IND vs AUS: 1st Test Preview – The most anticipated series gets underway
India and Australia will be locking horns on February 9, 2023, in Nagpur for the all-important Border Gavaskar Trophy. The series includes four Test matches and the two teams will travel to Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad. They will then engage in an ODI series on March 17.
India have won four out of the previous five editions of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. After defeating Australia 4-0 at home in the 2012/13 edition, India lost the 2014/15 edition in Australia by 2-0. But the Indian side then lifted the coveted cup three times in a row by winning the trophy in 2016/17, 2018/19 and 2020/21.
All eyes on the series result
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian side will now be aiming to extend the streak to four whereas the Pat Cummins-led Australian side would be eyeing to break their juggernaut and lift the trophy for the first time since 2015. The previous edition of the series is etched in every Indian’s heart as India scripted history in the absence of some of the key senior players.
This time around, the two sides have an eye on the Test mace and will be playing to make it to the finals of the World Test Championship. While Australia are comfortably placed on top of the table, India are ranked second. The hosts will be able to book the WTC Final spot if they manage to defeat the visitors in three of the four games.
Pitch and conditions
The VCA Stadium’s pitches have favoured quicker bowlers, but, like most of the country’s wickets, they have primarily benefited spinners. While early in the game, the batters have found it relatively easy to score runs, the sweltering heat has come into play at the venue often, aiding the tweakers in demonstrating their superiority in the longest format. However, the venue hasn’t hosted an international Test match since 2017.
Venue details: Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium, Nagpur
Last Test match at the venue: IND: 610/6d | SL: 205 & 166
Here’s the probable playing XI for India vs Australia clash:
India:
India will miss Rishabh Pant as he is still recovering from the injuries that he suffered during a car accident. The Indian side will rely on Ashwin and Jadeja to lead their way with the ball. The top-order will have to set up a strong foundation for the middle-order batters. Shreyas Iyer’s absence poses an interesting question ahead of the selectors.
Australia:
Australia will be missing the services of three players in the first game. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Cameron Green have been ruled out due to injuries. Australia will bank on their powerful batting lineup in the absence of their leading bowlers. The Australian captain has indicated that they are open to playing debutant Todd Murphy in the opening Test.
