Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Australia series makes you a 'better cricketer', senior Indian players tell youngsters

India's cricket team is set to embark on a five-match Test series against Australia, a challenge that head coach Gautam Gambhir and senior players are framing as a transformative experience for the young squad members. With eight players yet to play a Test match on Australian soil, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series promises a baptism of fire for the team’s emerging talent.

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The Indian squad includes newcomers Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna. These players, making their maiden tour “Down Under,” will have a unique opportunity to prove themselves in one of cricket’s toughest arenas. With India’s senior leaders – Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah – sharing their own experiences from previous tours, the stage is set for the younger players to step up and leave a mark.

India’s batting coach, Abhishek Nayar, described how Gambhir, Kohli, Ashwin, and Bumrah have encouraged the team by recounting their own journeys and growth through past Australia tours.

"Gauti bhai (Gambhir) had a chat with the boys just before we started, we had some of the senior boys as well," India batting coach Abhishek Nayar said in video posted by bcci.tv. on Thursday.

"Booms (Bumrah), Virat , Ash (Ashwin) having a chat with the guys how first they came here as youngsters with a lot of seniors around and how they sort of felt that once you finish an Australia series you go back a better cricketer. I think the young boys are very keen, raring to go and hopefully make a name for themselves by the end of this tour. It's one of the toughest challenges for an Indian cricketer coming here and overcoming it," Nayar added.

Bowling coach Morne Morkel also highlighted the intensity of the upcoming series, calling it a “showpiece on the international calendar.”

"I think it's a showpiece on the international calendar since it's going to be teams that not going to give anybody an inch or a sniff and it is going to be hard-fought sessions," Morkel said.

"I'm hopeful for the five Test matches is hard. Five days of cricket when you sit after the day's play and you take your shoes off and say 'Listen, I have given it all'," he added.

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Since 2014-15, Australia has been unable to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with India winning the last four series, including two historic wins on Australian soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21. India remains the only Asian nation to beat Australia at home in a Test series and is the only team Australia has been unable to defeat in their past 16 Test series.

"It's become a big part of Indian cricket to come here and do well. It's obviously a very proud moment that India won here twice in the last two times as well as winning it in India," assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said.

As the series opener looms on November 22, the anticipation is building for what promises to be a hard-fought, high-stakes battle between two formidable cricketing nations.