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[PICTURES/VIDEOS] Congratulations to Australia for winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 after 10 years

sweep_shot said:
Travis Head for president.

He has been making Indians humble since 2023.
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He's definately added onto the internet traffic by the unrelated dudes with no skin in the game

...i mean talk about begaani shaadi...

other than that naagin dance - what has your 'Toygaar' crowd contributed to the world of cricket since 1971?
Like...seriosly...Zilch...sifr...nada...zip...
 

Cricket Australia Breaks Silence On Not Calling Sunil Gavaskar To Present Border-Gavaskar Trophy​


Cricket Australia broke its silence on legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar's displeasure at not being invited to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gavaskar was not happy with the decision to not call him at the presentation ceremony following the fifth Test match between India and Australia. However, Cricket Australia said that Gavaskar was informed that he would have presented the award to Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah if the visitors retained the trophy. Australia clinched the trophy after 10 years and as a result, Allan Border was invited to present the trophy to the Australia captain Pat Cummins.

"We acknowledge it would have been preferable if both Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar had been asked to go on stage," a CA spokesperson said in a statement.

Border presented the trophy to the home team but Gavaskar, despite being at the venue at the same time, was inexplicably ignored.

"I certainly would have loved to have been there for the presentation. After all it is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and it is about Australia and India," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by Code Sports.

"I mean, I am here on the ground. To me it should not matter that Australia won when it comes to the presentation. They played better cricket so they won. That's fine.

"Just because I am an Indian. I would have been happy to present the trophy with my good friend Allan Border," he added.

Both India and Australia have been competing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 1996-1997 and the rivalry has grown to become one of the biggest in Test cricket.

sports.ndtv.com

Cricket Australia Breaks Silence On Not Calling Sunil Gavaskar To Present Border-Gavaskar Trophy | Cricket News

Cricket Australia broke its silence on legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar's displeasure at not being invited to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
sports.ndtv.com sports.ndtv.com
 
FearlessRoar said:
How's the josh?

@Romali_rotti @Devadwal @Hitman @Bhaijaan @BCCI-Enforcer @JaDed
Click to expand...
@Devadwal Behti hawa sa tha woh :inti

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AB de Villiers has reacted to the rumours of a rift within the Indian dressing room in a video posted on X:

"I know there have been some rumours. I'm not surprised. When there's smoke, there's fire. I've been part of dressing rooms where it's been hostile. Especially when you're away from home, you're missing your family, and you're not playing the best cricket of your career."

"The dressing room is crucial, especially away from home. It's easier at home. I have no doubt that the Indian team dressing room might have lost that a little bit over the last weeks in Australia. When you start losing faith in each other, you might as well sit on the sides and hand over the trophy. I don't have facts with regards to the Indian dressing room. I'll wait for facts to see who's been niggling with who."

"It's very easy for bad stuff and bad habits to creep into the dressing room. We also had that against Australia in 2006 when we lost 2-0 in Australia and then lost 3-0 in South Africa. We lost five out of six Tests. It wasn't sunshine and roses in that dressing room, we were squabbling with each other. It's everything, in my opinion. That's the kind of stuff I believed in when I captained teams. For me, it was a non-negotiable. The dressing room needed to be truthful, guys were loyal to each other, there was great atmosphere and spirit, and we always respected the guy next to you. If you have that, even if you're losing, you still have a good dressing room."
 
AAli98 said:
Indians should be the last people talking about pitch doctoring.. be thankful Aus didnt produce a flat pitch & gave ind a chance to win on a sporting pitch..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1875688205237817463
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I actually think he's partially right in that it was a poor pitch- it's fine to begin green with movement but it should then ease out a little by day 3.

Instead it began to jump up and stay down by morning of Day 3. Nothing wrong with a single day of 15 wickets but a wicket that no team can even score 200 on and which begins tough to bat and then gets uneven on the first morning of day 3. I have no problem calling that a poor pitch, same as I would a bunsen burner that did the same.

It is at least proof board and players do not control curators in Australia. That's the very last pitch they would order vs Bumrah.
 
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif said in a video he posted on X:

"India lost 1-3, and I think this is a wake-up call, because now we have to pay our attention towards Test cricket. It's not just Gautam Gambhir who is at fault."

"All players get the chance to play Ranji Trophy, but it gets tiresome for the players and they prefer rest over playing Ranji Trophy. They don't play Ranji Trophy, they don't play practice matches then how will they become better players? It's tough to play on turning tracks in India and tougher to play on seaming tracks in Australia and South Africa."

"So if you don't practice well, WTC will keep eluding you. What has happened, it has happened for the good and now Team India needs to work hard in Test cricket."
 

Forgotten Aussie genius that swung series; verdict on Konstas explosion: Talking Points​


It was total carnage with ball in hand for two and a half days in Sydney, but it’s ended in Australia winning back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 3-1 scoreline.

Scott Boland has once again proven that he is a one-of-a-kind bowler, and the conundrum that he is causing selectors right now has never been bigger.

At the other end of the batting order sits Sam Konstas, a 19-year-old who Australia have unearthed as a talent for the next 15 years at international level. He has been a revelation like no other this summer, but what are the big learnings for him beyond this summer?

BORN AT THE WRONG TIME’: AUSSIE ‘FREAK’ CREATES FRESH CONUNDRUM

The big three has become the big four.

Scott Boland has been the Test side’s perennial 12th man since his stunning debut at the MCG in 2021, but the Victorian seamer continues mounting a case for more frequent appearances in the baggy green.

Despite missing matches in Perth and Brisbane, the Victorian seamer finished the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 21 wickets at 13.19, including a career-best performance in Sydney.

Boland claimed 10/76 across the New Year’s Test, ripping through India’s top order on day two and removing superstar Virat Kohli in both innings.

The 35-year-old boasts an incredible record in home Tests, taking 49 Test wickets at 12.63 on Australian soil. No cricketer in history has better numbers.

“This guy is a freak,” former Australian speedster Brett Lee said.

“I get asked in the street, ‘Scott Boland bowls 134km/h. Why don’t batsmen target him?’ Well, you can’t, because he’s ‘Mr Consistent’. He literally puts the ball on the spot, a good 5.5m length, every single ball.

“But it’s what he does with the seam. He hits the rope consistently … if I was to emulate it, it’d have to be a massive leg-cutter. His consistency, his temperament, and he’s under the radar. He’s literally the world’s nicest guy. He doesn’t ask for the accolades, and he catches people off guard.

“This guy would play Test cricket anywhere (else) in the world as the number one bowler.”

Australian captain Pat Cummins smiled when quizzed about the deeds of the Man of the Match after he snared 10 wickets in Sydney.

“Scotty, I love him. Whenever he comes in, you just know he’s a seasoned pro. He’s been doing it for years for Victoria and he’s well and truly good enough in Test cricket. He proves it time time again.

“As a captain, he’s a dream, because he just loves bowling. He bowls uphill into the wind a lot of time as well, so his figures are probably better than what they show. We know what we’re going to get from Scotty and its class every day. I’m so happy for him to take ‘10 for’.”

Boland will no doubt get more opportunities in the Test side with Cummins effectively confirming he will miss the Sri Lanka series for the birth of his second child, while Hazlewood and Starc are both nursing minor injuries.

However, if all four quicks are fit and firing ahead of next summer’s Ashes series opener against England at Perth Stadium, who misses out?

“The conundrum is that you’ve got Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins, who have achieved so much,” Lee said.

“My gut says you have to pick those three guys every day of the week … if Hazlewood gets his fitness back and is ready to play, unfortunately you have to go with Josh Hazlewood, and when I say unfortunately, (I mean) unfortunately for Scott Boland.

“A fit Josh Hazlewood gets into any Test line-up, in my opinion. What do you do when three doesn’t go into four? It’s a tough one.”

Lee compared the situation to when former Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill spent the majority of his Test career waiting in the wings behind the legendary Shane Warne.

“Scott Boland cannot do anymore to push for selection … it’s a bit like (Stuart) MacGill and (Shane) Warne, that’s probably the best analogy I could say,” Lee said.

“Stuart MacGill took 200 Test wickets as a back-up bowler to Shane Warne, but he wasn’t a back-up bowler, he was a number one spinner anywhere (else) in the world.

“Boland’s got that same unlucky thing, being born at the wrong time when Australian fast-bowling is so good, so strong.”

Coach Andrew McDonald declared that Australia was “lucky” to have four world-class pace bowlers at their disposal.

“Every time he pitches up in the Australian colours, he delivers,” McDonald said.

“We’re lucky to have those four quicks in Hazlewood, Cummins, Starc and Boland. The ability to keep them fit all together gives us options.

“We’re not surprised by Scott’s performances. Every time he plays, he does a job well. His ability just to be relentless on a length, move the ball both ways, is proving difficult, in particular on this surface.”

The wild events that led to Sam Konstas becoming Australia’s youngest-ever Test opener somehow still doesn’t reflect his start to life as an international cricketer.

Thrown into the deep end in front of over 373,000 people on debut at the MCG for Boxing Day, Konstas took down the world’s best bowler in Jasprit Bumrah with unorthodox – but effective – ramp shots on either side of the wicket. It was magical and gutsy to say the absolute least, but it worked.

Since his 60 in the first innings in Melbourne, Konstas has made scores of 8, 23 and 22. Each innings has shown an ultra-aggressive approach that really only ever been seen once at professional level before his debut.

That was against India for the PM’s XI on December 1 in Canberra in a reduced-overs pink-ball match.

Exciting to watch? Absolutely. His hand-eye co-ordination? Incredible for a 19-year-old. Cult hero already? Sure is.

Konstas is evidently a cricketer who, if he chooses, can have an international career spanning more than 15 years. He could well be a generational talent.

But, how sustainable is his approach to Test cricket in the long run?

His second innings dismissal as Australia chased down 162 to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 was one that highlighted the double-edged sword that he was lived by in his first two Tests. A genuine hack across the line to a length ball that skied high to mid-off.

“That’s not a good shot. Over time, he’ll realise he’s a better player than that. He was playing quite nicely … (but) this is just an almighty slog,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket after Konstas’ dismissal.

“He’s clearly a better player than having to play that stroke. That’s an almighty hack.”

A deficiency in his game to length and in-swinging deliveries has been highlighted before, though his attacking nature combats that to a certain extent.

But the reverse ramps, charging down the wicket and pre-meditated heaves are low percentage cricket shots that will fail to come off more times than not.

As Vaughan noted, there is undoubtedly a middle ground that Konstas can find.

He has talent, confidence and hard work all behind him that will set him up for a long, illustrious career at the Test level and Cummins was certainly enthusiastic about his contribution.

“In regards to Sam, I’ve been really impressed with how he’s gone about it,” the Australian captain said.

“I think people mistake bit of confidence with bullying or abuse. You’re allowed to walk around with your shoulders puffed back and play a few cricket shots. I don’t think that’s illegal, but some people really take offense to that and want to kind of put him back in his place.

“For us ... and we say the same to all of our players, (it) is just bring yourself every day and be yourself. Go about how you think represents yourself the best and how you want to play. I think he’s been really good this series. He stood up for himself as needed to.”

How Australia’s batting order will look on its upcoming tour of Sri Lanka later this month remains to be seen, with the promotion of Travis Head up to the top of the order not totally out of the question. Victorian Peter Handscomb, who excels on spinning decks, also spent time around the Australians over the past week.

Konstas is an emerging star, if he isn’t one already, and he’s clearly had an immeasurable impact for the better on Australian cricket since his inclusion based on the assessment of Cummins.

BLESSED ARE AUSTRALIA WITH THE KING QUARTET

In the aftermath of Australia’s decisive finish with the ball to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Sydney, Brett Lee was succinct in his praise.

“The four bowlers for Australia have done the job once again, led beautifully by Pat Cummins,” the Fox Cricket expert declared.

While conditions favoured bowlers around the country, perhaps aside from Melbourne, the Australians overall figures against India for the series was 86-2,126.

The Indians did not lose a wicket in the second innings of the rain-marred Test in Brisbane and declared six down in Perth, but made what equates to 212 runs per innings.

The tourists only surpassed 250 on three occasions, initially at Optus Stadium when making a mammoth 6-487, then in Brisbane when narrowly avoiding the follow-on with 260, and finally in Melbourne when making 369 runs in the first dig.

After suffering shell-shock when pulverised in Perth, Cummins presented in his usual composed manner and was adamant the Australians would rebound strongly.

Such was the whipping in the west, questions were asked about Australia’s preparation, with the skipper among those challenged as he leaked runs at a far higher rate than usual.

The criticism was accurate, for the Aussies were well beaten and looked toothless as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli seized control on the way to match-winning centuries.

But it is understood to have irked those who had devised a preparation designed to help the fast bowlers sustain their quality throughout a five Test summer stretching from November to January.

“I was really happy about our preparation for the first Test. But I think ... if you don’t play well, that gets questioned. But if you do play well, people just forget about that,” Cummins said.

The unfortunate injuries to Josh Hazlewood aside, and the New South Wales quick has had his issues with side problems prior to the calf issue at the Gabba, a judgment can be made.

The Aussies clearly got it right, even if Mitchell Starc was a little banged up by the end, for the quartet of quicks that includes Scott Boland thrived as the series progressed.

To witness the quality of their bowling in Melbourne and Sydney at the tailend of the summer was a joy, with their discipline superb, their pace on point and their attitude relentless.

Fox Cricket expert Mike Hussey was full of praise for the planning of the Australians, saying the attention to detail made all the difference in moments where Test matches were in the balance.

“I think they planned this series out for a long, long time, and they knew it was going to be a real war of attrition,” he told foxsports.com.au.

“They were probably planning for the five Tests, rather than just thinking just about Perth and going one nil down. I mean, I think India deserve a fair bit of credit too. I think they played really well in the first Test, whether Australia was underdone or not. We can argue that left, right and center.

“But I think they I think they were looking longer term and planning on wanting to get all the bowlers through for five Tests, which is a massive effort.”

Jasprit Bumrah, clearly, was brilliant. But the Aussies were outstanding as well.

After starting with 3-153 from a tick over 40 overs, Cummins finished the series with 25 wickets at an average of 21.36 and was absolutely outstanding with the bat.

He openly acknowledged starting the series underdone and it was a gamble, but he was supreme when taking 20 wickets in the final four Tests.

Credit should be given to the management of Boland, for it is worth remembering the 35-year-old had a stint in County cricket cut short due to a knee problem midway through 2024.

He eased back into competitive play in a Sheffield Shield match against a New South Wales side including Sam Konstas in October and showed some rust, but continued to build.

When called on, he was remarkable and finished with his first 10 wicket haul in a match-winning display in the pivotal match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

To finish with 21 wickets at an average of 13.19 suggests the Victorian would have challenged Bumrah as the bowler of the series if he had played all five Tests.

After a brilliant performance in Adelaide, Starc tailed off in Sydney and Melbourne when hindered by a back problem, but importantly he was able to continue to bowl.

His presence even when playing in pain provided Australia with stability in what proved to be a critical finish to the series.

Former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe said the Australians demonstrated their staying power and durability in overcoming adversity to triumph.

“The strategies have been virtually perfect. Cummins was underdone at the start of the series but he’s bowled himself into peak condition, and the three Tests he’s won, he’s been pivotal in all of them, so tick,” he told foxsports.com.au

“They didn’t reckon on Hazelwood getting injured, but they knew they had Boland in the wings and the moment Boland has been introduced, Australia’s won all three Tests.

“They were wary of India jumping them, as they had in the past, by playing on tired pitches. They led two-one and they prepared a pitch that was far from tired here at the SCG and they still won. So tactically, they’ve been blemish free.”

SMITH’S CRUEL WAIT FOR MEGA MILESTONE TO CONTINUE ABROAD

The “Don” famously needed four. Steve Smith, considered by man the “best since Bradman”, wanted five. But cricket can be the cruellest of sports, forever biting back at its most brilliant.

For the third day in succession, a massive crowd filled in to the SCG hoping to see, among other features, the brilliant Sydneysider tick off one of cricket’s most significant milestones.

The Koragah-born champion, fresh from back-to-back centuries at the Gabba and MCG, was on route to become just the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs this weekend.

To join legends Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Allan Border on his home ground, in one of Australia’s biggest Tests in a decade, on his home ground appealed as a fitting plot. It is understood all were preparing to feature in a celebration of the milestone on Sunday.

But just as Bradman was bowled for a duck in his final innings when he needed only four runs to average 100, Smith was denied a fairytale moment in his career on the SCG.

A loss of concentration on Saturday shortly before lunch saw the star fall for 33 to Prasidh Krishna, meaning he required five runs in Australia’s second innings to reach the milestone.

It seems the nervous 90s have nothing on the nerve-wracking 9,990s, with all in attendance on edge when Smith walked into bat before lunch on Sunday. And it was not just because the Border-Gavaskar Trophy remained in the balance. Could the champion deliver?

It was not to be.

Just as West Indian legend Brian Lara stuttered within a couple of boundaries of the milestone, Smith nudged his way to four before falling short after copping another beauty from Krishna, with Indian broadcaster Harsha Bhogle providing a perfect summation.

“Sometimes you come to magnificent arenas like this and you want to see wonderful things happen to people and yet that is what our sport is about. There are moments which are tinged with sadness,” Bhogle said.

“It must be heartbreaking. 9,999. A mere single. How many singles has he taken in his entire career? And this one eluded him.”

It left Border, who was on hand to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and clearly hoping to confirm the 15th member of the 10,000 club, among those lamenting his exit.

“It was a big disappointment for him and the crowd all knew he was on 9,999. So we wait, again,” he said.

Fascinatingly, only Mahela Jayawardene has also fallen on the four-figure tally. But he now has company in the form of one of Australia’s greatest.

Cummins said that while it would have been ideal for Smith to pass the milestone on his home ground, he believed the broader result will help sooth any pain. And Hussey said he hoped that the Australian star will continue to thrive.

“It’s a shame that he couldn’t do it here in Sydney (on) his home, home ground. I’m sure his family and friends would have been here (and) we had Allan Border here, Ricky Ponting was here and Steve. So it is a bit of a shame, but that’s the game sometimes.

“It probably sums up the game of cricket. It is such a great leveller, you know. But he’s been obviously a great player for such a long time, and he’ll get there and hopefully go well beyond.”

The wait will be premature, but the stage somewhat off Broadway, with Smith certain to be among those travelling to Sri Lanka for the two Test series beginning later this month.

SPIN TAKES BACKSEAT AS SEAMERS DOMINATE SERIES

Leading into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the prospect that this would be a bowler dominated series always appeared possible given the trend in recent years.

But India’s success on their two most recent tours of Australia were borne in part on the brilliance of their spinners and it was anticipated this would be another battle of turn.

Australia fielded a champion in Nathan Lyon. India was blessed with the tantalising trio of Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, all willing to weave a web.

Instead it became a pace bowlers paradise, as demonstrated by the domination of Bumrah, Cummins, Boland and even Mohammed Siraj, who finished with 20 wickets for the series.

Astonishly, there were matches Australia’s greatest off-spinner was barely used, but Kerry O’Keeffe said he had no doubt the champion will continue to thrive for his nation.

“Lyon is frustrated that he didn’t, because of the pitches and weather, he didn’t get a chance, but he’s still there,” he said.

“The bowling group is very strong and they don’t miss many games. I think short term, the future looks pretty good, because the bowling unit looks very strong.”

Lyon was still the most effective of the spinners, finishing with nine wickets at an average of 36.88, with his best figures for the series 3 for 96.

Jadeja and Sundar, who was effective in Perth, each played three Tests, while Ashwin announced his retirement in Brisbane after playing a solitary match in Adelaide.

They managed only eight wickets between them for the series from the 100 potentially on offer across the five Tests and posed far less of a threat than on previous tours here.

www.foxsports.com.au

Forgotten Aussie genius that swung series; verdict on Konstas explosion: Talking Points

Forgotten Aussie genius that swung series; verdict on Konstas explosion: Talking Points
www.foxsports.com.au www.foxsports.com.au
 
Harbhajan Singh said on his YouTube channel:

“He was used like you squeezed juice from sugarcane. It was like ‘Travis Head has come, give the ball to Bumrah, Marnus has come, give the ball to Bumrah, Steve Smith has come, give the ball to Bumrah’."

“How many overs will Bumrah bowl? He has been reduced to such a condition that he was not available at the end. If he was there, Australia may have won the fifth Test but they would have lost eight wickets, it would have been tough for them. You broke his back and the management should have decided on how many overs he should be given."

“The team selection was not right. Two spinners were played on a spicy pitch, you saw green patches. It is beyond my understanding that despite playing so much cricket and watching so much cricket you do not understand such a small thing… what to do on such pitch."

“The gentleman who has gone there and sitting there together if he is not able to understand this thing then I don’t know what he is doing. What is the point of having two spinners on this pitch. Your spinners did bowl very little, you are just making batting line-up longer. It is not right, they are just stuck in their stubbornness. This is not a T20 format, this is Test cricket."
 
Crappy team selection and Rohit Sharma's captaincy were the main reasons for the loss... (We should have at least drew the series, we were good enough with the available resources - even if we had continued with the team + captain we had in 1st test - we would have definitely at least drew the series...)

Jurel & Prasidd Krishna should have been part of all matches... (I said this before the start of the series), they were the ones who were in form and who had match practice (did all the hard work in away A Games compared to so called ATG who makes Bollywood style guest appearance during international matches & then settles in London for vacation). Australia corrected their mistakes by picking Constas, Webster & Boland...

All the idiots who got injured or ran away in the last tour was a blessing in disguise for India so that we could play a proper team... That was the only way we could get rid of politics, commercialism, seniority, regionalism, nepotism and what not! The hunger players fetched us the success! BCCI is not like Australia who proioritize Cricket & Victory over Money & Branding...

I was so impressed with the way Australian ex-players, media everyone went sick after the 1st match defeat, they made sure that the management took proper measures to come back in the series and select right players... They also devised a method to tackle Bumrah... Worked on weaknesses of Jaiswal, Reddy and made sure they were kept in check... On the other hand BCCI will sleep even if Zimbabwe come and whitewash at us home, as long as they make money!
 
They selected a rubbish team with both Sundar & Jadeja in the playing XI just to give batting cushion to Rohit & Kohli's failures... And kept Jurel away from the team... Yuck! And they selected Gill because he is an IPL success, so there is more commercial gain if he is part of team...
 
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