Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25: Yashasvi Jaiswal is just 2 hits away to overtake the record of…
Soumyaroop Mukherjee
New Delhi: The Australian series down under will give the Indians a lot of opportunities to test their patience and skills in a “difficult” terrain. Both teams will look to give their best given the qualification for the upcoming World Test Championship might boil down to the chances as to who is going to qualify for the same.
Young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is gearing up for his biggest assignment yet. Jaiswal, who made his Test debut last year in West Indies, has made a strong impression in his career so far. In 14 Tests, Jaiswal has scored 1,407 runs with the help of eight half-centuries and three tons. He is also India’s leading run-scorer in Tests this year, having amassed 1,119 runs so far.
Jaiswal will look to break multiple records in Australia. He needs just two hits to leapfrog Brendon McCullum in the list of most sixes in a calendar year in Test cricket. McCullum smashed 33 sixes in 2014 while Jaiswal has registered 32 already this year. Also, he needs just 219 runs to become the leading run scorer in Tests this year.
Currently, England’s Joe Root tops the scoring charts in 2024, having scored 1,338 runs.
What is the Pitch Report for the Optus Stadium in Perth?
India and Australia are set to play in Perth for the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. A first glance at the pitch will make any naked eye fail to difference between the pitch and the outfield. Yes! That’s how green it is.
The first look at the pitch at the Optus Stadium in Perth is here and it does not seem promising for the batters. According to reports from the photographs by the various reporters in Perth, the pitch is covered completely in green grass. Furthermore, the grass is being watered to make sure it doesn’t dry out quickly.
Naturally, it can be expected that the seamers can expect movement off the seam. Added to that is the ferocious pace and bounce of Perth which will be like a piece of loud music to the ears of the batsman. To be honest, this was not entirely unexpected, primarily for two reasons.
This is the first time in close to 80 years that India is starting off their Australia tour with a Test match in Perth, a place historically known for its spicy pitches. Although the old WACA stadium deserves credit for that, the newly built Optus Stadium, which did not host a single Test during India’s last visit, is not doing that reputation any harm.
Secondly, since the Border Gavaskar Trophy defeat against India at home three years ago the Australians have changed their tactics to make drop-in pitches, making it heavily conducive for fast bowling.
For these strategies, the Aussies have made the pitches heavily packed with a coating of grass.
