Dubai: The Indian cricket team finds itself in a challenging spot. A series defeat at home to New Zealand, injuries to key players including Shubman Gill, and the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma for the first Test have compounded their troubles.
With the first Test in Perth just a day away, Australia will be eager to avenge their 2021 series loss. The opening session will set the tone for this five-match series, now the longest between these teams since the 1991—92 summer, matching the Ashes in duration.
A rivalry rekindled
India turned the tide last time, bouncing back after being dismissed for a record low of 36 to secure a historic series win. Rishabh Pant, the hero of that triumph, is in fine form and will look to solidify his place in the team.
Both India and Australia will be led by fast bowlers. With Rohit absent for family reasons, Jasprit Bumrah will captain India, while Pat Cummins leads Australia to become the sixth occasion in Test history when pacers have led both teams in a Test match.
“Shubman is improving every day, obviously picked up a nasty blow in the mock game, in the squad game. I think with him it’s going to be a day-to-day sort of process, fingers crossed for that improvement, but I think they’ll wait until the morning of the match,” India’s fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel told the media on Wednesday.
“Nitish Reddy is one of the young guys that we’ve mentioned, he’s got that sort of batting, all-round ability. So on these sort of conditions where there might be a little bit of seam movement up front, especially the first couple of days. He’ll be a very accurate wicket-to-wicket style of bowler. It’s a lovely opportunity for him to hold that allrounder spot.”
Both teams face challenges
Australia also carry their share of concerns. They enter the series on the back of a rare ODI series defeat to Pakistan, their first since 2002. The retirement of David Warner, who amassed 8,766 runs with 26 centuries, has left a void at the top of the order.
Steve Smith, initially slated to partner Usman Khawaja, will resume his usual No 4 position, while uncapped South Australian captain Nathan McSweeney will step in as an opener despite limited experience in the role.
The series carries additional weight as it could determine the finalists of the World Test Championship. Australia must win five of their remaining seven Tests to secure a spot at Lord’s, while India needs at least a 4-0 series victory to keep their hopes alive.
Expert opinions and tensions
South African mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton highlighted the importance of this series, saying: “Both teams are going into it without confidence from recent performances. It’s always advantage Australia when you’re playing in Australia.”
Upton also warned about the challenge of a five-match Test series, adding, “Indian cricketers play their best when coming from behind. They are dangerous like wounded tigers.”
Meanwhile, Australian legend Ricky Ponting questioned the inclusion of Virat Kohli and Rohit after their underwhelming performances against New Zealand. Indian coach Gautam Gambhir responded sharply, stating:
“What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? I have no concerns whatsoever for Virat and Rohit.”
Former coach Ravi Shastri also defended Kohli, referring to his impressive record in Australia: “The king is back in his territory.”
Sledging warnings and key fixtures
Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke advised his team to avoid sledging Kohli, warning that it could backfire:
“That’s exactly what Virat wants. He’ll use it to get into the action.”
The series begins in Perth, followed by a day-night Test in Adelaide, then matches in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. As Australia skipper Pat Cummins summed up,
“We’ve lost the last two series against them, so this is a big one. Our team’s in a really good place, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t perform well.”
Cricket fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting the umpires’ call to play as this thrilling rivalry unfolds.
— With inputs from agencies
