Border-Gavaskar Trophy: What the two teams can expect from playing venues

NEW DELHI: For the first time, India will play a five-match Test series in Australia, with each of the country’s major stadiums getting a game. On one side are ICC World Test Championship 2023 title holders Australia and on the other side are India, wounded after a rare series loss at home after 12 years, that too a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand.

Here is a description of what could be expected at each venue based on last six seasons, which have witnessed two big series wins by India and another home Test loss for Australia to West Indies in a thriller at Brisbane this year.

–Optus Stadium, Perth

Cricket Australia has made a change in their Test summer tradition, choosing to start it from Perth instead of The Gabba at Brisbane. Optus Stadium is a relatively new stadium to the much iconic WACA ground and hosted its first Test in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy which Australia won despite a fine century by Virat Kohli.

Since 2018-19, Australia have won all their four Test matches on the ground, with the last three wins against New Zealand (a day-night Test), West Indies and Pakistan, as per ESPNCricinfo. A total of seven hundreds have taken place since these aforementioned years with five posted by Australia only. Australia’s most wins here follow a common pattern: a big innings total, a hefty lead later on, swelling that lead instead of imposing a follow-on and then setting a mountain-like target.

While pace bowling enjoys more advantage here, with an average of 29.71 as compared to 33.18 by spinners, ace spinner Nathan Lyon has an incredible record at the Optus Stadium, where he also gets some bounce. The overall bowling average since 2018-19 stands at 30.64. Could it become Australia’s new fortress? Only time will tell.

Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (519 at 103.80)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Nathan Lyon (27 at 18.00)
Average first innings of match total since 2018-19: 456

–Adelaide Oval

This will be a battleground for the second Test, a day-night affair. It is also the venue where India was skittled out for their lowest Test total ever: 36 runs in 2020-21 BGT’s first Test. It was an innings during which pretty much everything found the edge of the Indian players’ bat. Australia have never lost a pink-ball match at this venue, with their day-night Test loss coming against West Indies in Brisbane this year.
India won in Adelaide during the 2018-19 tour which was a day game. Last year’s day Test against West Indies at the venue was won by Australia before the third-day lunch.

As per ESPNCricinfo, Australia has a tried-and-tested formula of batting big in their first innings during day-night Tests as of late. This gives the Aussies a chance to dominate with the new ball under the lights on the second evening.

Since 2018-19, the night-time third session has the least powerful batting average: of 26.84 as compared to 28.04 for the first session and 30.15 for the middle one. During the pink-ball Tests, timings can become a key factor as players seek to exploit the new ball under the lights.

Since the 2018-19 season, Australia has won five and lost one Test here, with Aussies scoring six out of eight centuries at the venue. The Pacers continue enjoying the advantage with a bowling average of 26.70 as compared to over 35 by that of spinners. The overall bowling average is 28.88.

Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (574 at 71.75)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Mitchell Starc (30 at 17.20)

Average first innings total since 2018-19: 375

–The Gabba, Brisbane

Before 2021, the Australian team at the Gabba was a feared, undefeated unit for around 32 years. But during the last three years, this once-fortress has been breached twice, once each by India and West Indies, resulting in Rishabh Pant and pacer Shamar Joseph being launched into next-level cricketing stardom.

The stadium’s future hangs in doubt as one more summer’s worth of Test cricket is guaranteed here because of redevelopment plans ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

After a day-night Test against the Windies this year, Gabba will be hosting a day match. The last day match at the venue, against South Africa, took place on a grassy surface, offering uneven bounce and ended within just two days. Facing pacers became a huge problem here. The bowling average overall since 2018-19 has dropped by 10 runs per wicket.

Since the 2018-19 season, Australia has won four Tests and lost two here. Their batters have scored four centuries out of a total of six. The overall bowling average is around 26, with pacers enjoying an advantage with figures of 23.88 as compared to spinners (41.55).

Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (497 at 62.12)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Pat Cummins (36 at 17.25)Average first innings total since 2018-19: 227

–Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Over the years, MCG has undergone a huge transformation and leans heavily in favour of pacers. In the last six seasons, the bowling average at the venue has dropped by a massive 15 runs. Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, it was a massive 41.19.

India have won their last two Tests at the ground, first by 137 runs in 2018-19 on a sluggish surface with Jasprit Bumrah producing a masterclass spell and by eight wickets in 2020-21 after the nightmarish outing at Adelaide.

Since 2018-19, it is a place where the toss appears to matter the least, with the team batting first having a win-loss record of 3-3 each. Against England in 2021-22 (Scott Boland’s Test where he claimed 6 for 7) and South Africa the following year, Australia bowled first and won by an innings.

Since the 2018-19 season, Australia have won four and lost two Tests here. Out of six hundreds, Australia have scored three. The overall bowling average is 26.57, with pacers once again enjoying the advantage with an average of 24.50 and spinners having an average of 35.24.

Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: David Warner (361 at 60.16)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Pat Cummins (31 at 15.41)
Average first innings total since 2018-19: 299

–Sydney Morning Ground, Sydney

The Sydney Cricket Ground is a place which is trying to regain its former glory where spinners come to the forefront every time. The average for pace bowlers at the ground since 2018-19 is by far the highest of the five venues for this season with 35.73 and spinners enjoy an average of 44.73. The overall bowling average in the venue is 38.90.

Overall since 2018-19 season, Australia has won two and drawn four Tests here. Out of 10 centuries at the venue, Australian batters have scored seven.

Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (734 at 81.55)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Nathan Lyon (26 at 32.42)
Average first innings total since 2018-19: 436

With a 3-0 series whitewash against New Zealand at home, India need to win the series by 4-0 to punch their ticket to feature in London for the WTC final for the third successive time directly.

After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18.

The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series’ penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.

India’s squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Australia squad for the first Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc. (ANI)