Matthew Hayden backs Kohli, Smith to dominate Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has expressed his confidence in Virat Kohli and Steve Smith's potential to dominate the upcoming 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He believes that both players, who are nearing the end of their cricketing careers, will be eager to leave a significant mark on this summer's series. "Cricket is a game of momentum and I am sure those two players...will be very keen to dominate the landscape," Hayden stated at the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards.
Kohli and Smith's impressive records against each other
Kohli and Smith, both part of the 'Fab 4' alongside Kane Williamson and Joe Root, have impressive records against each other's teams. In 25 Test matches against Australia, Kohli has scored 2,042 runs at an average of 47.48 with eight centuries, as per ESPNcricinfo. On the other hand, Smith has matched this run tally in just 19 Test matches against India, boasting an average of 65.87 with nine centuries to his name.
Hayden anticipates a close contest in upcoming series
The upcoming five-Test series between India and Australia is set to begin on November 22 in Perth. This marks the first time since the 1991-92 season that these two teams will be involved in a five-Test series. Hayden anticipates a closely contested series, stating, "You look at the lineups and it is hard to tell who has the edge." He further added that runs could be the deciding factor in this competition.
Australia's quest to break winless streak against India
Hayden highlighted that the Australian team is determined to break their winless streak against India, having not secured a bilateral Test series victory against them since 2014-15. The upcoming series will feature a clash between the top two teams in the World Test Championship, adding to its excitement. "I sense that it is going to be runs that are going to be the point of difference," Hayden said about the upcoming series.
Hayden's take on Lyon's strategy and Warner's retirement
Meanwhile, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon recently expressed his intention to dominate young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, a strategy that Hayden supports given Jaiswal's emerging status as an 'asset' for Indian cricket. He is also keen to see how Jaiswal adapts to Australia's bouncy pitches and larger grounds. On the other hand, Hayden acknowledged the challenge of replacing David Warner, who retired from international cricket in July, and expressed doubts about Smith filling this void.
