Josh Hazlewood Aims to Reclaim Border-Gavaskar Trophy Against India
Josh Hazlewood, Australia’s top fast bowler, highlighted the importance of winning the upcoming Test series against India. Australia has not held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since the 2014-15 series, which they won 2-0. Since then, they have faced consecutive defeats to India on home soil.
The first Test of the series will be played at the Optus Stadium, Perth, starting November 22. Hazlewood noted, “There are quite a few players who have never beaten India in a Test series. It’s quite astounding to say that.”
Australia is determined to resolve a decade of unfinished business in their pursuit of reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Hazlewood added, “That’s one we need to tick off, definitely, in particular at home – we should pretty much win every series here at home.”
In the 2020-21 series, India famously rebounded from being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide to secure the series with remarkable victories at Melbourne Cricket Ground and Gabba, along with a gritty draw in Sydney. Hazlewood remarked, “That last series we obviously bowled them out for 36 in Adelaide and we thought here we go, [we are] back at home [and] confident on these grounds. People say we played India B in that last Test, but they can sometimes be stronger than the best team. They’ve got unbelievable depth in all formats and we are starting to see that now.”
The five-Test series against India will play a crucial role in the race for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June 2025. Australia will aim to defend their title, adding extra significance for Hazlewood, who missed last year’s final. He said, “It’s always in the background, we have the table up [to see] where we are sitting and what we need to tick off. For me, it’s a big one because I didn’t get to play the last one in England so that’s a burning one for me.”
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Josh Hazlewood -: Josh Hazlewood is a famous cricket player from Australia. He is known for being a fast bowler, which means he throws the ball very quickly to try and get the batsman out.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy -: The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a special prize given to the winner of cricket matches between India and Australia. It is named after two famous cricketers, Allan Border from Australia and Sunil Gavaskar from India.
Test series -: A Test series is a set of cricket matches played between two teams over several days. Each match can last up to five days, and the team that wins the most matches wins the series.
Optus Stadium -: Optus Stadium is a big sports stadium located in Perth, Australia. It is used for many sports, including cricket, and can hold a lot of people who come to watch the games.
World Test Championship -: The World Test Championship is like a big tournament for cricket teams from different countries. Teams play Test matches over a few years, and the best teams get to play in the final to see who is the best in the world.
WTC final -: The WTC final is the last and most important match of the World Test Championship. The two best teams play against each other to decide who wins the championship.