Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has shared his verdict on the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between India and Australia. He believes Cheteshwar Pujara would have been a safe bet in Australia and mentioned that runs will be the point of difference.

The two best teams in cricket, India and Australia, will be facing each other in the five-match Test series. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be held in Australia in November, December and January. It is arguably one of the best series in cricket at present, but it has already taken a toll on fans.

India and Australia have played some magnificent cricket in recent years but it has been the Rohit Sharma-led outfit that has had the upper hand since 2018. They have won two consecutive series in Australia and have dominated at home as well.

But this time it will be a totally different Indian team. The team is in transition and some of the youngsters are expected to be on board. So, it will be a different challenge for the Indian National Cricket Team to take on the Australian National Cricket Team, which is also the winner of the WTC 2023.

Matthew Hayden believes that both teams have formidable line-ups and hence it will be difficult for him to pick favourites. He highlighted Cheteshwar Pujara’s effect in the last two series and said that the top batsmen will have to step up. Speaking to PTI, he explained:

“If you look at the line-ups, it’s difficult to say who has the edge. I have a feeling it will be runs that will make the difference. Players who are a safe bet have retired, like (Cheteshwar) Pujara, who was a safe bet in Australian conditions.

“Was it exciting? No. Was it effective? Absolutely. When you look back over the last few years, players like Raul Dravid and VVS Laxman… they were safe bets in our market. The best need to step up in this series, the runs are going to be very valuable.”

Cheteshwar Pujara was the main reason why India won the last two Test series in Australia. He was the Player of the Series in India’s historic 2018/19 series win in Australia where he scored 521 runs in four Tests at an average of 74.42. In the next series, he was the wall of the Indian team in batting.

Who is the best of the best? Matthew Hayden on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Speaking further about the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Matthew Hayden opined that Australia could put an end to India’s winning streak this time around. He said that the upcoming series will be a great opportunity for both teams to find out who is the best. He explained:

“We haven’t had the trophy in our hands for two series in Australia, which is a very coveted venue. It’s not similar to the Steve Waugh era here in 2001, when this was hallowed turf, this was a place Australia wanted to come and win.”

“And their great era didn’t make it. There’s always this fantastic opportunity for the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the World Test Championship to play each other, especially overseas, in each other’s camps and see who has that kind of finals rights to claim not only the chance to play in the World Test Championship final but who is the best of the best, which is judged by how they play on tour, not so much how they play at home,” he concluded.