THE Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was first contested in 1996, following the completion of a one-off Test match between Australia and the World XI. The trophy was established to commemorate the contributions of former Indian cricketer 'Sunil Gavaskar' and former Australian cricketer 'Allan Border' to their respective teams and to international cricket. Since its inception, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has become one of the most highly-anticipated series in the international cricket calendar, and is considered one of the greatest rivalries in the sport.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is one of the most prestigious and competitive Test series in international cricket and is considered a classic contest between two of the strongest cricketing nations in the world.

The trophy has been won by both India and Australia several times, with the winner being determined by the outcome of the Test series. The current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is India, who won the series 2-1 in the 2021-22 series held in Australia.

There have been several memorable moments and incidents in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy over the years:

2001: India's famous victory at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where they chased down a target of 384 to win the match and level the series.

2008: Harbhajan Singh's hat-trick in the second innings of the Sydney Test match, which helped India secure a historic win in Australia.

2010: Sachin Tendulkar's double century in the first innings of the Bangalore Test match, which helped India secure a draw and retain the trophy.

2012: The intense on-field verbal exchange between Virat Kohli and Michael Clarke during the Perth Test match, which created headlines around the world.

2018: The controversy surrounding the Decision Review System (DRS) in the second Test match in Bengaluru, where several incorrect decisions were made using the technology.

2021: The heated exchanges between players during the Sydney Test match, which led to a total of eight players being fined for breaching the Code of Conduct.

These incidents have added to the competitiveness and drama of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and make it one of the most watched series in the cricket world.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has often been characterized by intense competition and rivalries between the players, and mind games have played a role in this rivalry. Some examples of mind games in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy include:

Trash talking: Players from both sides have been known to engage in verbal exchanges, which are intended to distract or unsettle the opposition.

Psychological warfare: Teams have employed tactics such as sledging, deliberate time wasting, and baiting the opposition to gain a psychological advantage.

Intimidation: Physical intimidation, such as bumping into the batsman while fielding, or using body language to show dissent, has also been used as a mind game in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

These mind games are not limited to the players and can also involve the team management and support staff. The objective is to gain a psychological edge over the opposition, which can impact their performance on the field. However, it is important to note that such actions can often lead to disciplinary action by the cricket governing bodies.

Here is a list of the winners of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:

1996-97: Australia

1997-98: India

1999-2000: Australia

2000-01: India

2003-04: Australia

2004-05: India

2007-08: India

2008-09: Australia

2010-11: Australia

2011-12: India

2013-14: Australia

2014-15: Australia

2017-18: Australia

2018-19: Australia

2020-21: Australia

2021-22: India

This list includes the winners of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy up to the latest completed series in 2021-22. The series is played alternately in India and Australia, and the winner is determined by the outcome of the Test series. The current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is India, who won the 2021-22 series 2-1 in Australia.

Highest Run scorer:

The highest run-scorer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is 'Sachin Tendulkar' of India. Over the course of his career, Tendulkar has scored a total of 3062 runs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, including 7 hundreds and 19 fifties. He has consistently been one of the top performers in the series and has set several records, including the most runs and the most centuries by any player in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Sachin Tendulkar's performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy have been instrumental in India's success in the series and have cemented his place as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the sport.

Highest wicket taker:

The highest wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is 'Anil Kumble' of India. Over the course of his career, Kumble took a total of 111 wickets in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, including 8 five-wicket hauls. He was known for his accurate and steady bowling and was a consistent performer in the series. Anil Kumble's performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy were a key factor in India's success in the series and he remains one of the greatest spin bowlers in the history of the sport.

India vs Australia Schedule 2023:

As per the latest, The first Match Between India vs Australia Border – Gavaskar Trophy Series 2023 will be played in Nagpur. The remaining three matches will be played in Delhi, Dharamshala, and Ahmedabad Stadium.

IND v AUS: Full squad for the 2023 BGT

India (first two Tests): Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Australia: Pat Cummins (Captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.