New Delhi: This November, India travels to Australia for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia is under pressure at home, having failed to win the series for ten years, including the last two encounters on their own soil.
India is aiming to keep hold of the trophy, riding a wave of momentum from four straight series wins. Their dominance is highlighted by two historic triumphs in Australia during 2018-19 and 2020-21, leaving Australia without a series win since 2014-15.
Australia, however, is now focused on finding a way to overturn this trend. Jason Gillespie, the current head coach for Pakistan's Test side and a former Australian fast bowler, predicts an Australian victory. He argues that the experience and skill of their premier bowlers—Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, and Lyon—will serve as lethal weapons, preventing India from dominating as they did in the last two series.
Showing his support for his native team on Fox Sports, Gillespie insisted that Australia is capable of getting the job done this time. He praised the existing bowling quartet as the best in the country, noting that while their track record speaks for itself, the key will be their execution on the field. He singled out Nathan Lyon as a vital part of what he considers the strongest bowling attack Australia can field.
Gillespie acknowledged that India is currently in peak form and has been playing exceptional Test cricket for a while. Despite India's recent superiority, he believes the tide is ready to turn in Australia's favor. He also weighed in on the tactical debate regarding Steve Smith's position, suggesting that the veteran should move away from the opening slot and return to his more natural role at number four.
Discussing the squad, Gillespie noted that David Warner's contributions over the years have been immense and that finding a replacement for him is no easy task. He expressed skepticism about Steve Smith opening the batting, firmly believing Smith is better suited for the middle order at number four. Closing his thoughts, the coach reflected on previous disappointments, admitting that while the team prepared well, they were simply outplayed. He emphasized that while the country felt the sting of defeat, there is a collective understanding that change is necessary. He called for patience and stability as the team works to improve.