The hype surrounding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is growing as the two heavyweights of world cricket, India and Australia, are set to collide in a five-match Test series. The Australian players are raring to win the BGT trophy, which they haven’t won in the last decade. The stature of BGT has also grown higher in the past few years, with two cricketing giants playing quality cricket, while the heated moments on the pitch between the players also made headlines.
The broadcasters of BGT Star Sports posted a video on social media where Australian players Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, and Marnus Labuschagne were asked to pick an Indian player who sledges the most, and it was not Virat Kohli who they chose.
The Aussie stars made a unanimous decision and chose wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who is known for his funny antics behind the stumps.
Pant has engaged in several banters with Aussie stars in the past. He first travelled to Australia during the 2018-19 tour, during which his and Tim Paine’s ‘babysitter’ banter grabbed the limelight. The former Aussie Test skipper asked Pant if he could babysit for him and for his wife after the series. It was followed by Paine’s wife posting a photograph on Instagram with Pant, and their children. Paine’s wife’s post went viral and became a part of cricketing folklore.
I sledge politely: Rishabh Pant
Meanwhile, Pant recently opened up on his way of sledging from behind the stumps.
“Nobody plans and do it. But I don’t like it when someone does it, so I sledge politely. They were saying things like ‘Big MS is here, ‘Come and play T20 cricket in Hobart, you’ll get a good apartment, babysit my kids’. I also said a few things,” said Pant.
Australia’s last two home Test series losses to India have left a blemish on their record Down Under over the past decade. Besides, Australia have not beaten India in a Test series since 2014-15, which includes a twin series loss both home and away. Since winning the last series 2-0 a decade ago, Australia have lost the next four series against India – two to Virat Kohli’s side (2016-17 and 2018-19), and one each against Ajinkya Rahane (2021) and Rohit Sharma (2023).
