Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Sunil Gavaskar Makes Strong Predictions For This Team
The legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has forecasted a 3-1 win for India against Australia in this year's much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India's Dominance In The Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series
India beat Australia in the previous two Border-Gavaskar series in Australia, first in the 2018/19 season and again in the 2020/21 season. The 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is going to be so important, with five matches scheduled to be contested in Perth, Adelaide pink-ball match, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
“It's going to be an exciting series for sure with the talent that is there on both sides and it will also show why Test match cricket is the ultimate format of our beloved game. Oh, and my prediction is a 3-1 win for India,” wrote Gavaskar in his column for Sunday Mid-day.
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Gavaskar Gives His Prediction
He also believes that Australia will be severely missing left-handed opener David Warner, who called time on his international career earlier this year. The opening duo of Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja are the opening batting duo for Australia in Tests since the departure of Warner, but they have merely averaged 21.3 in seven innings.
“With their opening batting problems exacerbated after the retirement of David Warner and the middle-order also a bit dodgy, the Aussies are ripe for the taking once again. India being usual slow starters in an overseas series in SENA countries the first Test will be crucial.”
“That they aren't playing proper first class games before that as well as in the week long gaps between some Test matches could work against them. That said, it is how schedules are nowadays for most touring sides,” added Gavaskar.
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“The five Test matches that India play (at home) before they go to Australia will be good for the mental tuning that is required for a tough tour like that. Already the mind games have begun with Australian players, both current and former, airing their views about what the result would be.”
“While they (Australia) are not making Glenn McGrath-like statements of a clean sweep they are still suggesting that Australia will prevail. Sadly, apart from Ravi Shastri, no other former or current player has seen to counter the mind games which the Aussies are so good at."
“Maybe Ravichandran Ashwin should start telling us about a special delivery that he is developing for Steve Smith, that is, of course, if he continues to open the batting and can survive Jasprit Bumrah,” he concluded.
With some analysts already labeling Australia as early favorites to lift the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gavaskar gave his views on the psychological games that are played out even before the first ball of the series is bowled. The much-anticipated series begins on November 22 and will be the first five-match Test series between the two sides since the 1991/92 season.
