In just over a week’s time, the rivalry between India and Australia resumes as the latest edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets underway in Nagpur, on 9 February. The rivalry between the two teams dates back to 1947, when India toured Australia for a five-Test series. India lost that series by a 0-4 margin (one drawn Test) and had to wait till the 1979-80 series in India to register a Test series win over the Aussies.
India have won the last three editions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. At home in 2017 and away from home in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
Let’s now take a look at the top five Tests from the India-Australia rivalry:
India vs Australia, 4th Test at The Gabba (2020-21)
Ajinkya Rahane-led India pulled off a massive heist at Brisbane’s Gabba in what is considered one of the epic Test matches in modern cricket. The team, without the likes of Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin, pulled off the impossible to clinch the series, chasing down a target of 328 on the last day of the fourth and final Test in Brisbane. All this was with just three wickets to spare.
India vs Australia, at Eden Gardens (2001)
That Test in Kolkata. That Test where VVS Laxman scored a match-winning 281. Australia’s decision to bat first did wonders for them, as they posted 445 on board after a century from Steve Waugh.
In reply, India were bundled out for just 171 and were enforced to follow-on. It was in that follow-on when VVS Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) combined to take India to 657/7 declared. The Aussies were eventually set a target of 384, but were eventually bundled out for 212.
India vs Australia, at Sydney (2008)
The Test that was overshadowed by the infamous Monkeygate scandal involving Harbhajan Singh and the late Andrew Symonds. Australia had elected to bat first, and on the back of an Andrew Symonds century (162), the Aussies posted 463, a total that India responded strongly, by posting 532.
In the second innings, India were set a target of 333, something they failed to achieve, after being bundled out for 210.
India vs Australia, at Adelaide (2003)
India had pulled off a massive four-wicket win in Adelaide, courtesy Rahul Dravid’s knocks of 233 and 72* in the two innings. This was also a match where Ricky Ponting’s 242 in the first innings propelled the Aussies to 556.
India were set a target of 230, which they chased down on the fifth day.
India vs Australia, at Bengaluru (2017)
India won a Test by 75 runs in a Test in Bengaluru that was dominated by spinners. India opted to bat first, but KL Rahul’s 90 was not enough as Nathan Lyon picked up eight wickets. Ravindra Jadeja followed suit in the Australian innings, picking up six wickets to dismiss the visitors for 276.
India set the Aussies a target of 188, and they found it tough to tackle the Indian spinners, as Ashwin picked six wickets to see off the visitors for 112.
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