Australia vs India Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Schedule, Start Times, Venues | Cricket news

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What is at stake when India takes on world Test champions Australia in the five-match series? Who are the main players? Al Jazeera replies.

Cricket powerhouses India and Australia will renew their fierce rivalry in a five-match Test series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting in Perth on Friday.

Millions of fans around the world are expected to follow the series as some of sports' biggest stars, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Steve Smith, take to the field for seven and a half weeks. Test cricket action in the Australian summer.

Here's everything you need to know about the series:

What is the full fixture schedule of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

• First Test, Perth Stadium, Perth: November 22-26, 2024 from 10:20 AM (02:20 GMT) to 5:20 PM (09:20 GMT)
• Second Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide: December 6-10, 2024 from 2:30 PM (04:00 GMT) to 10:00 PM (11:30 GMT)
• Third Test, Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane: December 14-18, 2024 from 10:20 AM (00:20 GMT) to 5:20 PM (07:20 GMT)
• Fourth Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne: December 26-30, 2024 from 10:30 AM (11:30 GMT) to 5:30 PM (18:30 GMT)
• Fifth Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney: January 3-7, 2025 from 10:30 AM (11:30 GMT) to 5:30 PM (18:30 GMT)

What is at stake in the India vs Australia Test series?

In addition to the tangible gold trophy, both teams will compete for a place in the final of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC).

A series win for India could consolidate their Test dominance over their rivals, while an Australian win could mark a shift in power to the southern hemisphere.

Less than a week

How excited are we about the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series? pic.twitter.com/utXnzjMoIS

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How can India and Australia qualify for the 2025 World Test Championship final?

The WTC standings are determined by percentage points and before the opening match, Australia beats India by 4.2 percentage points. The current champions are on 62.50 points while India are on 58.33 points.

Sri Lanka (55.56), New Zealand (54.55) and South Africa (54.17) are separated by 1.39 points, with all top five set to play at least one Test series each until the WTC final in June .

If India wants to qualify without having to depend on the results of other series, they will need to beat Australia by at least 4-0.

The hosts, meanwhile, need to win five of their seven remaining Tests to secure their place in a second successive WTC final. Should Australia beat India 4-0, they would have to beat Sri Lanka (away) 1-0.

Who are the key Indian players to watch?

• Virat Kohli: Arguably India's greatest sporting star of his generation, Kohli has historically relished the opportunity to set the record straight and silence his critics with standout performances in key series. The flamboyant big batsman enters the series in a poor spot by his high standards, having scored just one century in his last ten Test matches. But if there is one country Kohli loves to tour, it is Australia. Outside India, Kohli's highest Test average (54.08) and most Test centuries (six) have come in Australia.
• Rohit Sharma: The Indian captain is likely to miss the first Test match due to personal reasons, but Rohit will be keen to put aside his recent poor form and make an impact on the series with his influence as a leader and ability to score quick runs. The 37-year-old will also look to rectify his unimpressive Test record in Australia, where he averages 31.38 in seven Tests, with 63 being his highest score. Should the attacking right-hander find his best form, India will be confident of providing a stiff challenge to the hosts.
• Jasprit Bumrah: India's vice-captain, who will lead the side in the opening Test due to Rohit's absence, is widely regarded as one of the leading fast bowlers of his generation. His pace and skills are likely to go a notch higher on the bouncy and rough Australian pitches, especially in Perth, and the 30-year-old's performances will play a key role in India's success in the series.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal: The young opener has quickly established himself as a mainstay in the Indian Test side but is yet to play a Test series against Australia. Touted as one of the batsmen to watch in the next decade, Jaiswal will look to make his mark against the reigning Test champions on this crucial tour.
• Sarfaraz Khan: For a batsman who loves playing risky, high-scoring shots and taking on fast bowlers, a Test series Down Under could prove to be a make-or-break trip for Sarfraz's career. The 27-year-old likes to score big scores and have a high success rate. However, the likes of Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood will prove to be a tough challenge for the Mumbai batsman.

Ravi Shastri says underestimating Virat Kohli is at your own peril

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Who are the key Australian players to watch?

• • Travis head: Head's performance at the top of the batting order has been a constant thorn in the side of the Indian team and will set the tone for the rest of the Australian batting order against their big rivals. The poor form from the opening match may be a concern for the hosts, but if there is one team principal he has enjoyed dealing with in recent years, it is India. Be it the World Test Championship final or the 50-over World Cup final, both in 2023, Head has managed to get to the top of the Indian bowling line-ups in crucial matches.
  • Steve Smith: Smith, along with Kohli, is one of the most highly rated batsmen of the past fifteen years. The former Australian captain has not scored a Test century since June 2023, but he enjoys playing against India. Smith averaged 65.87, with nine centuries, in 19 Tests against the visitors.
  • Pat Cummins: Australia's calm captain is one of the most lethal and accurate fast bowlers in the world, thriving in home conditions. Cummins is also an effective lower-order batsman who is not only capable of scoring runs but can also protect the tail players in difficult situations.
  • Mitchell Starc: The left-handed pace threat leads the hosts' bowling attack. Starc has taken 48 wickets in his 18 Tests against India and 35 of them have come in Australia. The 34-year-old's pace and form could play a big role in the outcome of the series.
  • Nathan Lyon: Veteran off-break bowler Lyon's wicket-taking abilities often go under the radar, thanks to the performances of his fast-bowling teammates. The 36-year-old has 121 Indian dismissals to his name in 27 Tests with a bowling average of 31.56. Lyon has been among the leading wicket-takers for Australia in recent Test matches, with 22 wickets in five Tests against India since February 2023.

Which Indian and Australian players could make their Test debuts?

• Abhimanyu Easawaran: India
• Harshit Rana: India
• Nitish Kumar Reddy: India
• Nathan McSweeney: Australia
• Josh Inglis: Australia

What is the head-to-head record of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

The bilateral Test series between India and Australia have been contested under this title since 1996-97, when India won the only Test at home and lifted the trophy.

In total, the series has been played sixteen times and India have emerged victorious ten times, with five series wins coming against Australia and one draw in 2003–04.

Here's how the last five series went:

• Australia in India (2022-2023): India won the four-match series 2-1
• India in Australia (2020-21): India won the four-match series 2-1
• India in Australia (2018-19): India won the four-match series 2-1
• Australia in India (2016-17): India won the four-match series 2-1
• India in Australia (2014-2015): Australia won the four-match series 2-0

Australian team

For the first test: Pat Cummins (captain), Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Indian team

For the series: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar