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Follow UsThe upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting on November 22 in Perth, is the next blockbuster series in world cricket. Monty Panesar, the former England left-arm spinner, knows a thing or two about both the parties involved. He made his debut in India way back in 2006 and was a part of the English team that defeated India in India in 2012. He was also a part of the England team that won the Ashes Down Under in 2010/11, although he was a non-playing member of the squad.
An avid follower of the game, which you can assess in the way he speaks, Panesar reckoned it is going to be a tight series. Cliches apart, the former England cricketer also had an interesting analogy that makes a lot of sense.
“Overall, it will be a tightly fought series,” Panesar gave his BGT 2024/25 prediction in a Cricket.com exclusive during his stint at Legends League Cricket (LLC).
“Australia’s competitive environment brings the best out of India. They like to thrive when Australia are in their face, this particular Indian team likes to play their best cricket then,” he said.
Interestingly, Panesar, who himself is an avid Arsenal fan compared this rivalry to Manchester City-Arsenal. Over the last three years, both City and Arsenal have been at odds in the Premier League, with Pep Guardiola's men often triumphing over Mikel Arteta's side.
The 42-year-old reckoned Australia will need to ensure the series is played in a rather calm environment for the result to go their way, and Pat Cummins is the perfect man to lead the team in that manner.
“If they are in your face, very competitive like Manchester City vs Arsenal, if they want war, let’s bring it on, as Pep Guardiola would say it, then I think India will win. But if Pat Cummins begins to understand the psychology, hang on a minute, they like the competition, and they like an in-your-face battle, then suddenly, one way of doing is staying away from the opposition, and not talking to them, make it sound like ‘it is not important’, then Australia might just edge past India,” Panesar elaborated.
The former spinner mentioned that India’s pacers will play a key part but underlined Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli as the vital links of the batting order.
“The inclusion of Rishabh Pant is going to be huge. There will be moments when he will take on the Australian attack and bring momentum back to India,” he said.
Pant was the top scorer for India in the 2020/21 series when India famously defeated Australia 2-1. Not only did he score 274 runs at an average of 68.5, but he also brought them at a strike rate of 69.9, breaking the rhythm of the Australian bowlers Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.
The left-hander was benched for the first Test, but the moment he was brought in, he changed the outlook of the batting order with his knocks of 97 in Sydney and 89* in Brisbane.
Pant has now made a stellar return to Test cricket after missing the whole of 2023 while undergoing rehabilitation from a life-threatening accident in December 2022. Since his return in September 2024, the wicketkeeper-batter has averaged 46.9 at a strike rate of 86.5 and will again be tasked to take down the Aussie bowlers.
Meanwhile, Kohli, on his fifth tour, may have different responsibilities. He is the senior-most batter in an otherwise young batting side that is without Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. After Kohli (13 Tests in Australia), the most experienced batter in the side is Rohit Sharma (7 Tests in Australia) who possibly might miss the start of the series and Pant himself (also 7 Tests).
In addition, Kohli is in a tricky situation as a player, probably his lowest as a Test batter in the last 10 years. He has averaged under 30 four times in the last five years and had an underwhelming home season, averaging only 21.3 in 10 innings with a solitary half-century. However, Panesar reckons the heat of the tour Down Under would bring the best out of the former India skipper.
“We will probably see the best of Virat Kohli. He likes the challenge of Australia, and he likes that whole atmosphere. We will likely see him back at his best,” he said.
The first Test begins on November 22 (Friday) at the Perth Stadium with the following Tests to be played in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. India have won their previous two Test series in Australia and thus, have been unbeaten in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last conceding defeat in 2015.
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