Labuschagne lauds Siraj’s ‘passion and love’ ahead of BGT face-off

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne has lauded India pacer Mohammed Siraj’s absolute “passion and love” for the game ahead of the face-off in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. India are scheduled to tour Australia in November to play a five-Test series for the first time since 1991-92. India and Australia will play Test matches in Perth, Adelaide (pink-ball match), Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney from November 22 to January 7, 2025. India have won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia the last two times it was played in 2018/19 and 2020/21 respectively. Labuchagne, who will be a vital cog in Australia’s batting line-up, reminisced his first meeting with Siraj during his academy days. The Australian expressed his satisfaction with the upward curve of his and Siraj’s career while recalling battles with the pacer. “I enjoy battles with Mohammed Siraj for many reasons. We actually were at the academy in 2015-16 and he was working with the MRF Academy and we played against each other. So that’s when I first met him and to see his career go in that direction. He’s got great passion, great energy and great love for the game. It’s been nice to see our careers moving together from such different experiences,” Labuschagne said in an exclusive interview with Star Sports. Sira, who made his Test debut against Australia on a historic 2020-21 tour, has so far played 24 Tests and scalped 74 wickets in the red-ball format. The right-arm pacer will be spearheading India’s pace-attack along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami (subject to fitness) in the much-awaited contest Down Under. Siraj will be in action against Bangladesh in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on Thursday at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. –