Shafaqna Sports: Star batter Marnus Labuschagne believes that India’s fast bowlers make them a particularly challenging team to defeat in Australian conditions, as the hosts aim to break their nearly decade-long winless streak in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India has triumphed in every bilateral Test series against Australia since their 1-2 loss during the 2014-15 tour. They secured 2-1 series victories in both the 2018-19 and 2020-21 series in Australia.
“India’s fast bowling is exceptionally strong, which is what makes them such a difficult team to beat here in Australia,” Labuschagne commented.
He described the rivalry as “tough” regardless of the location. “There is always high anticipation. Whether it’s in England, Australia, or India, it’s always a challenging contest between these two teams,” he added.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon referred to the Indian players as “superstars” and expressed his eagerness to renew his on-field rivalry with Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
“I’ve always said throughout my career that I want to compete against the best. When you look at the Indian squad, there are superstars across the board,” Lyon said. “I have a lot of respect for Ashwin. We started our careers around the same time and have faced each other in numerous series. He is a master of off-spin bowling, and it’s been a privilege to compete against him and learn from him,” he continued.
All-rounder Cameron Green suggested that the upcoming five-Test series between India and Australia, starting November 22 in Perth, could serve as a “preview” for next year’s World Test Championship final. India currently leads the WTC standings, followed by Australia. The WTC final is scheduled to be held at Lord’s from June 11-15.