The anticipation is building up for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. At stake for India is pride, and a place in the World Test Championship final. After the setback at home in the Test series against New Zealand, the equation for India to qualify for the WTC final is simple – win four Tests against Australia and get an automatic spot in the title clash without depending on other teams. If that does not happen, India will have to hope for other teams’ results go their way in order to enter the WTC final. 

While Indian cricket team management and BCCI went mostly with proven performers for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, there were a couple of surprise in the form of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana – who are yet to play Tests for India. 

Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh is, however, not impressed with the move.  

“Either pick a genuine bowler, or go with a genuine batter if you feel the batting needs to be bolstered. This fast tracking of Nitish Reddy for tests serves no purpose. He is still undercooked to be playing the longer format #BorderGavaskarTrophy,” Dodda Ganesh wrote on X. 

Either pick a genuine bowler, or go with a genuine batter if you feel the batting needs to be bolstered. This fast tracking of Nitish Reddy for tests serves no purpose. He is still undercooked to be playing the longer format #BorderGavaskarTrophy

— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) November 18, 2024

The much anticipated Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test at Perth.

The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium’s lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18.

The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test, to take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest.

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

With ANI inputs