Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey
The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has managed to grab the cricketing headlines. Seldom do people talk so much about a bilateral series. However, owing to the fact that this is a Test series between two of the best sides in the world, with the World Test Championship 2025 Final at stake, the hype around this series shouldn’t come as a surprise. Moreover, the series itself is named after two batting greats, i.e. Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar.
Thus, who better to speak to than the “Border” of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy? During an exclusive interview with Arvind Kalyana Krishnan, the legendary Allan Border gave his insights on the Test series. He spoke about some of the players who could do well in the upcoming games. The legend highlighted the fact that India have played more Tests than Australia in the recent past.
Border spoke about why India have the psychological edge over the Aussies. Further on, he drew light on the importance and impact of Jasprit Bumrah. It Is to be noted that the Indian pacer was the player of the match in the first Test. Border also spoke about Steve Smith, and was hopeful of the batting maestro getting back into the groove.
India were absolutely clinical in the first of the five-match Test series. Their victory in Perth ensured that they have a psychological advantage over Australia ahead of the second Test in Adelaide. Besides, the Aussies are yet to beat India in a Test series since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014/2015.
Allan Border interview: India not worried about Australian conditions
Below is both the audio and transcript of the interview with the legendary Allan Border:
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: First things first, my question to you is about Australia’s Steve Smith. He is the greatest player in the longest format of the game of this era, but he hasn’t been in the best of form. So what are your thoughts on his form?
Allan Border: Look, I’m very excited about the series itself. I think you pitch the two best teams in the world against each other…..India have shown that they’re not too worried about Australian conditions because they’ve won the last two or three series over here in Australia so they are not worried about the conditions they face alright but the side they’re playing against, as you said Steve Smith… He hasn’t been in the best form, but there has been a lot of white-ball cricket in there. Australia hadn’t played Test cricket for about 6-7 months [before the India seires] so once we get back to the red-ball cricket and Steven being Steven will be very very well prepared and he knows the Indian bowling very well. So I’m expecting that he’s going to be that guy who Australian batting will try and rely on and bat around. Even though they have other good players there, I think he’s the one. If India can get him cheaply in a lot of the games then those will be the games that India will do well in.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Yes, absolutely. My next question to you is about Indian bowlers as well. How important is Jasprit Bumrah to the Indian team? The hopes from him this series?
Allan Border: Well, I think the psychology is a big factor. I mean he’s done well against Australia and in Australia in the past so if he’s in the lineup and is bowling well, I think you know then India have that psychological thing over a few of the Australian batsmen because he is a serious bowler, but if he doesn’t play well then the confidence obviously swings the other way. I think he’s the key. He’s a key man and everyone’s got to fire and do their job well to win, obviously. Two good teams, but individuals you know that shine like Bumrah are key for India to win.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: My last question to you is your predictions for the upcoming matches? Any special players you think will be at their best? Any players to watch out for?
Allan Border: That’s what I’m looking forward to. I mean, it’s very interesting to see how some of the younger players, particularly from the Indian lineup that we’ve seen a little bit of twenty-twenty cricket. We haven’t seen in the long form of the game. In twenty-twenty cricket it’s dynamic. Well, Pant is one player that worries me…..Because we’ve seen a bit of it like at the SCG in the last series. I mean, he can just take the game away from you. Batting at 7, he bats so quickly and scores his runs so quickly all past the ground. His wicket-keeping to me is a prude to it. It’s just good to see him back playing, after his accident. So he’s one player I’ll be looking…..I mean you know from the younger brigade but someone will come from the pack for sure. Someone that we don’t know a lot about and they’ve got a chance to make themselves a household name.
