Australia captain Ricky Ponting predicted that the Aussies will take back the Border-Gavaskar Tropy this time with a 3-1 series win, former Team India coach Ravi Shastri countered him on Wednesday predicting a hat-trick Indian win on Australian soil.
Shashtri, who was Team India's coach during the previous two Border-Gavaskar Trophies played in Australia, feels India can retain the crown for the third consecutive time.
Under coach Shastri’s guidance, India achieved back-to-back Test series triumphs on Australian soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Shastri believes that India is poised to make it a hat-trick, despite the formidable challenge posed by Pat Cummins' side.
The former India coach however believes it is going to be one heck of a series. But he feels India have every chance of making it a hat-trick because they've got their bowlers fit and if they can bat well, they can tickle (beat) Australia once again.
Shastri stated in the battle of two superpowers of world cricket, Indian bowlers will hold the key. A bowling line up comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami (who is expected to return to action after injury layoff), Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, India hold he advantage.
He also agreed that Australia will be equally competitive on their home turf with Pat Cummins leading the side. Apart from Cummins, Aussies have world-class bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon can challenge India.
However, some former cricketers believe that India need a resilient middle order like previous two occasions to frustrate Australian speedsters on their own turf.
On last of couple of tours to Down Under, India had two solid pillars in the middle order with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane contributing well. India need to find similar alternatives to bolster their chances in the Test series against the Kangaroos in Australia.
