'You look at the line-up..' Matthew Hayden predicts winners of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

Matthew Hayden also talked about the nature of pitches at the five venues that will host BGT 2024-25.

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has made his predictions for the upcoming high-voltage Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

Australia and India will play a five-match test series for the first time since 1991-92. The exciting series will be played from November 22, 2024, to January 7, 2025.

India’s recent success on Australian soil – two consecutive series victories in 2018-19 and 2020-21 – have made the upcoming series even more interesting. India would be aiming for a hat-trick of series wins on Australian soil, while Pat Cummins’ team are desperate to win a test series against the Asian giants. Australia have lost the last four test series against India, two at home and two away.

It’s hard to really tell who has the edge: Matthew Hayden

Previously, legendary cricketer Ricky Ponting favoured the hosts to win the five-match test series 3-1. However, his former teammate Matthew Hayden couldn’t pick a favourite between the top-two test sides in the world.

“You look at the line-ups, and it’s hard to really tell who’s got the edge. I sense that it’s going to be runs that are going to be the point of difference. So the best need to stand up in this series; runs are going to be at a premium. And I also feel like the structure of the tournament being from the west to the east is a bit of the unique way that the Australian landscape of cricket is going to be played out. It’s usually the other way around. It’s going to be a great summer,” Hayden said on the sidelines of the CEAT cricket rating awards on Wednesday in Mumbai.

The former Australian opener also shed light on the nature of pitches at the five venues that will host the series.

“One is a day-night Test match [in Adelaide] – the second Test match. Again, once you get those overhead conditions under that twilight zone, they can be really difficult [to bat on]. I would go as far as to say that the home advantage in Australia has been taken away quite a lot, simply on the basis that if you get the wrong side of a certain session, be that you’re 4 for 130, at twilight you can be 8 for 150.

“So there’s no chance to naturally dominate a game. It’s quite even the whole time, so it’s a very different type of cricket, because you don’t have those traditional surfaces,” Hayden added.

India’s tour of Australia 2024-25 schedule:

November 22-26: 1st test, Perth Stadium, Perth (D)

December 6-10: 2nd test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (D/N)

December 14-18: 3rd test, The Gabba, Brisbane (D)

December 26-30: 4th test, MCG, Melbourne (D)

January 3-7: 5th Test, SCG, Sydney (D)

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