5 things India need to do right to beat Australia in the 1st BGT 2024-25 Test ft. team selection
India and Australia are all set to lock horns in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The encounter will be contested at Optus Stadium in Perth from Friday, November 22.
The visitors will be without captain Rohit Sharma, who is expected to join the touring party midway through the first Test. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah will lead India, who are attempting a historic three-peat Down Under.
India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal.
On that note, here are five things India need to do right to beat Australia in the first Test.
#5 India need to bat long hours
Over the last two Test series, India haven't been able to occupy long hours at the crease. However, in Australia, that is an approach that they will inevitably have to take.
Ahead of the first Test, Josh Hazlewood cheekily remarked that Australia are happy Cheteshwar Pujara isn't in the Indian squad. While that may be a tongue-in-cheek attempt at playing some mind games, it's definitely a point worth mentioning. Pujara, who blunted the Aussie attack for hours on end during the last two tours, will be sorely missed.
In his absence, the rest of the Indian batters need to step up and ensure that they wear the opposition down. This is especially important in a long Test series such as this one.
#4 The visiting batters can't let Australia's fringe bowlers settle
With Cameron Green ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a back injury, Australia might need to struggle when it comes to their fourth and fifth bowling options in the pace department. Mitchell Marsh is likely to play as the frontline seam-bowling all-rounder, but he has bowled only four overs since his comeback from a hamstring injury earlier this year.
There are even some reports suggesting that Marnus Labuschagne could be tasked with bowling some seam-up deliveries, something which he has done regularly in the recent Sheffield Shield season. India will need to ensure that the workloads of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood are maximized. And when the fringe bowlers come into the attack, they can't afford to let them settle.
#3 India's selection calls ft. Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj need to be spot-on
India have plenty of selection decisions to make ahead of the first Test against Australia. There are reports that they could hand out two caps to Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana. While those selections could go either way, with both players possessing immense talent despite their relative inexperience at the top level, there are others that could come back to bite the visitors.
Some reports suggest that India are willing to drop Ravindra Jadeja and play Ravichandran Ashwin as their sole spinner for the Perth Test. Others indicate that Mohammed Siraj, who did well on his last tour of Australia, could be preferred ahead of the likes of Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep.
But India need to be careful. Jadeja, as one of the most technically sound players in the lineup who has done well overseas, is a key cog in the batting unit. Siraj, meanwhile, has been underwhelming for a considerable period of time. The fast bowler's pace has gone down by a significant margin, and his accuracy has left a lot to be desired as well.
It's understandable if India want to bring in some youngsters and go at Australia, but they also need to make smart decisions.
#2 Jasprit Bumrah and Co. must have clear plans against the likes of Usman Khawaja and Travis Head
Over the last two to three years, India have left a lot to be desired in terms of tactics and planning. Against two of Australia's key batters, Usman Khawaja and Travis Head, they need to be spot-on.
Khawaja is known to struggle with over-the-wicket angles, and that is something that Jasprit Bumrah can exploit well. The converse problem has troubled India's pacers lately, where they've been reluctant to go around the wicket and challenge both edges. They need to ensure that they don't overcompensate for those mistakes and stick to their usual mode of operation against the Aussie opener.
Head, meanwhile, needs to be targeted with short deliveries. While he has put them away at times and there is no clear evidence of a weakness, it is something that he has struggled with in the past. Perth's extra pace and bounce are likely to ask questions of the middle-order batter.
#1 India need to be aggressive with the ball
Under Rohit Sharma, India have been extremely defensive with their bowling changes and field placements. In the high-octane series against England and New Zealand, the second of which they were hammered 3-0, Rohit looked all at sea.
It remains to be seen how Jasprit Bumrah fares as captain in the Perth Test, but it's clear that the visitors need to be on the front foot with the ball in hand. The ace spearhead must lead the way, and India must not give away any easy runs to the Aussie batters.
With Nathan McSweeney being new to a top-order role and Steve Smith returning to his usual spot in the middle order, apart from Cameron Green's absence, there are enough holes to exploit. But for that, India need to be aggressive and not passive.