Border-Gavaskar Trophy: John Buchanan Dubs Australia As Favourites To Clinch The Prestigious Series

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: John Buchanan Dubs Australia As Favourites To Clinch The Prestigious Series

Former Australia coach believes India's batting will hold the key for visitors' success Down Under

Haridev PushparajUpdated: Friday, August 30, 2024, 09:51 PM IST
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Former Australia coach John Buchanan has backed the Australian team to come up triumphant when they take on India in the highly anticipated five-match Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which gets underway with the first Test in Perth on November 22.

Buchanan feels lack of preparation time which is a common problem for touring teams around the world could tilt the scales in the favour of the hosts.

"I never give predictions on numbers but I think Australia are favourites going into the series right at this stage. Particularly again, if you look around, it's very difficult to tour other countries and the reasons for that is travelling teams no longer have that time for preparation to adjust to the conditions because nobody wants to tour for that long. That makes it very difficult when you go to Perth where it's fast and bouncy,'' Buchanan stated this at the launch of 'Ready Steady Go kids' multi-sport program for the CP Goenka International School.

The two-time ODI World Cup winning coach also felt it will be a classic series as both teams are evenly balanced as it stands.

"Look its going to be a classic series. Five Tests, one more Test than how it was previously. It does make a difference. By the time the teams reach Sydney, they would have played presumably four hard Test matches. It will test everyone physically and mentally right through the series. Starting at Perth, hard and bouncy wicket. Then Adelaide, night game, ball might move around. You can be caught by the lights both in a positive sense and a negative sense. Then to Brisbane, where the wicket should be reasonably pacy and bouncy. Then onto the traditional Boxing Day Test match."

Buchanan felt with both sides having good, strong bowling and batting attacks, the contest can very well be closely fought.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has created an impact ever since he made his debut for India and Buchanan believes he will have a role to play in the series.

"He is an exciting young talent and there are others as well but he is certainly one to watch. The challenge for him would be that he hasn't played in Australia, he hasn't played in Perth. His ability to adjust to those conditions would really be in some sense the barometer to how India would go about in the series."

Australia is a place where the menacing pacers from either side would come into play but Buchanan feels spinners will play a key role for both sides.

"They will always play a part. There is Lyon for Australia. He does exceptionally well in Australia and he does well because he keeps pressure on the batsmen. His job like what Warne did in the past was to keep it tight and give the fast bowlers a rest. As a batsmen, you are thinking I was being bombarded by the fast bowlers, now here comes a spinner. But Lyon is a really good bowler. He understands how to get bounce when the wicket is not turning and how to use flight. Mitchell Starc being a left-arm pacer can create a good rough and then Lyon can come into his own. This is going to be an important part of India's make-up in their bowling plans. Who they bring in as a spinner,'' he added.

When asked if losing back-to-back Test series will give Australia a psychological baggage, Buchanan replied in the negative.

"I don't think so. It will be at the back of both teams' minds. Like Australia thinking we've lost a couple of series and India feeling they've done it before. But in the end, it will be about these two teams dealing with who they are right at the moment starting in Perth."

Buchanan, who was the coach when India toured Australia in 2003/04, felt one can't compare two tours and the difference in teams in those tours.

"I would have no idea (when asked if the current Indian team was better to 2003/04 side). Even when a series starts, when you play the first game and then get onto the second game, your team will be different even if its the same players. That's only because there is either experience or somebody has done well or somebody hasn't done well. There will be a different dynamic in the dressing room. So you can't compare one tour to another tour. At the moment they are well balanced sides."

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