BGT 2024-25: 3 India Squad Players Who Missed the Playing XI
India’s chances of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final were extinguished following their defeat in the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test in Sydney. The loss at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) marked Australia’s first Test series win over India in a decade, ending a run of four consecutive series defeats to the Asian side, including two at home. Pat Cummins’ team also secured their spot in the ICC WTC 2023-25 final. India began the series with a dominant 295-run victory in Perth but faced setbacks in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, ultimately surrendering the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after holding it for eight years. BGT 2024-25: 3 India Squad Players Who Didn’t Get a Chance in the Playing XI Abhimanyu Easwaran Abhimanyu Easwaran, named as a backup opener for the series, must have been disappointed not to feature in the playing XI, especially in the first Test in Perth when India needed a replacement for the injured Rohit Sharma. Instead, KL Rahul was tasked with opening, and his impressive performances in Adelaide and Brisbane helped him retain his place. Despite an excellent First-Class average of 48 from 101 matches, Easwaran’s poor showings in the two warm-up games against Australia A—where he scored 7, 12, 0, and 17—led to his exclusion from the playing XI. Sarfaraz Khan Sarfaraz Khan’s inclusion in the squad came after a strong domestic season, including a brilliant 150 against New Zealand in Pune. However, inconsistent performances in subsequent matches—scoring just 11, 9, 0, and 1—resulted in him slipping down the batting order. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill returning to the side, India opted for Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal to fill in during their absence. Sarfaraz’s struggle against high pace and extra bounce made him less likely to feature in the Perth Test. Nonetheless, his ability to score quickly may still earn him a place in the squad for the upcoming England tour. Tanush Kotian (Part of Last 2 Tests Only) Tanush Kotian, a 26-year-old off-spin all-rounder from Mumbai, joined the squad after Ravi Ashwin’s sudden retirement following the third Test. However, with Washington Sundar already in the lineup, Kotian didn’t get an opportunity in the final two Tests of the series. E2Bet welcomes you! Experience thrilling games and have a blast!
BGT 2024-25: Key Records India and Australia Cricketers Will Target in the 4th Test at the MCG
The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) has proven to be as thrilling as anticipated, with the five-match series evenly poised at 1-1 after three tests. India took the lead in the series with a commanding win in the opening match at Optus Stadium, Perth. Jasprit Bumrah was instrumental with the ball, taking eight wickets, while Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal made significant contributions with centuries in the second innings. On the Australian side, Travis Head was the standout performer, scoring 89 runs in the second innings. Australia bounced back in the second test at the Adelaide Oval, maintaining their unbeaten record in day-night tests at the venue. The hosts dominated to secure a 10-wicket victory, with Travis Head’s century in the first innings being a key highlight. The third test at the Gabba was interrupted by persistent rain, resulting in a draw. Despite the weather disruptions, Australia had the upper hand for most of the match, putting India under pressure. 1. Steve Smith – Needs 191 Runs to Reach 10,000 Test Runs Steve Smith is on the brink of a historic milestone in Test cricket. With just 191 runs required in the upcoming fourth BGT 2024-25 Test at the MCG, Smith will become only the fourth Australian batter to join the 10,000-run club. Currently, he has accumulated 9,809 runs at an impressive average of 56.05. He will join an elite group, with only Ricky Ponting (13,378), Allan Border (11,174), and Steve Waugh (10,927) having more runs than Smith. His career tally includes 33 centuries and 41 half-centuries. 2. Jasprit Bumrah – Needs 6 Wickets to Reach 200 Test Wickets Jasprit Bumrah is leading the wickets tally in the ongoing BGT 2024-25, with 21 wickets so far. The Indian pacer is on the verge of another significant achievement, sitting at 194 Test wickets. With just six wickets needed in Melbourne, Bumrah will become the 10th Indian bowler to reach 200 Test wickets. He has already made history by surpassing Kapil Dev’s record for the most Test wickets by an Indian in Australia. 3. Nathan Lyon – Needs 5 Wickets to Surpass Ravi Ashwin and Become the 7th Highest Test Wicket-Take Nathan Lyon, also known as “The GOAT,” is poised to move up the rankings as he requires just five more wickets to surpass Ravi Ashwin and become the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test history. Lyon has taken 533 wickets in 132 Tests and, despite a quieter role in the series so far, he is expected to play a key part in Australia’s bowling attack in Melbourne. 4. Mohammed Siraj – Needs 7 Wickets to Complete 100 Test Wickets Mohammed Siraj is on the cusp of a major achievement, with 93 wickets in 63 innings. He has been a reliable partner to Bumrah in the series, picking up 13 wickets in six innings. Siraj needs seven more wickets in Melbourne to become the ninth Indian fast bowler to reach the 100-wicket milestone in Test cricket. 5. Shubman Gill – Needs 140 Runs to Complete 2,000 Test Runs Shubman Gill is 140 runs away from reaching 2,000 Test runs, a significant milestone in his career. While he has struggled to convert starts into big scores in the ongoing series, he will be eyeing the achievement in the upcoming Test at the MCG. With an average of 35.76 from 31 Tests, Gill will be eager to reach this landmark. Welcome to E2Bet! Dive into the fun with our exciting games!