“Bumrah bowling to Travis Head” – Michael Vaughan picks epic battles for 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has picked Jasprit Bumrah as India’s nemesis among key battles in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Vaughan reckons Bumrah versus Australian opener Travis Head and Aussie pacer Pat Cummins versus Virat Kohli would be the most sought-after battles in the five-match Test series.
Notably, Bumrah has dismissed Head twice. The left-handed batter has scored 50 runs off 126 balls at an average of 25 against the ace pacer. On the other hand, Kohli has 96 runs off 269 deliveries against Cummins, getting out on five occasions.
Vaughan told the Club Prairie Fire Podcast (via The Times of India):
“I've got Cummins vs Kohli, world-class. And I think Bumrah bowling to Travis Head, I think that is going to be a great contest, cause Travis will try and just moose it. And Bumrah will probably be captain for the first couple of games, don't know when's Rohit's gonna arrive.
"Pound for pound, I think Bumrah is the best bowler in the world so I'm looking forward to that kind of confrontation," he added.
Bumrah has scalped 32 wickets in 12 Tests in Australia, including a fifer. Meanwhile, Cummins has 50 wickets in 13 Tests against India, comprising a five-wicket haul.
On the batting front, Kohli has amassed 1,352 runs in 13 Tests in Australia, including six centuries. On the other hand, Travis Head has amassed 715 runs in 10 Tests against India, including one century and a half-century.
“Bumrah features funnily in my line versus Steve Smith” – Adam Gilchrist picks his battles for 2024-25 BGT
Former Australia captain Adam Gilchrist further picked Steve Smith versus Jasprit Bumrah as his sought-after battle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He said in the same interaction:
“Bumrah features funnily in my line versus Steve Smith. I think Smith looked quite switched on in the couple of games he played in those ODIs. He looked like he was ready to knock out a decent summer. He would be really happy to be back in his No.4 position, that would be a good match-up.”
Gilchrist further spoke about the relevance of Rishabh Pant versus Nathan Lyon. He noted how the wicketkeeper-batter dominated Lyon in the previous series Down Under:
“The other one, this was one quite interesting the last time they were out here. Rishabh Pant versus Nathan Lyon. That's the GOAT, as far as off-spinners are concerned, from the Australian point of view. Does he try to draw him out of the crease, does he go flat.
"Rishabh can go through the gears as quickly as anyone, from complete defence to all out assault and attack on a bowler, so that would be fascinating,” he added.
Bumrah vs Smith: 52 runs, one dismissal
Pant vs Lyon: 229 runs, five dismissals
Steve Smith has 2042 runs in 19 Tests against India. Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon has bagged 121 wickets in 27 Tests against India.