5 Eagerly awaited player battles in the India v Australia Test series

The Kangaroos have reached Indian shores and are charged up in search of a victory against their eternal rivals. “The Invincibles” are excited and charged up after a grueling session of intense training in Dubai. Team India, on the other hand, is well-rested after a one-off Test against Bangladesh. The comfortable win against the Tigers will surely do their confidence a world of good.

Virat Kohli’s aggressive captaincy has led the team from strength to strength which was clearly visible from their sublime performances against the Pommies. However, their current opponents are no pushovers themselves and boast of the presence of match winners like David Warner and Steve Smith. Australia have failed to win a single Test in India since 2004-05 which will surely encourage Coach Darren Lehmann to field an aggressive full strength lineup. Let’s take a look at the 5 player battles fans will surely be looking forward to-

1. Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc

Captain Kohli will be Team India’s key threat in the batting department which is no surprise considering his excellent performances recently. His gameplay has improved to a greater extent after taking up the captain’s mantle. Virat has scored 4 double hundreds in 4 successive series which is an indication of how quickly he has matured over the years.

Mitchell Starc is one of the highest rated bowlers currently in International cricket and possesses the ability to unnerve batsmen with his toe-crushing yorkers and express pace. Starc earned 24 wickets at an astonishing average of 15.16 on Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2016 which indicates his efficiency even on Asian tracks.

The battle between Starc and Virat will surely determine the fortunes of their respective teams.

Also read- IND v AUS 1st Test, Preview: India aim total domination over skeptical Aussies

2. Ravindra Jadeja vs Steve Smith

The 28-year-old slow left-arm orthodox bowler has stunned experts and fans with his accurate bowling performances for Team India in the recently concluded Test series against England. Jaddu’s unnerving accuracy and variations have proved fatal for many world-class batsmen who dared to take him lightly.

Jaddu will be expected to snap up wickets on the trot against the visitors. Steve Smith has earned a solid reputation as a batsman for the national team with his stunning performances and unorthodox shots. The skipper will be expected to lead the run charts again against India and lead Australia to victory.

Smith possesses the ability to dominate spinners and Jadeja will be entrusted the responsibility of snapping him up early.

3. Cheteshwara Pujara vs Nathan Lyon

Pujara has earned comparisons to legendary Indian batsman Rahul Dravid with his solid mature performances for the country. His monk-like patience and resolute defensive gameplay ensure a reliable presence at the top of the order who can battle it out even in the most testing conditions and score steadily even under pressure.

His impressive quick-fire unbeaten fifty against Bangladesh ensured a daunting target of 458 for Bangladesh. Nathan Lyon has enjoyed an interesting transition in world cricket after starting off as a pitch curator and finally donning the baggy green. Lyon will be expected to lead Australia’s charge with the ball and baffle Indian batsman with his movement off the pitch and shrewd variations.

Lyon holds the record for the most Test wickets taken by an Australian off-spin bowler which indicates how lethal his performances have been. The battle between Pujara and Lyon will be one to watch out for.

4. Shaun Marsh vs Umesh Yadav

Shaun Marsh has been one of the most consistent performers on Indian soil for team Australia. His ability to score heavily in India makes him a prized asset for a unit which struggles to dominate on Indian soil. Marsh has proven his abilities over the years and will be expected to frustrate Indian bowlers at the top of the order.

The curator has described the Pune pitch as one conducive to pace bowling. Captain Kohli will be expecting his pace spearhead to fully exploit the conditions and deliver breakthroughs in the early overs. Yadav is one of India’s main weapons and his recent impressive performances against Bangladesh and England will surely hold him in good stead against the likes of Marsh.

5. Ravichandran Ashwin vs David Warner

Ravichandran Ashwin needs no introduction. He has emerged as India’s main weapon with the ball and performed remarkably well even under the most unresponsive pitch conditions. Ashwin has been hailed as the greatest spinner currently in world cricket by experts and fans which indicate his impact with the ball. His performances with the willow have been no less exceptional.

Warner has emerged as one of the most consistent performers for Australia in every format of the game ever since he earned a reputation of being a pocket dynamo in the shorter formats of the game. His ability to dominate the bowler and smash them to all parts of the ground has resulted in demoralized and reluctant bowlers.

His performance in the IPL 2016 on Indian soil ensured a maiden IPL title for the Sunrisers Hyderabad which indicates his proficiency even on Indian soil.

Also read- India vs Australia – History of the Test rivalry between the two teams