Pakistan coach predicts Australia to outshine India in upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Pakistan’s red-ball head coach, Jason Gillespie, has voiced strong confidence in Australia’s ability to overcome India in the 2024-25 series, starting November 22. Despite Australia’s recent struggles in the tournament, having lost the last four editions—including two on home soil—Gillespie believes this time will be different.

The former legend highlighted the formidable strength of Australia’s bowling unit as a key factor in his optimism. The pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, renowned for their exceptional performances in red-ball cricket, have been instrumental in recent successes, including winning the World Test Championship final in 2023. However, a series victory against India has eluded them so far.

Hazlewood and Starc have previously been part of victorious squads against India, but Cummins has yet to experience such success. Gillespie expressed unwavering support for this trio, confident they will lead Australia to victory. Additionally, he emphasized the crucial role of spin ace Nathan Lyon, who boasts 530 wickets from 129 Test matches and has a commendable record against India.

“I will be backing them to do the job. They are the best bowlers in the country. I think their records speak for themselves. This quartet is the best possible bowling attack that Australia can put out in the park. They are red-hot, they are playing some good Test cricket for a while now. Even though they have beaten Australia in recent times, I think Australia have a chance to beat India this time around," Gillespie said.

On the batting front, Gillespie acknowledged the challenges following David Warner’s retirement. Steve Smith was initially promoted to open alongside Usman Khawaja but struggled to make a significant impact, except for a notable 91-run innings against the West Indies at the Gabba. Considering this, Gillespie suggested Smith might return to his preferred position at number four for the India series.

“Players like David Warner are pretty tough to replace. I didn’t mind the idea of Steve Smith going up in the order. I have a feeling that he might have slot back in the middle order to bat at 4,” he said.

It is worth noting that India and Australia are set to face off in the eagerly awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-Test match series scheduled to take place in Australia from November 22, 2024, to January 3, 2025.

India has dominated recent encounters, including winning two consecutive series in Australia and maintaining strong performances at home.