Steve Smith Prepares for Battle Against Ravichandran Ashwin in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Australian cricketer Steve Smith is gearing up for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, where he will face off against Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The series is crucial for both teams as it impacts their chances in the ICC World Test Championship final. The first Test begins in Perth on November 22.
Smith vs. Ashwin: A Historic Rivalry
Smith has had a long-standing rivalry with Ashwin, having faced him in numerous matches. Smith has been dismissed by Ashwin eight times, with a career average of 54.2 against him. In the 2020-21 series in Australia, Smith averaged 80.3 against Ashwin, despite being dismissed three times.
Smith’s Strategy
Smith plans to be proactive against Ashwin, aiming not to let him settle. He recalls being dismissed by Ashwin in the 2020-21 series and intends to play each ball as it comes, keeping his approach simple.
Upcoming Matches
The series will feature five Tests, starting in Perth and concluding in Sydney. The second Test will be a day-night match in Adelaide, followed by games in Brisbane and Melbourne. The final Test will be held in Sydney from January 3 to 7.
Squads
India’s squad includes players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Australia’s squad for the first Test features Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, and Mitchell Starc, among others.
Doubts Revealed
Steve Smith -: Steve Smith is a famous cricketer from Australia. He is known for being a very good batsman, which means he is great at hitting the ball and scoring runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin -: Ravichandran Ashwin is a well-known Indian cricketer. He is a spinner, which means he bowls the ball in a way that makes it spin and can be tricky for batsmen to hit.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy -: The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a series of cricket matches played between India and Australia. It is named after two famous cricketers, Allan Border from Australia and Sunil Gavaskar from India.
ICC World Test Championship -: The ICC World Test Championship is a competition where cricket teams from different countries play Test matches to see who is the best. Test matches are a longer format of cricket, usually played over five days.
Perth -: Perth is a city in Australia where one of the cricket matches in the series will be played. It is known for its beautiful beaches and parks.
Sydney -: Sydney is another city in Australia where the final match of the series will be played. It is famous for the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
Proactive -: Being proactive means taking action in advance to deal with a situation. In cricket, it means playing in a way that tries to control the game rather than just reacting to what the other team does.
Squads -: Squads in cricket refer to the group of players selected to represent a team in a series or tournament. Each team announces their squad before the matches begin.
