India have accounted for Australia in their last two trips here, in 2018-19 and 2020-21. But this time they arrive off the back of their first home series loss in 12 years, to New Zealand. They are under pressure, but there is still plenty of star power in the Indian side. We run the rule over the five key men who stand between Australia and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India did not need their strike weapon to star four years ago. They do now.
Jasprit Bumrah will be a huge threat when he returns to Australia.Credit: Getty
It’s almost fanciful to imagine a scenario in which India defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy without Bumrah having close to a career-best series. That’s saying something given he has been one of the best fast bowlers in the world now for several years.
Since India’s 2020-21 miracle, the Australians have had only limited recent exposure to Bumrah.
This is not trivial, as Bumrah has an unorthodox, slingy action, and it takes time for batters to adjust. His yorker is deadly accurate, fine-tuned through a childhood where he aimed at the base of a wall at home so as not to upset his mother with the double noise from the ball also hitting the ground. Steve Smith’s pads will have a target on them and his eye will need to be sharp.
But there is pressure on Bumrah, too, enhanced by the absence of dependable veteran Mohammed Shami. Mohammed Siraj is a threat, but it’s a lot to ask Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna and the uncapped Harshit Rana to play major roles given their lack of experience. They........