New Delhi. Everyone’s eyes are on the Indian cricket team’s tour to Australia. Team India has to play a 5-match test series here. If India wins the Border Gavaskar Trophy, it will remain in the race for the World Test Championship final. The form of captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli remains a matter of concern. In such a situation, Australia seems to have the upper hand against India. If India gets defeated then there could be 5 reasons for it.
Poor form of Rohit Sharma and Virat
The biggest concern of the Indian team is the form of team captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli. Both the players have not scored much runs in the last few innings. Rohit and Virat have not scored runs in the last 10 innings. Both have disappointed with batting. The captain has scored a total of 133 runs including one half-century. Talking about Virat, he has scored 192 runs with one half-century innings.
Mohammed Shami’s absence
Mohammed Shami, who was sitting out of the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an injury, has made a comeback after a year. Playing for Bengal, he took 7 wickets in the first match of Ranji Trophy. He was not given a place on the Australia tour because he was not fit. The Indian team will miss Shami in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In this series, he has taken 40 wickets in 11 matches. He has taken 31 wickets in his name after playing a total of 8 tests in Australia.
A crushing defeat from New Zealand
Before playing the series against Australia, New Zealand gave a big blow to the Indian team at home. Had to face a clean sweep in the three-match series. The team’s confidence was shaken by such a defeat at its own home before the Border Gavaskar Trophy. India lost 0-3 in the series against New Zealand, a team against which India had not lost a match for 35 years.
Pressure of World Test Championship final
The defeat in the Test series against New Zealand made India’s path to the World Test Championship final difficult. Team India will now have to win 4 matches in the 5-match series if they want to make it to the finals on their own. Even if coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma deny this pressure, India will be worried about reaching the final. In such a situation, Team India will have to work hard to win and due to this there will be pressure.
Team will play without practice match
The Indian team needed practice before playing the 5-match Test series against Australia but it could not happen. On this tour, Team India is practicing by forming intra squads and playing matches among themselves. India did not get to play any practice match against the Australian team, which would affect the preparation.
Tags: Border Gavaskar Trophy, India vs Australia, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli
FIRST PUBLISHED: November 18, 2024, 21:18 IST