"Hopefully when we're sitting there on the 8th of January we have that trophy back on our shores" - Mitchell Starc upbeat about upcoming India Tests
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is hopeful about the Aussies regaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy by winning the home five-match series against India at the end of the year. Despite their overall dominance of world cricket and holding the World Test Championship (WTC) title, Australia have struggled against India in the last few bilateral Test series.
India have defeated them in the last four Test series, including two in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
Speaking to the Wide World of Sports, Starc was optimistic about Australia winning the India Tests at the end of the year.
"Being five matches now it's probably right on par with an Ashes series. We always want to win every game at home and we know India are a very strong team. As we're placed at the minute we're the top two teams on the Test ladder... so a very exciting series coming up for the fans and certainly the players. Hopefully when we're sitting there on the 8th of January we have that trophy back on our shores," said Starc.
The five-match Test series starts in Perth on November 22 and will culminate with the New Year's Test in Sydney on January 7, 2025.
India and Australia are currently sitting at the top two of the 2023-25 WTC points table, having contested in last cycle's final.
"The Tests will always be taking precedence for me" - Mitchell Starc
![Starc is ever so close to the 100-Test landmark [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/08/5eda6-17242159981636-1920.jpg?w=500)
Mitchell Starc affirmed his stance on Test cricket being the priority over the other two formats as he enters the latter stages of his career.
Despite being 34, the left-arm pacer continues to go strong in the red-ball format, overtaking Dennis Lilee as Australia's fourth leading wicket-taker in Tests earlier this year.
"The Tests will always be taking precedence for me. We've got seven Tests on the bounce with five against India and then two in Sri Lanka, so they sit top of the tree with what's coming up. The schedule is pretty fluid... the three quicks in particular, Josh (Hazlewood), Pat (Cummins) and I, we all play three formats so it might look differently for each of us," said Starc in the same interaction.
"I don't think we've put a deadline on anything. The Test matches will remain a priority, certainly for myself and I think it would be similar for the other two as well. We'll see where (our) bodies are and the want to keep going, but at this stage it's all guns blazing for five Tests against India," he added.
Starc boasts a terrific Test record with 358 wickets in 89 games at an average of 27.74, including 14 five-wicket hauls.
Australia will be in action next during the three T20I series against Scotland, starting September 4.