Former Australian captain Tim Paine recently spoke openly about how important Cheteshwar Pujara’s role was in India’s memorable 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy win. Paine said that Pujara played the most important role in that series win but people still give credit to Rishabh Pant.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2021 Review
In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, after suffering a humiliating defeat in Adelaide, India made a brilliant comeback without their regular captain Virat Kohli and several key senior players and won the series 2-1. On the 2020-21 Australia tour, Team India won the last Test match of the series, which was played at the Gaba ground, by three wickets, in which Rishabh Pant played a match-winning innings.
That innings of Rishabh Pant was recorded in the pages of history. Pant is considered the hero of the 2020-21 Australia vs India Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but former Australia Test captain Tim Paine has a different opinion about this. He believes that Team India captured the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy because of Cheteshwar Pujara.
The player who won the series for India in the last series was Cheteshwar Pujara – Tim Paine
Tim Paine said on the Grade Cricketers podcast, ‘From what I remember, many people talk about Rishabh Pant, in Australia’s last series, but the person who won the series for India was Cheteshwar Pujara. He had lowered the morale of us and our fast bowlers. He was constantly getting the ball hit on his body, but was getting up again and again. It still has a place in Test cricket.’
Let us tell you that, Pujara may not have scored a century in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but he spent a long time at the crease, and tired the Australian bowlers. Pujara scored 271 runs in the four-match Test series, with 77 being his best score. At the same time, Rishabh Pant scored 274 runs in the series.
Border-Gavskar Trophy 2024 -2025
The last time India and Australia faced off in the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia was during the 2020-21 season. India made history by winning that four-Test series, showing incredible determination and strategy, which earned praise worldwide from fans, experts, and players alike.
Now, four years later, India will look to claim a third straight series win. Meanwhile, Australia is hungry to bounce back and defend their home turf.
The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to start in November. The first Test will be held from November 22-26 at Optus Stadium, and the series will wrap up with the fifth and final Test at the famous Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 3-7, 2025.
Also read:“David Warner Open to Test Cricket Comeback for Australia Against India”
