It’s been a decade since Australia last held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having suffered back-to-back series losses at home. However, veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon is confident that Australia will reclaim the trophy in dominant fashion this summer. For the first time, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be contested over five Tests, and with a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at stake, both teams have much to play for. Currently, India leads the WTC rankings, with Australia close behind at No. 2.
The frustration of not having won the BGT since 2014 is evident in the remarks of many Australian players, as anticipation builds for the upcoming series.
“It’s been 10 years since we’ve won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. I started thinking about this series when England toured India… I love watching Test cricket, and I’ve had my eyes on this series for a long time,” Lyon told Alyssa Healy on the ‘Willow Talk’ podcast. He boldly predicted, “My call is 5-0 to Australia.”
Lyon, Australia’s most successful off-spinner with 530 wickets in 129 Tests, has been closely studying the Indian batting lineup since England’s tour of India earlier this year. “I had a great conversation with Tom Hartley (England spinner) about how he bowled when Yashasvi Jaiswal went after him. That’s something I’ve taken note of,” Lyon said. “Will Sarfaraz Khan come over here, or will it be KL Rahul? India’s lineup is full of superstars.”
Lyon also emphasized that Australia’s batsmen need to pile on big runs to put pressure on India’s pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah. “We need big scores. Guys like Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head are capable of centuries. But I don’t just want 101 or 107; I’m looking for 180 and 200,” he added.
