Former cricketer Matthew Hayden eagerly anticipates the intense showdown between Virat Kohli and Steve Smith in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Named after two cricketing legends – Allan Border from Australia and Sunil Gavaskar from India, the Border–Gavaskar Trophy is a renowned Test cricket series contested between Australia and India. Showcasing the finest cricketing ability from both countries, the series has generated tough rivalry, memorable events, and heated fights and Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are both stars of their craft.
Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli and Australia’s Steve Smith would be more than keen to stamp their authority in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series in which runs would be “at a premium”, feels Australian great Matthew Hayden.
Matthew Hayden eyes to see Steve Smith and Virat Kohli during Border–Gavaskar 2024
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are the two players you should look out for in the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy series of 2024–25, according to former Australian opener Matthew Hayden. Given the approaching twilight of their careers, Hayden thinks both players will be even more motivated to have a major influence.
Included among the elite group known as the “Fab 4,” Steve Smith and Virat Kohli have been among the most consistent and prolific run-scorers in cricket history. Having made his Test debut in 2011, Virat Kohli went through a career-defining series in Australia in 2014–15 accumulating over 650 runs. With nine Test hundreds under his belt, Smith, on the other hand, shows an amazing average of 65.87 versus India.
Last year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final saw Steve Smith and Virat Kohli square off head-to-head. Virat Kohli scored 14 and 49 runs in that battle; Smith exceeded him with innings of 121 and 34, enabling Australia to win 209 runs.
Virat Kohli, Steve Smith will be keen to stamp authority in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 believes Matthew Hayden
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has earmarked Steve Smith and Virat Kohli to stamp their authority in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series 2024-25. The Queenslander reckons the two nearing the end of their careers will motivate them to do so even more.
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards on Wednesday, August 21, Hayden opined:
“Cricket is a game of momentum and I’m sure those two players, coming now to the later pages of their cricketing careers, will be very keen to dominate the landscape through the summer. That’s their nature. They do it in very different ways, very different styles, but certainly they really are the key to the Australian summer.”
Hayden, considered one of the best openers of his era, opined that both Kohli and Smith like to dominate in their own ways and will hold the key to how the series pans out Down Under. Hayden however post David Warner’s retirement said he had reservations about Smith emerging as a choice for the opener’s slot. Smith has played at the No. 4 slot for a majority of his career but was moved to the opening slot after Warner’s retirement from Test cricket.
“Young Yashaswi Jaiswal is an exciting prospect to see how he’ll play” – Matthew Hayden
With opener Yashaswi Jaiswal making a thunderous start to his Test career, Hayden reckons his battle with off-spinner Nathan Lyon should be mouth-watering. The 103-Test veteran added:
“Isn’t it great that the series is shaping up the bare-heavyweight bout, someone like the GOAT going after , what is in my opinion one of the key assets for Indian cricket. Yes he’s certainly proving to be that. Young Jaiswal is an exciting prospect to see how he’ll play.”
“He is a package. His ability in particular to get on the up through the covers is phenomenal. That’ll also have its vulnerabilities. I’m looking forward to seeing how he adjusts on bouncy tracks.”
India and Australia will play a five-Test series for the first time since 1991-92 starting November 22 at Perth, and Hayden said it will be hard to pick which team has the edge.