Aussie Legend John Buchanan Criticizes India’s Aging Cricket Squad

John Buchanan, the mastermind behind Australia’s dominant cricket team in the early 2000s, has stirred the pot by highlighting the age of key Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Buchanan, who led Australia alongside Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, is known for his sharp insights on cricket’s fiercest rivalries.

India and Australia have long shared a heated rivalry, with India breaking Australia’s 16-year unbeaten streak in 2001 and making waves with a series draw in Australia in 2003-04. Despite losing the 2003 World Cup final to Australia, India has recently gained the upper hand in Test cricket, winning four consecutive series and becoming the first team to win back-to-back series in Australia.

As India prepares for its first five-match Test series in Australia since the 1991-92 season, starting in Perth on November 22, Buchanan has pointed out that both teams are dealing with an aging roster.

Buchanan noted, “India’s squad features several aging players, notably Rohit Sharma at 37, Virat Kohli at 35, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who is also 37. In contrast, Australia’s team has only a couple of players under 30.”

He added that despite the age factor, the series will be fiercely contested. Buchanan emphasized the battle between both teams’ potent pace attacks and the challenge their top-order batsmen will face against the varying conditions in day-night matches, particularly in Adelaide.

Reflecting on changes since India’s last series win in Australia, Buchanan praised Australia’s revamped pace attack, which now includes Nathan Lyon, Cameron Green, and Mitch Marsh. He also highlighted the importance of India’s top order—Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Yashasvi Jaiswal—setting strong totals to support bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

Buchanan downplayed the impact of India’s previous victories on the upcoming series. “While the past series were significant, the current squad members are focused on performing well in their careers,” he said.

As both teams gear up for this high-stakes series, Buchanan’s comments add a new layer of intrigue to the already intense cricket rivalry between India and Australia.