India vs Australia: Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Kicks Off with High Stakes at Optus Stadium

The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 is set to begin on Friday, November 22, 2024, as India takes on Australia in a five-match Test series. The first Test will be held at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia, marking the start of a crucial and intense cricketing rivalry.

India, the current holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, have dominated the series in recent years, winning the last four series, including two historic victories on Australian soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21. However, Australia is eager to break their decade-long drought in the series, having last won the trophy in 2014-15.

The series holds significant importance as both teams are at the top of the ICC World Test Championship points table. India, however, faces a challenge after suffering a historic defeat at home against New Zealand, which has given Australia an edge in the rankings.

In the absence of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who has not yet arrived in Australia, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team for the first Test. Bumrah is expected to make some surprising selection calls, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal likely to open the batting. Shubman Gill, who is injured, will be replaced by Devdutt Padikkal. Virat Kohli, who has been in a rough patch, will bat at number four, while Dhruv Jurel is expected to make the cut ahead of Sarfaraz Khan. Nitish Kumar Reddy is set to make his Test debut, and Ravichandran Ashwin will be the sole spinner for the match.

The match will start at 7:50 AM IST (10:20 AM local time) and will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and streamed on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.

The Optus Stadium, with a seating capacity of 61,266, is set to host a thrilling battle between two of cricket’s finest teams, with the cricketing world eagerly anticipating the start of this prestigious series.