Decline in batting form, inexperience concern for Australia ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

As Australia prepares to take on India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a key concern would be their batting, with some of their superstar batters yet to hit their top form ahead of the highly-anticipated series. With both sides aiming to keep their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final chances alive, they will have to play out of their skins in order to do that. However, in recent months, several Australian batters have hit an underwhelming patch of form, raising concerns over their survival against a Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian pace attack.

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, the glue of this highly-attacking side, has been dealing with a rough patch of form since the team's ICC World Test Championship title win against India last year. In the new 2023-25 cycle, Smith has scored just 738 runs in 12 matches, averaging 35.14, with a century and four fifties in 24 innings and best score of 110. Except for a century against England in Ashes at Lord's, Smith has not delivered much heroics with the bat.

Also, Labuschagne has been slightly worse, scoring 653 runs in 12 matches and 24 innings at an average of 29.68, with a century and five fifties. His best score is 111. Even the swashbuckling opener Travis Head, known to provide some firepower in the middle-order, is averaging just 28.68 in 12 Tests, with just a century and three fifties in 22 innings and best score of 119.

Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey, who has hit top form in recent months, has had a poor Test record since the WTC title win, scoring just 536 runs in 20 innings, averaging 28.21, with four fifties and best score of 98. Additionally, Australia will be missing the experience of David Warner at the top, who retired from international cricket this year, with South Australian batter Nathan McSweeney taking his place. In 34 matches, he has scored 2,252 runs in 67 innings at an average of 38.12, with six centuries and 12 fifties. His best score is 127*.

They would also miss the balance provided by all-rounder Cameron Green, who averages 36.81 in his previous seven Tests, in which he has scored 405 runs, with the highest score of 174* against New Zealand. Only opener Usman Khawaja (943 runs in 12 matches, 24 innings, an average of 41.00, a century and five fifties) and Mitchell Marsh (750 runs in 10 matches, 18 innings, average of 46.87, with a century and six fifties) average above 40 since Australia's maiden WTC triumph last year.

Will Australian players, as they have over the years, finally sense the big stage in front of them and suddenly become invincibles? Only time will tell. After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18.

The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne's iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series' penultimate stage. The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.

India's squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Australia squad for the first Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc. (ANI)