The anticipation around the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy is palpable. India are Australia are slated to square off in a five-match Test series for the first time in over three decades.
The marquee series is slated to get underway on November 22 in Perth and the action will then shift to Adelaide (December 6-10), where both teams will face each other in a Day-Night Test. The last three Tests are set to take place in Brisbane (December 14-18), Melbourne (December 26-30), and Sydney (January 3-7).
With less than three months remaining for India’s tour of Australia, former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has said that a series win Down Under is equivalent to winning the World Cup.
India have won the last two Test series on Australian soil, while they have held onto the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy since March 2017.
“Beating Australia twice in Australia is quite big, especially with our past history where we did not win in Australia. The team definitely will be prepared and as long as they are prepared I am sure they will do well. But it is not going to easy beating Australia in Australia– that’s like winning a World Cup. So, it is not impossible, but if they prepare well and if they stick together as a group I think they can win,” said Yuvraj on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, also featuring Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan.
Yuvraj admitted that he didn’t think Team India would be able to bounce back the way they did after getting bowled out for a mere 36 in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 at the Adelaide Oval.
Under stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane, India defeated Australia in Melbourne and Brisbane to clinch the four-match series 2-1.
“When India was 30 odd all out the previous tour and they won the series 2-1 from there, I would have never thought India could 2-1 in Australia after losing like that. We came pretty close, but this generation of players had 11 match winners, it was hard to beat them,” said Yuvraj.
He attributed extensive preparations for India’s recent success in Australia. “I think the current generation played cricket in terms of not thinking too much about the opposition. The preparation of the younger guys was really good. Like in 2003 or 2007 we had a week or 10 days or 2 weeks to prepare, but the last group prepared really well for the last tour – I mean the result is irrelevant – I think their preparation was really good the last tour and the one before that.”
While Vaughan and Gilchrist tipped Australia as favorites to win the upcoming series, Yuvraj bet on India.
“I think it is the best series world cricket can see at the minute – two best teams – I would think it’s going to be 3-1 to Australia,” said Vaughan.
“I am going to go with a 3-2 result to Australia. This Australian team, there’s a number of players who have never beaten India, they will be up for the challenge I reckon,” said Gilchrist.
“Two guys have gone for Australia, I should add India here and I say 3-2 to India,” added Yuvraj
