New Delhi (India),: For the first time, India will play a five-match Test series in Australia, with each of the country’s major stadiums hosting a match. On one side are ICC World Test Championship 2023 title holders Australia and on the other are India, hurting after a rare home series defeat after 12 years, also a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect at each venue based on the last six seasons, which have seen two big series wins by India and another home Test defeat for Australia against the West Indies in a thriller in Brisbane this year.

-Optus Stadium, Perth

Cricket Australia has made a change to its summer Test tradition, choosing to start it in Perth instead of The Gabba in Brisbane. Optus Stadium is a relatively new stadium at the very iconic WACA ground and hosted its first Test during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy which Australia won despite a fine century from Virat Kohli.

Since 2018-19, Australia have won all four of their Test matches on the ground, with the last three wins coming against New Zealand, West Indies and Pakistan, according to ESPNCricinfo. In total, seven hundred protests have taken place since those years, five of which were in Australia alone. Most of Australia’s wins here follow a common pattern: a big innings total, a big lead later, swelling that lead instead of forcing a follow-up, then setting a mountain-like target .

While speed bowling enjoys more of an advantage here, averaging 29.71 to spinners’ 33.18, ace spinner Nathan Lyon has an incredible track record at Optus Stadium, where he also gets some bounce. The overall bowling average since 2018-19 stands at 30.64. Could it become Australia’s new fortress? Only time will tell.

Top runs scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne Top wicket-taker since 2018-19: Nathan Lyon Average first innings match total since 2018-19: 456

-Adelaide Oval

This will be the battleground for the second Test, a night-and-day affair. It is also the venue where India faced their lowest ever Test total: 36 runs in the first Test of the BGT 2020-21. It was an innings in which just about everything found the edge of the Indian players’ bat. Australia have never lost a pink ball match at this venue, with their day-night Test defeat to the West Indies in Brisbane this year.

India won in Adelaide during the 2018-19 tour, which was a one-day match. Last year’s Test against the West Indies at the venue was won by Australia before lunch on the third day.

According to ESPNCricinfo, Australia have recently proven themselves to hit big in their first innings during the day-night Tests. This gives the Australians a chance to dominate with the new ball under the lights on the second night.

Since 2018-19, the third night session has had the least powerful batting average: 26.84 compared to 28.04 for the first session and 30.15 for the middle session. When testing the pink ball, timing can become a key factor as players look to exploit the new ball under the lights.

Since the 2018-19 season, Australia have won five Tests and lost one Test here, with the Australians scoring six centuries out of eight at this venue. The Pacers continue to enjoy the advantage with a bowling average of 26.70 compared to over 35 for that of the spinners. The overall bowling average is 28.88.

Top runs scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne Top wicket-taker since 2018-19: Mitchell Starc Average first innings total since 2018-19: 375

-The Gabba, Brisbane

Before 2021, Australia’s Gabba team was a feared unit and undefeated for around 32 years. But in the last three years, this ancient fortress has been breached twice, once by India and by West Indies, leading to Rishabh Pant and pacer Shamar Joseph becoming next-level cricket stars .

The future of the stadium is uncertain, with an additional summer of Test cricket guaranteed here due to redevelopment plans ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

After a day-night Test against the Windies this year, Gabba will host a day match. The final day’s match at the venue, against South Africa, took place on a grassy surface, offering uneven bounce and was over in just two days. Dealing with the leaders has become a huge problem here. The overall bowling average since 2018-19 has decreased by 10 runs per wicket.

Since the 2018-19 season, Australia have won four Tests and lost two here. Their batters scored four centuries out of a total of six. The overall bowling average is around 26, with pacers enjoying an advantage with figures of 23.88 over spinners.

Top runs scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne Top wicket-taker since 2018-19: Pat Cummins Average first innings total since 2018-19: 227

-Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Over the years, MCG has undergone a huge transformation and leans heavily in favor of pacers. Over the past six seasons, the bowling average at the venue has dropped by 15 points. Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, it was a whopping 41.19.

India have won their last two Tests on the ground, first by 137 runs in 2018-19 on a slow surface with Jasprit Bumrah producing a masterclass spell and by eight wickets in 2020-21 after the nightmare outing in Adelaide.

Since 2018-19, this is where the toss seems to matter the least, with the team batting first having a win-loss record of 3-3 each. Against England in 2021-22 and South Africa the following year, Australia bowled first and won by an innings.

Since the 2018-19 season, Australia have won four Tests and lost two Tests here. Out of six hundreds, Australia scored three. The overall bowling average is 26.57, with the pacers again enjoying the advantage with an average of 24.50 and the spinners having an average of 35.24.

Top run-scorer since 2018-19: David Warner Top wicket-taker since 2018-19: Pat Cummins Average first innings total since 2018-19: 299

-Sydney Morning Ground, Sydney

The Sydney Cricket Ground is a venue that is trying to regain its former glory where the spinners come to the forefront every time. The pace bowlers’ average on the field since 2018-19 is by far the highest of the five venues for this season at 35.73 and the spinners enjoy an average of 44.73. The overall bowling average on the site is 38.90.

In total since the 2018-19 season, Australia have won two and drawn four matches here. Out of 10 centuries there, Australian batters scored seven.

Top runs scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne Top wicket-taker since 2018-19: Nathan Lyon Average first innings total since 2018-19: 436

With a 3-0 series against New Zealand at home, India need to win the series by 4-0 to book their ticket to appear in London for the WTC final for the third straight time in a row.

Following the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, in a day-night format, will take place under the lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6-10. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test. from December 14 to 18.

The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled for December 26-30 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, will mark the penultimate leg of the series.

The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3-7, promising a thrilling climax to a highly anticipated series.

Indian squad for Border-Gavaskar series: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul , Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Australia squad for first Test: Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modification to the text.