The excitement is palpable with less than a week left for the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. Named after former Australia captain Allan Border and India batting great Sunil Gavaskar, the series holds major significance due to the rivalry between the two cricketing powerhouses, especially in recent times. India have won each of their last two Test tours of Australia, and will be bidding for a third straight success Down Under. This will be the first time since 1991-92 that India and Australia will be playing a series comprising of five Tests.
Ahead of the series-opener in Perth, Gavaskar shared an interesting anecdote about the rivalry he has had with Border over the years.
Gavaskar came up with a hilarious response on being asked if he and Border have the same intensity, even though the two have become friends after their retiring.
“Well, because he’s (Border) got me out, that’s the problem. You see, he’s got me out. I never got a chance to bowl to him. If I got a chance to bowl to him and get him out it might have been different. But you know he’s a little, you know, things that you know, used to come in and do this and bowl. And can you imagine he got one ball to turn, and I played that down the wrong line, top edge and I was out,” Gavaskar told 7Cricket.
Maybe the origins of naming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy started 45 years ago.
Because of Allan Border’s three career Test wickets v India, one of those was … Sunil Gavaskar.
From 1979 to now, Sunny still can’t get over it – due to AB reminding him all the time #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BYcjtYL6oL
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) November 14, 2024
For the record, Border only took 4 wickets in 20 Tests against India, and Gavaskar was one of his preys. Gavaskar reveals Border still mocks him, having got him out in 1979.
“So you know, I am reminded of it every time I bump into him. He comes and says ‘Hello Bunny, how are you?’ What do I say to that?,” he revealed.
When India will take to the pitch at the Optus Stadium in Perth for the first Test of the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, all eyes will be on star India batter Virat Kohli, who is perhaps battling the biggest form crisis of his career.
Across all formats in Australia, Virat has scored 3,426 runs at an average of 56.16, with 11 centuries and 19 fifties in 70 innings. His best score is 169.
(With ANI Inputs)
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