2024/25 border-gavaskar trophy.

who are india's danger men?

  • Jasprit Bumrah

    The biggest threat to the Aussies regaining the Border/Gavaskar Trophy is this man. Bumrah's test record is simply world class! His 159 test wickets have came at the miserly average of under 21 a piece and at a strike rate of a wicket every 45 balls.

    The way Jasprit can generate pace from such run up is reminiscent of the great Wasim Akram. If he can dominate, the Aussies have no chance!

  • Yashasvi Jaiswal

    This young fella can bat! The Player of the Series against England earlier this year after topping the batting averages with 719 runs at an average of 89. The most impressive thing about his batting was how he was scoring at strike rate of 80 whilst smashing The Poms to all parts. Uncle Oyster loves left-handed batsmen too!

    Yashasvi attacks the bowlers from the get go in an attempt to disrupt their line and length. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to Australian conditions during the series.

  • virat kohli

    King Kohli had to be on my list of Indian danger men for the upcoming Border/Gavaskar Trophy. He loves to stick i up the Aussies at every opportunity! You have to admire the way Virat bats when he's on song. His cover drive is sublime!Kohli has an amazing test record against the Aussies, particularly in Australia. Virat has scored 6 centuries down under and averages 54.

    In the last test series in India back in 2023, Virat finally broke his 43 innings streak without a hundred against the Aussies at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.

which aussies are the key to regaining the border-gavaskar trophy?

  • USMAN KHAWAJA

    Thank goodness Travis Head had a positive COVID-19 result before the Sydney Test in the 2021/22 Ashes series because Uzzy has amassed pver 2500 runs since his recall. Hundreds in overseas tours of Pakistan, India and England have saved the Aussies from humiliation time and time again.

    Australia will be relying on Usman Khawaja to continue being the calming influence in an often brittle Aussie top 6. I would like to think that the pep talk I had with my old Two Blues team mate at Ian Healy Oval was the main reason for his success. You're welcome Australia!

  • TRAVIS HEAD

    Will the real Travis Head please stand up?! Which T, Head will decide to show up this series? Is it the one who hit the most scintillating, counter attacking 90 odd at The Gabbatoir against The Saffas on a green deck or the one who struggles in away test series?

    When he's in the right mood, he can tear apart any bowling attack within a session and turn the advantages in Australia's favour. For Australia's sake, we need Travis Head to bat with the freedom to express himself in the best way he knows how. Playing his shots with gay abandon.

  • CAMERON GREEN

    Australia has an unhealthy obsession with finding an all-rounder to slot into the test team. Ever since Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff tore apart Australia in Ashes series twenty odd years apart, we've tried dozens of candidates to fill the void of a swashbuckling middle order batsman and a fourth seamer capable of bowling in excess of 140kph. Cameron Green is our 6'6 Great White Hope!

    Cameron Green has the potential to be Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. His stroke play, particularly his off-drives, is exquisite. His fielding in the gully is superb and his bowling is improving with each spell. The sky is the limit with Cameron Green. The only question for the Aussies selectors is where is his best position in Australia's batting line-up?

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have been the mainstay of the Australian bowling cartel for over a decade. Alongside Nathan Lyon, these three fast bowlers have delivered for Australian when a breakthrough was desperately needed. With over 900 test wickets between them, is this 2024/25 summer going to be their last hurrah? The weight of the entire nation rests of this threesome’s shoulders. Nathan Lyon will obviously bowl a considerable amount of overs this series and is a vital piece of the puzzle too but Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc were the three bowlers alongside Lyon who couldn’t get the job done against an understrength Indian team during the SCG and Gabba Tests the last time India visited our shores.

Who will be the next cab off the rank if one of these three are injured or lose their killer instinct? Surely Jhye Richardson is the man to step up and lead the next generation of Aussie fast bowlers with the support of Lance Morris, Spencer Johnson and Fergus O’Neill. Sadly, I feel that the sun has set on the careers of Scott Boland and Michael Neser. I feel for Michael Neser in particular because every time he did bowl in test matches, he always bowled beautifully. Scott Boland was targeted during last year’s Ashes series by the Poms and he didn’t seem to have a Plan B when he was torn apart by the Pommies. We’ll always have his Boxing Day test heroics in 2021 to look fondly back on.

It is time to plan for the future without Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc. Much like great Aussie bowling attacks before them like McGrath, Gillespie and Lee and Johnson, Harris and Siddle, father time catches up with everyone eventually. Let’s hope that regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be the fitting way for this terrific trio of bowlers to sign off on their glittering careers.

WILL THis AGING aUSSIE BOWLING CARTEL be able to deliver the goods this upcoming test series?

WAS THE OYSTER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF USMAN KHAWAJA INTO AUSTRALIA’s BATTING SAVIOUR?

Did you know that Usman Khawaja and I were once team mates? Once upon a time I played grade cricket, unsuccessfully I may add, with Parramatta District Cricket Club. The year was 2001 and a 21 year old Oyster decided to finally give grade cricket a crack. After brief stints in 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade throughout the season, I realised that my childhood dreams of playing 1st Grade will be unfulfilled. It was during my stint in 4th Grade where I had Uzzy as a team mate.

He was just starting on his path towards the ultimate prize of playing test cricket for Australia. I on the other hand, had the stark realisation that I was rubbish! This picture was taken on the first day of the 2021/22 Ashes series. Usman was playing for Australia A at the time at nearby Ian Healy Oval. As we briefly chatted, I told him how we were once team mates. He politely said that he remembered me. Thanks for the white lie Uzzy!

Sorry readers, sometimes Uncle Oyster goes off on a different tangent. Soon after this photo was taken, Travis Head contracted COVID-19 before the Sydney Test. Usman was the replacement for Travis and scored centuries in both innings of the test, cementing his place in the Australian test side ever since.

During this time back in the test team, Usman has scored 2564 runs at an average of 53.4! Amassing 7 centuries and 12 half centuries over the 54 innings he’s batted. He has saved Australia several times in home and away series over the past three and bit years.

You’re welcome Australia!