“Jasprit Bumrah and…”: Ravi Shastri picks 2 key players for India in Australia Test. not virat kohli

Former coach Ravi Shastri has predicted that young opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be India's key players for the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The hype surrounding BGT is nothing short of unrealistic. The declining form of the Test giants has added an extra layer of spice to the rivalry. The Perth turf is expected to remain true to its nature, providing bounce and pace, with the batsmen increasing their ability to put runs on the board.

In such difficult conditions, Shastri advocated for Jaiswal to shine against Australia's strong bowling line-up. For Shastri, the left-hander's consecutive double centuries against England in Vizag and Rajkot, 209 and 214*, reflect his hunger to score runs.

“Jaiswal is at the top because if he comes in he can be devastating. You know he plays spin very well, he plays at his pace, he has all the shots in the book,” Shastri said in the ICC review. “

“He's an entertainer, so if he progresses as we've seen already in his career, you know he's got the ability to score big. You know, you can't get two double centuries in a row, You know, just like that, you have to have the hunger, you have to have the quality and the ability,” Shastri said.

The second Indian player who has been raised by Shastri is Jasprit Bumrah. With the unique action of taking Australia by storm, Bumrah will lead India in the absence of captain-designate Rohit Sharma.

With bowling coach Morne Morkel labeling the A-lister a “natural leader”, Shastri hopes the “best fast bowler in the world” will create a buzz with the ball when facing Australia's best.

“I think Jasprit, no question. Because he is the best fast bowler in the world. There is no question about that. These are the top two bowlers on both sides. And you would expect them at this stage of their careers, where Sometimes he puts the ball in the news to become the highest wicket taker,'' he said.

Bumrah has been the best performer for India in 2024 with his sensational attack. Apart from spreading his skills across all formats, Bumrah's numbers in Australia give the Indian camp a guarantee that they can cost Australia results.

Before stepping into the Optus Stadium on Friday, Bumrah had thrashed Australia on home soil, taking 32 Test wickets at an average of just 21.25.

The first Test between India and Australia will start from Friday at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Both the teams occupying the top two positions in the ICC World Test Championship points table will be aiming to strengthen their chances for the final. While India will be looking to bounce back after a rare, but embarrassing defeat against New Zealand at home, Australia will be aiming to avoid a hat-trick of series defeats against India at home.

After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, in a day-night format, will take place under lights at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to the Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test. From 14 to 18 December.

The traditional Boxing Day Test, to be held from December 26 to 30 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, will mark the final leg of the series. The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, which promises to be an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.

India squad for Border-Gavaskar series: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan. , Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Australian team for the first Test: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.