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Border-Gavaskar Trophy All-Time Combined XI | Border-Gavaskar Trophy Combined XI – which players make the cut?
If there is any bilateral Test series that creates excitement of almost the same level as the iconic “Ashes” among cricket lovers, it is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) between India and Australia.
After the completion of the ODI and T20I series, it’s time for some red ball cricket. The first edition of BGT took place way back in 1996 in India. Since then, 14 series have been played; in which India have been the better side with 8 BGT trophies. As we all are excited to witness the historic rivalry starting from 17th of this month, I am going to create my BGT XI of all time (6 batsmen, one wk, two seamers and two spinners) basing on the performances of players from both the sides (those who have played 10 games or more in BGT) in both the countries. Here we go.
OPENER 1: MATTHEW HAYDEN
There shouldn’t be any doubt regarding the first opening slot in a test XI including Indian and Australian players as Matthew Hayden owns it. Hayden represented Australia in four BGTs and has amassed 1888 runs at a tremendous average of 59. He was really dominant in his very first tour of India in 2001, as he scored 549 runs from just 6 innings at an unbelievable average of 109.80 with 2 centuries including a double ton at Chennai. He was one of the best players of spin in his time and was one of those few Australian batsmen who used to frustrate Indian spinners. Also, he has scored 861 runs at an average of 71.75 in Australia in the BGT. So, he is an automatic choice for the opening slot in my XI.
OPENER 2: MURALI VIJAY
Nicknamed as “monk”, Murali Vijay played a very crucial role in the Indian Test batting lineup for quite a number of years. He used to deal with the new ball with patience. His leaving technique as well as the habit of playing close to his body was instrumental for him to give India solid starts in tough overseas conditions. In BGT, Vijay scored 1324 runs from 15 Tests at a solid average of 47.28 with 4 centuries and 6 half centuries. He was very impressive in his very first tour of Australia in 2014-15 as he scored 482 runs at an average of 60.25 and thus turned out to be one of the few shining lights for the visitors in an otherwise abysmal campaign.
NO 3: STEVEN SMITH
Having played his first BGT series in 2013, Steve Smith has done phenomenally well in this battle so far. He has scored a mammoth 1429 runs from just 10 Tests at an unbelievable average of 84.05 with 7 hundreds and 3 half centuries. The way he has performed in India (660 runs at an avg of 60, 3 centuries), shows he is surely different from most of the other Aussie batsmen who used to struggle there. He has been magnificent over the years and I can’t have a better player than Smith at the most vital position in my XI.
NO 4: SACHIN TENDULKAR
Well what more can I say about this man? Considered as the finest ever batsman to have played the game by many, Sachin has scored 3262 runs at an average of 56.24 with 9 hundreds and 16 half centuries and therefore is right up there at the top spot in the list of highest run getters in the history of BGT. Watching him bat live was an honour and I have witnessed some spectacular knocks from him in BGT games. He loved the SCG and his highest score of 241* also came there in 2004. Apart from that, his 155*(191) at Chennai (1998), 116 at MCG (1999), 153 (205) at Adelaide (2008), 214 at Bangalore (2010) were really special knocks. Therefore, the master bats at no 4 in my XI.
NO 5: MICHAEL CLARKE
Michael Clarke was definitely not the most popular man in that star-studded Australian line up, but he used to perform exceedingly well when required. So, I consider him as one of the most effective batsmen I have seen in the BGT games and admire him a lot as well. Clarke has amassed 2049 runs at a superb average of 53.92 with 7 hundreds and 6 fifties in the BGT and his highest score is 329*; the marathon knock he played at the SCG. He has decent numbers in India also, unlike most of his team mates. His debut century (151) at Bangalore (2004) and a gorgeous knock of 130 at Chennai (2013) were applauded highly by the cricket fraternity. So, Michael Clarke bats at 5 in my XI.
NO 6: VVS LAXMAN
There was a time when the love affair between VVS Laxman and the Australian team was more popular than some historic love stories. Laxman has scored 2434 runs at an average of 49.67 in the BGT. It all started at the SCG, where he hit his first century in 2000. He rescued India from a disastrous position batting alongside Rahul Dravid for one whole day, in which India didn’t lose a single wicket and eventually won that famous Test at the Eden Gardens in 2001; which earned him the tag “Very Very Special”. He had a magnificent series down under in 2004, in which he scored 494 runs at an average of more than 82. Apart from these, his special ability to bat along with the tail-enders ensured many victories for India including the ones at Perth (79 runs) in 2008 and at Mohali (73 off 79 balls) in 2010. An artist with the bat, VVS is my pick for the number 6 slot.
NO 7: MS DHONI (c & wk)
Known as the finest finisher of Indian cricket in white ball, MS Dhoni is also the most successful WK-batsman among the keepers who have played 10 or more Tests in BGT with 990 runs at an average of 35.35 which includes that famous knock of 224 at Chennai as his lone hundred and 5 half centuries. He is also the most successful captain in BGT with 8 victories from 13 matches; thus has lifted the trophy thrice. Also as a keeper, Dhoni has 65 dismissals behind the stumps (50 catches, 15 stumpings) in the 19 BGT games he has played. So, he is my wk-batsman as well as the captain.
NO 8: ANIL KUMBLE
With 111 wickets from just 20 games, Anil Kumble is the most successful bowler in the history of BGT. He has a terrific average of 30.32 and an impressive SR of 58.7 with the ball and has ten 5-fers and two 10-fers to his name. His memorable bowling spells include 8-141 at the SCG (2004), 7-48 at Chennai (2004), 5-84 at the MCG (2007-08), 5-62 at Kolkata (1998) etc. Well known for his never say die attitude, Kumble is the lone leg-spinner in my XI.
NO 9: ZAHEER KHAN
One of the finest seamers to have represented India, Zaheer Khan has the most number of wickets as a fast bowler in the history of BGT. Overall, Zaheer has taken 61 wickets from 19 matches at an average of 35.59 and a SR of 63.2. He has bowled some really good spells, viz. 5-95 at Brisbane (2004), 5-91 at Bangalore (2008), 5-94 at Mohali (2010), 4-77 at MCG (2011) etc and therefore is one of my 2 fast bowlers in this XI.
NO 10: NATHAN LYON
Nathan Lyon is one of the few spinners who have troubled the Indian batsmen a lot in recent years. Lyon has picked 85 wickets from 18 games in the BGT at an average of 32.6 and a SR of 60.2, which includes 7 fifers and one ten-fer. Unlike the Aussie spinners from the past, Lyon has done well in India (34 wickets from 7 games at an average of 30.59 and SR of 51.79). Some of his memorable spells include 7-94 at Delhi (2013), 7-152 at Adelaide (2014), 8-50 at Bangalore (2017), 5-67 at Perth (2018) etc. He has performed in both India and Australia, for which I have picked him over Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh.
NO 11: GLENN MCGRATH
Considered as the finest fast bowler ever to have played the game by many, Glenn McGrath has done exceptionally well in the BGT. Renowned for his nagging accuracy, McGrath has picked 51 wickets from just 11 matches at a superb average of 18.64 and a SR of 50.1. Some of his memorable spells in the BGT are 5-48 and 5-55 at the SCG (2000), 4-18 bowling 14 overs at Kolkata (2001), 3-19 bowling 19 overs at Mumbai (2001) etc. My favourite fast bowler ever, McGrath is my no 11 in this XI.
So this is my BGT XI of all time basing on the performances of the players in both India and Australia. What do you think? Have your say!
Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.
