Australia vs India: The series opener of the highly anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25  between Australia and India is set to commence within a few hours in Perth. After a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand, the Indian cricket team needs to win the 17th season of the BGT with a 5-0 or 4-0 scoreline to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final, which could be an extremely daunting challenge on Australian soil. Also, this is the last test series for India in the WTC 2023-25 cycle.

Team India will certainly feel Rohit Sharma’s absence in the first test as a captain and opening batsman that paves the path for Jasprit Bumrah to step into the role as the stand-in-captain. In addition, it is a double blow for the visitors, as Shubman Gill is certain to miss out on the opening test due to a fractured thumb.

Mainly, Australian pitches have favored Virat Kohli in the past, which could be a valuable opportunity for India’s star batsman to get back into form in a 5-match test series scheduled at five different venues.

On the other side, the Australians with 7 matches remaining in the WTC 2023-25 cycle need to win 5 of them. However, the Aussies would be keen to emerge as the BGT winners after 10 years, as well as ensure to avoid their third consecutive test series loss at home against the Indians.

Possibly, both the teams are certain to build a playing XI that consists of a huge depth in the batting line-up and a set of quality pacers.

Let’s dive deeper into this preview to find out the weather and pitch conditions, the captain’s expected decision after winning the toss, and head-to-head stats to predict the winner of the forthcoming BGT. 

Schedule and Venue of AUS vs IND 1st Test, 2024

• DATE: 22nd November 2024 to 26th November 2024.

• VENUE: Optus Stadium, Perth, Western Australia.

About Optus Stadium, Perth

Optus Stadium also popularly known as “Perth Stadium” is a modern world-class cricket ground located in Burswood, Perth, Western Australia.

With a seating capacity of 60,000 spectators, Optus Stadium is renowned for its lightning-fast and bouncy pitches that favor the bowlers.

Although being challenging for batsmen to perform well here, this stadium has successfully hosted a couple of high-profile cricket matches. Also, Optus has organized many international Test matches, ODIs (One Day Internationals), and T20 (Twenty20) matches.

AUS vs IND Head-to-Head Stats: Overall Test Cricket and Border Gavaskar Trophy 

Let’s delve deeper to find out the head-to-head stats of Australia and India in the entire history of test cricket as well as the Border Gavaskar Trophy:

Test Cricket (From 1947 to 2023)

Border Gavaskar Trophy Head-to-Head Stats (From 1996 to 2023)

Weather Forecast in Perth for Australia vs India 1st Test BGT 2024

The most anticipated clash between Australia vs India, 1st Test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, is scheduled to begin on 22nd November 2024. However, the major concerns are regarding the weather conditions, as Perth is raining. And, it is expected to rain on the day of the match also.

According to the weather reports obtained, on the first day, 22nd November, despite bright sunlight, there are chances of slight rainfall. At the same time, reports have confirmed that it will start reducing gradually, and there could be a humidity of 70%.

Whereas, on Day 2 (23rd November 2024) and Day 3 (24th November 2024), the weather is said to be sunny with a temperature of 30 degrees. Following this, the Day 4 and Day 5 will also continue to be warmer.

Pitch Conditions in Perth for 1st BGT Test 2024

Due to the continuous rainfall in Perth, the Optus stadium’s ground staff could not prepare the pitch for the 1st BGT (Border Gavaskar Trophy) 2024. In this case, the pitch conditions might not be the same as traditional before.

Despite the surface having grass to make the ball bounce, it is assumed that continuous rainfalls in Perth have caused variations in the pitch.

However, it cannot be pre-determined until and unless the 1st Test match is played on 22nd November 2024, and that too if the weather permits playing.

The pitch conditions of Optus stadium are usually said to be bouncy, but now it is uncertain whether the batsman or the bowler will have the upper hand over the field.

Toss-Winning Captain’s Decision in 1st Test BGT 2024

According to the pitch conditions of the Optus stadium, the Toss-Winning captain would probably choose to Bat First. In support of this statement, the historical data of this stadium reiterates that teams batting first have had a greater advantage. The average first innings score in the Optus stadium was around 456.

Now, you might wonder how Optus Stadium’s bouncy pitch favors the batsman more than a bowler. The bouncy pitches are favorable to bowlers, but the teams batting first might have an upper hand as the ball would cross boundaries easily.

Whereas, the teams batting second will have difficulties as the match progresses and the pitch conditions tend to change gradually.

At the same time, while the teams are batting second, the bowlers would have an upper hand because the pitch would allow great bounce to the balls delivered, making it challenging for the batsman.

Best Playing XI Combination Australia and India Might Prefer for 1st Test BGT 2024

Based on the experts’ prediction, the following playing XI combination for the Australian and Indian cricket teams in the first test match of the BGT 2024:

Australian Cricket Team Expected Playing XI in BGT’s 1st Test 2024:

To make use of the home pitch conditions, Australia might go with the combination of five batters, three pacers, two all-rounders (spin and pace each), and a spinner to build a perfect playing XI:

Indian Cricket Team Expected Playing XI in BGT’s 1st Test 2024:

It is predicted that India would prefer the combination of six batters, three pace bowlers, and two spin-bowling all-rounders in their playing XI:

Where to watch Australia vs India 1st Test Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024? Live Streaming Platforms and Telecasting Channels

You can watch the live action of the BGT’s first test match between Australia and India on the following platforms:

FOR INDIA

• Broadcasting TV Channels:
• Star Sports 1 HD/SD
• English Commentary —  — Star Sports 2 HD/SD
• Hindi Commentary — Star Sports Hindi HD/SD

• Live Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar.

FOR AUSTRALIA

• Broadcasting TV Channels:
• Fox Sports Australia
• Cricket Network

• Live Streaming Platform:
• Kayo Sports
• Foxtel Now
• Cricket Network

Australia vs India: Who will win the first test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024? Final Prediction

Overall, Australia has a 75% chance of winning the opening test match in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

The reason exactly why India is left with a 25% chance of winning is not because of their recent whitewash loss to New Zealand. Rather, there is a huge void left in the batting order due to the absence of Shubman Gill and opening batsman Rohit Sharma. As a result, Virat Kohli finds himself under pressure by trying to overcome his recent struggles with the bat. If he manages to get back into form, it could be a huge motivation for the entire team’s batting line-up.

Moreover, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been consistent on home pitches, but his batting skills are yet to be examined on overseas pitches and will be under scrutiny more in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). Furthermore, opening the innings without Rohit could pose an additional layer of difficulty to Jaiswal’s batting style.

However, Dhruv Jurel’s presence could be an added advantage due to his performance in the unofficial test match on the Australian pitches where he scored fifties in two successive innings. The 23-year-old’s ability to sustain against tough bowling conditions and steadily accelerate the team’s score makes him a reliable middle-order batsman.

Finally, it is understood that you cannot expect a straightforward outcome as the battle between Australia and India in the first test of the BGT 2024-25 is going to be a two-sided contest filled with plenty of suspense.