Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: Top 5 Key player battles in focus

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will begin on November 22nd in the Optus Stadium in Perth. India, who have won the last four BGTs, is up against a home team eager to end their winning streak. Rohit Sharma's unavailability will be felt, as Jasprit Bumrah leads the Indian team. 
Let's check out Three key player battles to watch include:

Jasprit Bumrah vs Travis Head: 

Jasprit Bumrah, India's top fast bowler, will face Travis Head, Australia's in-form batter. Head has a long history of troubling Indian bowlers, so Bumrah will have to be at his best to contain him. Bumrah's unique action and capacity to generate reverse swing may be the key to dismissing Head cheaply. Travis Head's Test cricket career has been significantly impacted by Jasprit Bumrah, who dismissed him twice during their encounters. Despite this, Head has scored 50 runs off 126 balls against Bumrah, averaging 25.

Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc:

Virat Kohli, an experienced and successful Indian batter, will compete against Mitchell Starc, Australia's top fast bowler. Starc is known for extracting speed and bounce from perhaps the most benign pitches, making him an uphill battle for Kohli. Mitchell Starc dismissed Virat Kohli four times in Test cricket matches. Notably, Kohli has still scored 236 runs off 394 balls against Starc, with an impressive average of 59. This suggests that, despite being dismissed four times, Kohli always performed well against Starc, demonstrating his versatility and batsmanship.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Steve Smith:

Ravindra Jadeja, India's veteran off-spinner, will face off against Steve Smith, Australia's experienced and successful batter. Smith is known for his history of handling Jadeja well, but Jadeja has been developing his variations and can be unpredictable. The duel between these two will be critical in determining the series' outcome, as both players have the ability to change the game with a few well-placed deliveries completely. Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Steve Smith eight times in Test cricket. Despite this, Smith has scored 270 runs from 735 balls, averaging 33.

Pat Cummins vs KL Rahul:

In the absence of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul will open the batting against Pat Cummins. His biggest challenge will be Pat Cummins, who is tall and fast. The Australian speedster hasn't been at his best in a few months, and the same is true for the struggling KL Rahul. Both players will attempt to get on top of each other. KL Rahul has been dismissed twice by Pat Cummins in Test matches. Nonetheless, he has managed to score a respectable 80 runs off 157 balls against Cummins. His batting average of 40 and strike rate of 51 show his ability to counter Cummins' bowling.

Marnus Labuschagne vs Ravindra Jadeja:

The battle between Marnus Labuschagne and Ravindra Jadeja will be crucial in determining the series' outcome. Labuschagne's adaptability to different bowling styles will be tested against Jadeja's spin. Jadeja's experience and skill will make it difficult for Labuschagne to score freely, making this a battle to remember. Ravindra Jadeja knocked out Marnus Labuschagne five times in Test cricket, while Labuschagne has 99 runs off 301 balls at an average of 19 and a strike rate of 32.