India and Australia are on the brink of one of the most anticipated sporting rivalries in history. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 is set to commence in Perth on Friday, marking a significant milestone in cricket history.
Pat Cummins will lead the formidable Australian team into the series opener as the favorites. India, on the other hand, will be missing their captain Rohit Sharma and are anxiously awaiting the fitness of star batter Shubman Gill ahead of the first Test.
Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will step up to lead India at the Optus Stadium in the absence of Sharma. Both Cummins and Bumrah will make history on Friday as they become the first designated fast bowlers to captain their respective teams in a Border-Gavaskar Trophy match.
The bilateral Test series between India and Australia was renamed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 1996, and the two cricketing powerhouses have since competed in 56 Test matches. In their most recent encounter in March 2023, Steve Smith led Australia in Cummins' absence, while Rohit captained India.
The appointment of fast bowlers as captains is a rare occurrence in the history of Test cricket for both nations. Legendary Kapil Dev was the last designated fast bowler to captain India in Tests from 1983 to 1987.
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