New Delhi: The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy might decide the future of the Indian Test team. The series is crucial for India’s qualification chances for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC). Australia lead the five-match series 2-1 after winning the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground leaving India’s WTC final chances hanging by a thread.
The Men in Blue suffered a big setback after losing the home Test series against New Zealand. The Kiwis whitewashed Rohit and Co. in the three-match series which ended their 18 consecutive Test series winning streak at home. This was the first time India had been whitewashed in a home Test series since South Africa’s 2-0 victory in 1999-2000.
After losing the Day-Night Test, the Men in Blue slipped to third position in the WTC standings and a loss at MCG has further compounded their misery.
If India fail to qualify for the WTC final, the selectors might make some tough calls before entering the next cycle of the World Test Championship.
Why BGT could decide India’s Test team’s future?
1. Spotlight on Rohit and Virat: Indian senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have come under immense scrutiny due to their inconsistent performances. They have struggled against spin and fast bowlers in recent times, putting extra pressure on young batters and the lower middle order. In 2024, the Indian captain scored 619 Test runs at an average of less than 25 in 14 matches, including two centuries and two fifties.
While, Virat has scored 417 runs also at an average of less than 25 in 10 Test matches, including one century and one fifty. If Team India fails to qualify for the WTC final, BCCI and selectors might decide to replace both senior batters with young talent to rejuvenate the Test batting line-up.
2. Leadership changes: Indian captain Rohit Sharma has faced a lot of criticism after the home Test series defeat against New Zealand. Fans and cricket experts criticised Rohit’s field placements and bowling changes in recent times. India won the first Test against Australia by 295 runs in Perth but after Rohit returned to the team as skipper, The Men in Blue failed to repeat the same performance in the Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne Tests. On several instances, during the series against New Zealand and Australia, Rohit looked clueless and failed to make any impact as captain.
3. Spin evolution: The retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin from international cricket after the Brisbane Test has left a big void in the team’s spin department. While Ravindra Jadeja remains a crucial part of the Indian Test team set-up, the BCCI and selectors might look into the long-term picture and give more chances to the likes of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Tanush Kotian, especially in home conditions.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is not just about reclaiming supremacy against Australia but also about determining the direction of India’s Test team. With senior players like Rohit and Virat under pressure and leadership in question, the outcome of the series could well and truly decide the future of the Indian Test team.
Know why the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy could decide the future of the Indian Test team. Australia lead the five-match series 2-1. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
