Australia Will Start As Favourite In Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Says Former Australia Coach John Buchanan

Former Australian coach John Buchanan, who coached Australia to one of the most successful periods in the team's history, including a record winning streak of 16 consecutive Tests and the 2003 World Cup, asserted that Australia will start as favourites against India in the high awaited Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Former Australia coach John Buchanan insisted that past results would not really matter when India travels to Australia later this year for a five-match Test series and India's chances will depend on how well they will adjust to the conditions.

Pointing out that the world over it is getting difficult for travelling teams to win, the 71-year-old said India would be playing Bangladesh at home before heading to Australia and that would give the hosts an advantage at the start of the series.

"I never give predictions, but I will say Australia is favourite at the start of the series. When you look around world cricket these days, it’s very difficult to tour other countries," said Buchanan, who was in Mumbai to launch the multi-sports foundation program ‘Ready Steady Go Kids’ with CP Goenka International School on Thursday in partnership with Sports Gurukul.

"One of the reasons for that is that travelling teams no longer have that preparation of playing two-three games before the first Test to get used to conditions," the former Australian coach added.

Speaking about what to expect from the Border Gavaskar series, Buchanan said, “It’s going to be a classic series. Five Tests, which is one more Test than what we had previously. It does make a difference as by the time the teams reach Sydney, they would have played presumably four hard Test matches prior to that in a short period of time. It’s going to test their resolve physically and mentally.

"The teams are pretty evenly matched with strong bowling line-ups. Personally, I still favour the Australian batting lineup a little bit at this point," said the two-time World Cup-winning cricket coach.

The much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy will start on November 22 at the Perth Stadium while the second, third, fourth and fifth tests will be played at Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

India did not lose a Test series when they toured Australia on the last two occasions and breached Fortress Gabba during their last tour Down Under, courtesy of Rishabh Pant's heroics.