In the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series 2024-25, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden evaluated Steve Smith and Virat Kohli as the best prospects to establish their authority. The end of their careers is what motivates them, posited the Queenslander.
The Fab 4 includes Smith and Kohli who have consistently dominated the game with amazing runs. In Test cricket, Kohli made his debut in 2011, but during the series down under during 2014-15, he turned around his career by scoring more than 650 runs.
Currently, Smith is averaging 65.87 against India while he has scored nine hundred in Tests. Having reflected on these moments when speaking to PTI at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards on Wednesday, August 21, Hayden said:
“Cricket is a game of momentum and I’m sure those two players, coming now to the later pages of their cricketing careers, will be very keen to dominate the landscape through the summer. That’s their nature. They do it in very different ways, very different styles, but certainly they really are the key to the Australian summer.”
Last year, Smith and Kohli met in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The latter scored 14 and 49 respectively while the former made 121 and 34 as the Baggy Greens won by 209 runs.
“Young Yashasvi Jaiswal is an exciting player to watch and see how he performs”- Matthew Hayden
With the onset of Test career, Yashasvi Jaiswal who is opening the innings has made a storming start, which makes Hayden to say that he would love to see his battle against off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The 103-Test veteran said:
“Isn’t it great that the series is shaping up the bare-heavyweight bout, someone like the GOAT going after , what is in my opinion one of the key assets for Indian cricket. Yes he’s certainly proving to be that. Young Jaiswal is an exciting prospect to see how he’ll play.”
“He is a package. His ability in particular to get on the up through the covers is phenomenal. That’ll also have its vulnerabilities. I’m looking forward to seeing how he adjusts on bouncy tracks.”
The five-Test series between Australia and India will start on November 22 in Perth.
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