The Indian calendar is full of high-stakes matches, and following their campaign against Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, India will host New Zealand for three red-ball games before the challenging tour to Australia. The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is definitely going to be a electrifying contest involving five Test matches between these two giants of cricket. Of these, the second Test will be a day-night affair with the pink ball under the lights at Adelaide—a setup that lends another level of intrigue to this storied rivalry.
India has had great success in recent tours Down Under, winning historic back-to-back series victories. The team under the leadership of Rohit Sharma will be keen to sustain the momentum and look towards their third successive series win on Australian soil.
Though the task is going to be anything but easy, reigning World Test Championship winners Australia would want to win back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and stamp their authority on the home conditions once more. On the eve of this highly-anticipated series, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting jumped out to back Khaleel Ahmed as a possible inclusion in the Indian Test squad.
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Having watched him closely as head coach of Delhi Capitals during the IPL, Ponting feels that 26-year-old left-arm pacer Khaleel can turn out to be an asset for India in Tests. He pointed out that Khaleel was in a position to provide an angle of attack that was different, something which would come in handy in the Australian conditions.
“Khaleel Ahmed is someone I think could make his way into the Test squad,” Ricky Ponting said in the latest episode of The ICC Review. “Having a left-arm quick would be ideal for India, especially in Australia. I know Khaleel recently played in Zimbabwe, and I believe he could add a new dimension to India’s bowling attack.”
Ponting also mentioned that the pace battery of India, spearheaded by Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah, was going to be tough. The addition of a left-armer like Khaleel could provide the variety needed to challenge Australia’s strong batting lineup. Another promising left-arm pacer for India is Arshdeep Singh, who could be in strong contention for the Test squad.
Arshdeep, whose international debut came in 2022, has already made a mark as he ended up being the joint-leading wicket-taker of T20 World Cup 2024, with 17 wickets in eight matches. The performance boosted his dream of representing India in whites, and according to reports, might make it to the squad for the series against Australia.
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With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy inching closer, eyes will be on the squad selection of India, particularly in the pace department. India could very well take an attack that can trouble Australia in their den by having Khaleel Ahmed and Arshdeep Singh in the mix.
