It’s a fully stacked 4-Test & 3-ODI series with a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on the line when Australia face-off against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting Thursday, February 9th 2023. The ODI series begins on March 17th at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
India
India placed 2nd in the WTC table and chasing their 4th consecutive Border-Gavaskar series win, would need to beat Australia 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 or 4-0 to make it to the finals with a team missing Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, their top two run scorers in Tests in 2022. Iyer’s miss could open the gates for a SuryaKumar Yadav Test debut in Nagpur.
Skipper Rohit Sharma leads a team that includes Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara – the top run-getter in 2022 (409 runs in 10 innings with 1 century and 3 half-centuries), Vice-Captain KL Rahul, a returning Ravindra Jadeja and 2 rookie wicketkeepers – Ishan Kishan and K S Bharat. Shubman Gill looks ready to stamp his authority in the top order as well.
However, India’s top Test wicket-taker in 2022, Jasprit Bumrah misses the opening Test and is only expected back for the 3rd. In his absence, India’s pace attack will see seasoned Mohammed Shami lead an attack that includes Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat backed by a strong spin department led by Ravichandran Ashwin – the 2nd highest wicket-taker for India in Tests in 2022 (20 wickets in 12 innings). Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel round off the bowling department.
Australia
The Aussies weigh-in with a strong spin contingent themselves – 4 spinners to back up their strong 5-man fast bowling team of Captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, and Lance Morris. Starc however misses the 1st Test due to a finger injury. Spinner Nathan Lyon, the top wicket-taker for Australia in 2022 (47 wickets in 19 innings) leads a spin department that includes Mitchell Swepson, Todd Murphy and Ashton Agar.
Australia land in India with a fully stacked batting line-up led by Vice-Captain Steve Smith (957 runs in 2022). Their top scorer in Tests in 2022 Usman Khawaja (1,080 runs in 20 innings with 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries), Marnus Labuschagne (957 runs), Travis Head, Alex Carey, all-rounder Cameron Green and David Warner looking in excellent form make up the rest of the touring party.
Head-to-Head
Tests
Total – 101 | India – 29 | Australia – 43 | Drawn – 28 | Tied – 1
ODIs
Total – 133 | India – 53 | Australia – 80
Schedule
Tests
1st Test – February 09 – 13, Nagpur
2nd Test – February 17 – 21, Delhi
3rd Test – March 01 – 05, Dharamsala
4th Test – March 09 – 13, Ahmedabad
All times 04:00 AM GMT / 09:30 AM IST
ODI
1st ODI (D/N) – March 17, Wankhede
2nd ODI (D/N) – March 19, Visakhapatnam
3rd ODI (D/N) – March 22, Chennai
All times 08:00 AM GMT / 01:30 PM IST
Squads
TESTS
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav
Australia: Pat Cummins (Captain), Steve Smith (Vice-Captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
ODIs
Yet To Be Announced
