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India will take on Australia in the first test match of the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 series, which commences from Thursday (February 9) at Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur.
The VCA stadium back in 2008 has once hosted a Test between India and Australia that saw the dream debut of Aussie spinner Jason Krejca as he picked eight wickets in the match. However, despite Krejca’s exceptional bowling, the visitors ended up on the losing side.
The last Test played at the venue was in 2017, When Ravichandran Ashwin dismantled the Sri Lanka batting line-up and ended with impressive bowling figures of 8 for 130.
The first match of the BGT 2023 might see the return of Ravindra Jadeja, who was out of action for a while following an injury. With the spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja back together, India will be the favourites to win the game. Meanwhile, Australia would also look to use the spinning tack to their advantage, having experienced Nathan Lyon on their side.
Notably, the visitors even hired a rookie spinner to train themselves for the Ashwin challenge ahead of the first test match in Nagpur.
VCA Stadium pitch report:
Like all other Indian pitches, this track will also help the spinners more than fast bowlers. While batters will also find it easy to score runs at the venue, provided they spend some time on the pitch and read the ball well.
VCA stadium stats and records:
- Highest team total: 610/6d, by India against Sri Lanka in 2017/18
- Lowest team total: 79, by South Africa against India in 2015/16
- Highest individual score: 253*, by Hashim Amla (South Africa) against India in 2010/11
- Best bowling in an innings: 8/215, by Jason Krejza (Australia) against India in 2008/09
- Most runs scored by a player: Virendar Sehwag – 357
- Most wickets taken: R Ashwin – 19
- Most fifties: MS Dhoni – 4
- Most Hundreds: Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar – 2
