Border Gavaskar Trophy: Matthew Hayden highlights the challenge for Australia against a dominant India

The Border Gavaskar Trophy is recognized as one of the most significant red-ball tournaments in world cricket. The competition pits two leading contenders, India and Australia, against each other annually for the coveted title. With the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals scheduled for June 2025, the Test season has taken center stage in the cricketing calendar. Australia and India, currently ranked first and second in the WTC standings, respectively, will aim to triumph in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) this December to solidify their positions in the WTC Finals.

Matthew Hayden talks about the Border Gavaskar Trophy

Heading into the five-match series scheduled in Australia for this edition, the Kangaroos have much to prove against the visiting Indian team. India has defeated Australia in their last two home series. The 2022/23 edition saw the Men in Blue scripting a historic Gabba breach. These two away wins, combined with their home series victory in 2023/24, have kept Australia from reclaiming the Border Gavaskar Trophy for nearly a decade. Ahead of the upcoming series, legendary Australian player Matthew Hayden has emphasized Australia’s ‘home advantage’ slipping away recently.

“I would go as far as to say that the home advantage in Australia has been taken away quite a lot, simply on the basis that if you get the wrong side of a certain session, be that you're 4 for 130, at twilight you can be 8 for 150,” Hayden said in his latest statement. "So there's no chance to naturally dominate a game. It's quite even the whole time, so it's a very different type of cricket because you don't have those traditional surfaces,” he added.

Australia has not only lost their last two home series to India, but they also saw their stronghold in Brisbane breached twice in recent years. India defeated them in January 2021, and earlier this year, a lower-ranked West Indies team pulled off an eight-run win, marking Australia's first day-night Test loss after 11 consecutive victories. Matthew Hayden predicts the upcoming series against India will be "unbelievable and historic.”

"You look at the line-ups, and it's hard to really tell who's got the edge," Hayden said. "I sense that it's going to be runs that are going to be the point of difference. So the best need to stand up in this series; runs are going to be at a premium.”

Top batters for India and Australia for the BGT

Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are expected to lead the batting orders for India and Australia, respectively, in the upcoming red-ball tournament. Both top-order batters, part of the Fab Four, are leading run-scorers in Tests for their teams among active players. Kohli boasts an impressive Test record, averaging 47.48 against Australia and 54.08 in Australia. However, Smith has outpaced Kohli in the averages race, maintaining an unmatched 65.87 average against India.

"I'm sure those two players, coming now to the later pages of their cricket career, will be very keen to dominate the landscape through the summer," Hayden said. "That's their nature: they do it in very different ways, [and] very different styles, but certainly, they really are the keys to the Australian summer."

How are the teams preparing for BGT?

The Indian side, in their quest to excel in the Test season, has placed key players in the Duleep Trophy. The red-ball domestic tournament will help the players get into the rhythm for the longest format. Performances in the series will assist the board in selecting their best 15 for the Test season against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and eventually, Australia. Additionally, the tournament can serve as a platform for players like KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer to rediscover their red-ball form.

Australia, meanwhile, is closely monitoring their preparations for the BGT. Discussing the tournament, formidable Australian pacer Mitchell Starc equated the series against India to the Ashes. Skipper Pat Cummins further revealed his plan for the event, as he prepares to host the reigning champions. In a recent conversation, Cummins talked about sharpening the skills of Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green to increase their bowling contributions ahead of the tournament, as the team’s leading all-rounders.

Steve Smith, meanwhile, noted that India and Australia are the current Test leaders, and his team will aim to end India’s ‘dominance’ in the BGT. Amid preparations for the series, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has tipped the Kangaroos to win 3-1 against the visitors in the five-match red-ball series. India will face Bangladesh and New Zealand at home on their way to the BGT. The Kangaroos, meanwhile, have a clear Test slate before they face India at the end of this year. However, they will look to maintain their red-ball form through the Sheffield Shield.