Border Gavaskar Trophy on par with Ashes, says Australia pacer Mitchell Starc

While the Ashesis considered the best rivalry in cricketing history, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy *BGT) has also turned out to be one of the most-anticipated Test series in recent times due to India and Australia's fierce rivalry. Ahead of the 2024/25 BGT, Australia pacer Mitchell Starc feels Ashes and the India-Australia Tests are on par with each other, especially since the latter will now be a five-match series.

Speaking to the Wide World Sports website, Starc said, "Being five matches now it's probably right on par with an Ashes series. We always want to win every game at home and we know India are a very strong team."

Both India and Australia occupy the top two spots, respectively, in the current ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table, with high chances of meeting once again in the upcoming WTC final (to be held next year). In this regard, many believe the upcoming BGT will be a treat for ardent cricket fans.

Starc stated, "As we're placed at the minute we're the top two teams on the Test ladder... so a very exciting series coming up for the fans and certainly the players. "Hopefully when we're sitting there on the 8th of January we have that trophy back on our shores," hefurther added.

Notably, Australia have not won the BGT since 2014/15 edition, at home. Since then, they lost two successive Test series to India at home, in 2018/19 and 2020/21, whereas also fell behind in Indian conditions in 2016/17 and 2022/23 (all by 2-1 margin). Thus, Pat Cummins-led Aussies will be desperate to settle scores this time around in home conditions.

Rohit Sharma-led India will kick off their away series versus Australia on Nov 22 with the five-match Test series opener at Perth. The five Tests will also comprise a day-night match, in Adelaide, as India will look to retain the BGT for the fifth time in a row.