India and Australia will go toe-to-toe in what promises to be an intensely battled Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023. The first Test will start on February 9 in Nagpur; the second Test will be played in Delhi followed by the third Test in Dharamsala, before the series concludes in Ahmedabad.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is currently held by India, who won the last three Test series between the two sides – in India in 2017, followed by two historic triumphs in Australia in 2018/19 and 2020/21.
Apart from the bragging rights, more importantly, this series is crucial for both teams as they chase the ticket to the WTC final, later in June.
India haven’t lost a home Test series for 10 years – and have only lost two Tests at home, one of the loss was handed to them by Australia in 2017 in Pune, before the hosts bounced back to win the series.
India will be missing some of their first-choice players in Bumrah, Pant, and Iyer, but the Asian giants have enough firepower in their ranks to defeat any team in their own backyard.
Here are 3 players who could be India’s biggest match-winners in the IND vs AUS Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023:
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin will once again be leading India’s spin attack in a home series. The off-spinner has rarely failed to make the most out of the spin-friendly conditions in India, and also contributed with crucial runs down the order.
On the last two tours made by Australia to India, R Ashwin was the wrecker-in-chief, with their batters failing to read Ashwin’s mystery and variations. Against Australia in the two home series in 2013 and 2017, in 8 Tests, Ashwin took 50 wickets at an average of 23 with 5 five-wicket hauls.
With the bat, Ashwin averages 28 in India in Tests, which could prove to be a significant differential in conditions where batting is tough.
Cheteshwar Pujara
The man who’s proven to be Australia’s biggest nemesis in the past few series, Cheteshwar Pujara, who even had Josh Hazlewood so ruffled with his long presence on the field that the pacer reportedly threw his hat in frustration in the dressing room when queried on Pujara.
With Pujara, India were unlikely to win their two Test series in Australia and also he had tormented the Aussie bowlers at home in the past.
Against Australia, Pujara averages 54 in 20 Test matches, having notched up 5 centuries and 10 half-centuries. Pujara raised a double century in the 2013 and 2017 series each. He’d be eyeing another one this time in what could well be the last series of his against Australia at home.
Virat Kohli
Who but Virat Kohli is going to hog all the limelight once again? Especially now that it is the mighty Aussies who have come to India. The 34-year-old averages 48 against Australia with 7 centuries in 20 Tests.
In the 2017 home series, Kohli didn’t have a good series, failing to go past 20 in 5 innings. But a long time has passed since. He clattered runs on his last two tours in Australia (though the previous one was only for one Test match), dropped his form, and has regained it back.
He’s hit centuries in T20I and ODI as he’s gotten back in his best touch. Now what remains is to break his Test century drought-Kohli’s last Test ton came in November 2019. What better opportunity to do it to the opponents he’s had so much success against and build his brand while scoring against them?
