Unlike most other series, there is an additional sense of palpable excitement surrounding an India-Australia clash. More so in the recent past wherein fierce passages of play and verbal dosages have added to the drama.
Even though the home team has usually dominated proceedings during the last nine years or so, some fascinating sub-plots have resulted in several close contests. The upcoming 4-match series is expected to be another intense battle for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy. At the very least, Australia need a drawn score line to prevent odds-on favourites India from wresting back the trophy.
Here are five extremely important player battles which could very well decide this series.
#5 Josh Hazlewood vs Cheteshwar Pujara
Although their on-field demeanour might be completely different, Pujara and Hazlewood have plenty of similarities in their playing styles. While the former with his stoic approach remains the bulwark of India's batting lineup, the latter's persistence has seen him become the top ranked fast bowler in Tests.
Hazlewood’s metronomic accuracy has served as an ideal foil for the aggression of Mitchell Starc. The manner in which he made Pakistan's Babar Azam repeatedly fall over in the recent series suggests that the right-armer is rapidly evolving into a highly intelligent cricketer.
Even though Pujara is a far more accomplished batsman, he has had his issues against the in-swinging delivery from over the wicket. The visitors should be seeking his early dismissal for once he gets his eye in, they will truly feel the heat.
#4 Umesh Yadav vs Matthew Wade & company
Even as the focus has been firmly on India’s in-form batsmen and menacing spinners, their fast bowlers have proved to be quite valuable as well, over the last couple of seasons. Capable of reversing the ball at searing pace, Umesh Yadav has risen to the occasion and regularly landed those critical blows just when his team needed them.
Extra Cover: 5 reasons why Australia should be wary of India
With pace spearhead Mohammed Shami not recovering from his knee injury, the onus will be on Umesh to continue his impressive work with the old ball during the first couple of matches. If their top four set the platform, Australia’s lower-order, featuring pugnacious wicket-keeper batsman Matthew Wade and co., can swell the total to unmanageable levels. Maybe not, if the Vidarbha speedster intervenes.
#3 Ravindra Jadeja vs Steve Smith
The last time these two teams met on Indian soil, Ravindra Jadeja dismissed the Australian captain on six out eight possible occasions. The left-arm spinner later proved to be a thorn in skipper Hashim Amla’s flesh when South Africa visited India in 2015. Even during the recent series against England, he left captain Cook gasping for breath with his relentlessness.
India will be hoping that his special bond with opposition skippers continues in this series too. In the previous edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, they found themselves sickened at the very thought of Steve Smith coming into bat. Though pitches are not likely to be as accommodating for batsmen this time around, Jadeja’s assiduity will be vital in negating the game’s top-ranked batsman.
#2 Ravichandran Ashwin vs David Warner
The sight of Warner leaping in the air to celebrate reaching three-figures has become a common one in Australia’s annual home season. However, the southpaw’s record in Asia does not make for pretty reading – 597 runs from 9 Tests at an average of 33.16 with only one century.
He struggled badly on viciously turning pitches that India and Sri Lanka greeted him with during the 2013 and 2016 series respectively. If surfaces remain conducive for the spinners, this tour could go the same way with Ravichandran Ashwin putting his footwork to the sword. Conversely, flat tracks and his secret plan to counter the Tamil Nadu off-spinner might just come together to turn the tables on the hosts.
#1 Mitchell Starc vs Virat Kohli
With a double century in each of the four preceding series, Kohli has led from the front to help his team amass formidable first-innings totals. Such has been the Indian skipper’s dominance that his career Test average has skyrocketed from 44.02 (before the West Indies tour last year) to an impressive 51.75 over the span of just 13 Tests.
Extra Cover: Meet Aniket Choudhary – the bowler preparing Indian batsmen for Mitchell Starc
Albeit on batting-friendly conditions, Kohli seems to have found an answer to his issues around the off-stump. But, Starc’s intensity and well-directed pace could pose a different type of challenge. If Australia bring him to the crease much earlier than he would like, he might have to contend with the left-armer’s sharp movement. Should the ball reverse, late-swing comes into the equation too.
Considering the form he is in, the star right-hander will be looking at Starc as a scoring opportunity rather than being worried of him. Their game of one-upmanship should set the stage for a riveting affair.
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