The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy is scheduled to begin on November 22 in Perth. India is gearing up to face Australia in what is expected to be an exciting start to the series. As the Border Gavaskar Trophy approaches, let’s review the performances of Australian players in the recent Sheffield Shield matches.
Travis Head‘s recent performance in the Sheffield Shield seems to suggest he will continue to bat in the middle order for Australia, a position he has always held in red-ball cricket for South Australia. However, the explosive left-hander didn’t have a great outing upon his return to first-class cricket, scoring 30 and 10 runs in the two innings. Interestingly, spin bowling proved to be his downfall on both occasions. He was dismissed by Tanveer Sangha in the first innings and then fell victim to a brilliant delivery by Nathan Lyon in the second innings.
In the same match, Marnus Labuschagne continued his impressive run in red-ball cricket, scoring 77 and 35 not out against Western Australia. The right-hander was on course for a century in the first innings but was dismissed leg before wicket while attempting a sweep shot off the bowling of off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli. Labuschagne’s recent scores in first-class cricket are a testament to his form: 35-, 77, 19, 119, 93 & 64.
Besides his batting exploits, Labuschagne also showcased his all-round abilities, captaining the side and picking up two wickets with his medium-pace bowling. His bowling figures in the match were 6.2-3-5-2.
Mitchell Marsh had a forgettable start to the new season, having to walk in to bat after just three balls as Western Australia slumped to 0/2 after 0.2 overs. He was unable to rescue his team on the first day, departing for a paltry 13 runs. However, the powerful right-hander made amends in the second innings, scoring a well-crafted 94.
Interestingly, Marsh did not bowl in either innings of the match. With Cameron Green sidelined due to injury, Marsh will likely have to shoulder a significant bowling workload against India. His bowling fitness will be crucial for Australia’s chances in the series.
Usman Khawaja‘s performance resembled Labuschagne’s, except that he capitalized in the second innings after a missed opportunity in the first. This match against Western Australia was Khawaja’s first as an opener for Queensland since February 2022.
Nathan Lyon lived up to his reputation as a world-class spinner, claiming eight wickets in the match against South Australia in Sydney. This was Lyon’s first professional game since July. He dismissed the dangerous Alex Carey in the first innings and then bowled Travis Head with a brilliant delivery in the second. Lyon bowled a total of 63 overs in the match, highlighting his impressive workload capacity.