India will begin the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a visit to Perth and the Optus Stadium for the first of five Test matches. Perth wasn't part of the iconic 2020-21 tour, but was the solitary match they lost during the 2018-19 victory.
With Rohit Sharma unavailable and Jasprit Bumrah standing in as captain for this match, here are five things to note about the venue as this high-profile encounter gets underway.
1. Australia’s dominance at the Optus Stadium
The new Perth Stadium has seen four Test matches since it became the home of international cricket on the west coast of Australia, replacing the iconic WACA. In fact, India were the team that debuted the stadium as a Test venue, playing there as part of the 2018-19 tour of Australia.
In four matches at this venue, Australia have won comfortably on all four occasions, each time while batting first and by an average of 241 runs. Not only have Australia dominated at the Optus Stadium, they have mauled their opponents.
Most recently, the Aussies registered a massive 360 run victory over Pakistan in December 2023.
2. India looking for only their second win in Perth
{{/usCountry}}Most recently, the Aussies registered a massive 360 run victory over Pakistan in December 2023.
2. India looking for only their second win in Perth
{{/usCountry}}India have a losing record in the city of Perth, with only one win and four losses across its two venues. India’s sole win came in the famous 2008 series, where India survived a late scare by Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark to bowl out Australia and win the match by 72 runs, in the match where Ishant Sharma bowled his famous spell to Ricky Ponting.
India will be hoping that its young seam core will be able to emulate that performance, and start off on a strong foot.
3. Pace and bounce of Perth not the same as it once was, but plenty on offer still
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the WACA was renowned as a venue that offered pace and bounce unlike any other stadium in world cricket.
The head curator of the Optus Stadium confirmed that the same clay and grass as that present at the WACA will be used. Plenty of life in the pitch to keep Indian batters on their toes.
4. Marnus Labuschagne averages over 100 at Optus Stadium
The key for India’s bowling and Australia’s batting alike will be the form of Marnus Labuschagne. In three Test matches at the Optus Stadium, the top order batter averages 103.80 with 521 runs. An excellent and patient leaver of the ball, the key will be for India’s bowlers to remain equally patient and probing.
On the other hand, Nathan Lyon has 27 wickets at Optus Stadium in 8 innings, the most at this venue. With India’s ongoing struggles against spin, he will be a major threat despite the perception of Perth as a pace-friendly venue.
5. 60,000-seater capacity at the modern new stadium, but struggles to fill it out
The Optus Stadium is a state-of-the-art multipurpose ground, which plays host to the two biggest sports in Australia: cricket, and Australian Rules football. It is the second-largest cricket stadium in the country behind the MCG, but has struggled in its brief lifespan as a Test venue and the home ground of the Perth Scorchers.
Optus Stadium has seen capacity crowds for AFL, rugby, and even football, but a cricket game doesn’t break into the top 10 of highest-attended events. The hope will be that the visiting Indians can change that status.