"I think it is now" - Anthony Albanese's verdict on India-Australia rivalry being bigger than Ashes amid BGT 2024-25
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese believes the cricketing rivalry between the Men in Green and India has become bigger than the Ashes. The 61-year-old recalled how an enormous crowd gathered for the Test between India and Australia in Ahmedabad in March 2023.
The rivalry between the two nations has intensified quite a bit in the last five years or so. While India have beaten Australia in all the Test series since the 2014-15 leg, the latter beat the opposition in the World Test Championship and the World Cup finals last year.
When asked whether the India-Australia rivalry has surpassed the Ashes, Albanese stated, as quoted by Fox Sports:
"I think it is now, the population, if you look at the IPL is just such a huge part of global cricket now. Prime Minister Modi, I was there at Narendra Modi stadium there in Ahmedabad for the Test match and the crowd was enormous. Of course, it seats more people than any ground in the world and they're so passionate."
The off-field battles between the players have also increased over the years. However, the respect between them has equally magnified.
"They could get the 100,000 people" - Anthony Albanese ahead of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia
Albanese anticipates a massive crowd for the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia set to begin on December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
He added:
"And of course, we played the final at the international cricket series (World Test Championship) was played in the in London. And we were successful there, but the series, there's a real rivalry and now I would suggest even more. It used to happen sometimes just a three-Test series. It's going to be Boxing Day will be huge on December 26 I think, you know, they could get the 100,000 people there and it's great for Australian tourism as well."
Team India currently lead the ongoing five-Test series by 1-0 after a thumping 295-run victory in Perth. Pat Cummins and company are under pressure, having not held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a decade now.