Match dates, times, squads, TV and streaming information, and more ahead of the four-Test series
India host Australia in a four-Test match series. It constitutes another instalment of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which has been on the line since 1996/97. The series also forms part of the ongoing World Test Championship.
First Test: Thursday, February 9 - Monday, February 13; - The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur (3pm AEDT, 9.30am IST, 4am GMT)
Second Test: Friday, February 17 – Tuesday, February 21; - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi (3pm AEDT, 9.30am IST, 4am GMT)
Third Test: Wednesday, March 1 – Sunday, March 5; - HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (3pm AEDT, 9.30am IST, 4am GMT)
Fourth Test: Thursday, March 9 – Monday, March 13; - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad (3pm AEDT, 9.30am IST, 4am GMT)
Graeme Smith. Michael Atherton. Ian Chappell. Kevin Pietersen. The Icelandic Cricket Association. It is easier to identify observers who are not predicting the imminent and brutal reduction of Test-playing nations in the coming years.
Just the last few months have seen England win in Pakistan, Australia overwhelm West Indies and South Africa, and India overcome Bangladesh - all without losing a single Test. The daylight between the three most financially affluent nations and the chasing pack, whose red-ball fortunes are sitting on quicksand, has rarely been greater.
Australia start the series with a depleted attack (James Worsfold/Getty Images)
So while some are eagerly anticipating four men's Tests of India v Australia, seeing some of the best players in the world collide in a series which seems to always deliver, a word of caution: it might soon always be like this.
This will be the sixth Test series between these two nations in the last 10 years. Only Australia and England have played more matches against each other in all formats since the turn of the century (171 v 158). It's the second most played fixture on the international circuit and yet we're supposed to be drawn to the latest installment.
And yet, we remain suckers for the five-day format. One-sided scorelines hide the exhilarating cricket the red ball continues to serve up.
The ICC rankings and World Test Championship tell us these are the best two men's side on the planet. Indeed, after four meetings in February and March, a re-run at the Kia Oval in June with a world title on the line is pretty likely.
Though there is a less than two per cent chance they aren't among the top two at the end of the cycle, Australia aren't heading to India with a free hit. They haven't won a series there since 2004/05 when the Adam Gilchrist-Ricky Ponting axis led the way.
Mohammed Siraj leads India's seam battery (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
And having lost the last two series at home - the 2017/18 triumph was India's first ever - Pat Cummins' side will be eager to readdress the imbalance of recent results.
Such were the one-sided nature of recent series, this feels like a defining moment for Rohit Sharma, who has been rarely seen since succeeding Virat Kohli, and Cummins, who has only lost one Test (in Sri Lanka, perhaps notably) since stepping into Tim Paine's shoes.
That said, it is hard to avoid the feeling, in the back of your head, that anything other than a comfortable India win would be a spectacular upset. They haven't lost a home series since England returned home with a 2-1 win in 2012.
Hopefully, the next few weeks deliver a script that no matter how predictable the eventual outcome is, can be captivating, and enticing, helping us forget the overarching issues the game is (somewhat) trying to tackle. Just don't be disappointed if it doesn't.
India are without several of their premier performers in Rishabh Pant, whose recovery from a car accident continues, and Jasprit Bumrah who has endured an injury-ravaged period.
At the time of writing, it is hoped that Bumrah will be fit in time for the third and fourth Tests in Dharamsala and Ahmedabad but expect the BCCI to urge on the side of caution given previously aborted comebacks.
Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav - India's middle-order contenders (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj will lead the seam attack for the majority of the series and despite suggestions they could go with a four-pronged spin battery in Nagpur, Ravichandran Ashwin will be supported by one of Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav.
Behind the stumps, KS Bharat is expected to be given the nod ahead of Ishan Kishan. A remodelled middle-order beckons with Shubman Gill set to come in for Shreyas Iyer.
Australia are anything but settled, either. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green are out of the first Test (the former may not return until the third).
Scott Boland is braced for his overseas Test debut alongside Pat Cummins. The three-way battle to support Nathan Lyon could be won by the uncapped Todd Murphy, with Ashton Agar and Mitch Swepson also in contention.
India (first Two Tests): Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
Gilchrist and Ponting oversaw Australia's last Test series win in India (SEBASTIAN D'SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)
India are overwhelming favourites to win the Test series at 11/18. Australia are a major underdog at 7/2. The draw comes in at 4/1.
BT Sport have exclusive rights to the series in the UK (jumping around between BT Sport 1 and 2). Coverage commences at 3.30am GMT, half an hour before play starts each morning.
Fans in India can watch the Tests on Star Sports.
Action will be shown across Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1HD and the full range of multi-language channels, including Star Sports 1 Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Footage can also be streamed via the Disney+ Hotstar app.
Fox Sport will broadcast the matches in Australia. Kayo Sports is the place to go to stream the action online.
Sky Sport 3 have coverage for followers based in New Zealand while US fans must access Willow or ESPN+.
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