The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia is all set to kick off from February 9 with the first Test that is scheduled to be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. India and Australia have been fierce rivals on the cricket field and India enter the series high on confidence, having defeated the Aussies in back-to-back Test series Down Under.
In a build up to the series, Cricket Australia (CA) shared a video on their Twitter account from the Adelaide Test – where Team India was bowled out for 36 runs.
“All out for 36. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts on Thursday!” Cricket Australia’s tweet read.
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra, who doesn’t mince his words, immediately shot back at CA, asking them about the scoreline of the series
Notably, India lost the opening Test against in Adelaide against Australia by 8 wickets but made a commendable comeback to win the series 2-1. In response to India’s 244 in the first innings, Australia were bowled out for 191. Josh Hazlewood (8/5) and Pat Cummins (21/4) then bowled two brilliant spells to bowl India out for just 36 runs.
The series was a memorable one as Virat Kohli had returned to India after the first Test to attend the birth of his daughter. Ajinkya Rahane, who took captaincy duties from the second Test, set the tone for India’s comeback with a brilliant hundred. In the absence of senior players, the youngsters rose to the occasion and produced what will go down in history as one of the most dramatic comebacks in the history of Test cricket.
After an embarrassing defeat in the first Test, India won the second Test by 8 wickets. The third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground ended in a draw while the visitors won the final Test by 3 wickets to clinch the series 2-1.
After the win, the then head coach Ravi Shastri lauded the entire team and said the squad was not built overnight.
“The boys have performed so well that I am lost for words. The character of this team is amazing especially after the 36 all out at Adelaide. This team wasn’t built over night. Virat has been with us despite not being here. His intensity rubbed on to everyone else. Rahane might look calm but he is a strong man from inside. A tough character. We play Pant abroad because he is a match winner. When he doesn’t keep well, people criticize him. But he can help you win matches like these. Had he stuck around for some time in Sydney, he could have won us that game as well. He has been brilliant and that’s why we back him,” Shastri said.
