There are many battles fought on the field of cricket but hardly any comes close to the India vs Australia rivalry. Two fierce competitors and two great rivals - India and Australia share a glorious history in Test cricket, coupled with some controversial moments and jaw-dropping performances.
The rich history began in 1947/48 when India, under Lala Amarnath, toured Australia for a five-match series. While it may have taken ages for India to register their first Test win (1959) and even more for a first series win against Australia (1979/80), they now rub shoulder-to-shoulder with the mighty Aussies even at the latter's own den.
Australia's incredible dominance against India in the 20th century
Australia were ridiculously dominant against India in the 20th century. They won a jaw-dropping eight series out of 15 contested and lost only three. The other four ended in a draw. The Aussies won seven Tests before dropping the first game against India in an away tour of 1959/60. The Aussie batters used to slam massive centuries and register comprehensive wins against India.
After the Aussies bagged three straight Test series in 1947/48, 1956/57 and 1959/60, it was in 1964/65 that India managed to draw a series against them for the first time. A famous chapter in Indian cricket history arrived in 1977/78 when an Indian team won a Test match in Australia for the first time. Led by Sunil Gavaskar's 118 in the Melbourne Test, India defeated the Aussies by 222 runs. They had achieved something great then.
But the wait for a series win was even longer. In 1979/80 when Aussies toured India for a six-match series, the Indian team led by Sunil Gavaskar, found enough inspiration to break the Aussie jinx and register a 2-0 win in a six-match series. Iconic batter Gundappa Viswanath stood tall with the bat and made 518 in the series with two centuries.
Having shown glimpses of brilliance in the previous Test series, the Indians managed to draw a three-match series at Australia's home in 1980/81 for the first time. They then again managed to draw a three-match series in 1985/86, this time a 0-0 draw. The Indians had come close to winning a series in Australia when they asked the Aussies to follow on in the third Test in Sydney. But the hosts escaped as they ensured a draw with four wickets in hand.
By the turn of the century, India had shown much more bravery as they won two more series - one each in 1996/97 and 1997/98 but both at home. The India vs Australia Test series got a name on two of their greatest serving cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border in the 1996/97 series, which India hosted.
India's exceptional performances after the turn of the century
India can proudly say that they have turned the tables by the turn of the century. They have defeated the Aussies as many as eight times in 13 series and have lost only four of them.
VVS Laxman-Rahul Dravid's unbelievable fight in the Kolkata 2001 Test, Sachin Tendulkar's Syndey masterclass where he resisted from playing cover drives during his 241, Virat Kohli's twin tons in Adelaide, or the epic series comeback in 2020/21, India's performances have been a story to tell.
Their last two trips to Australia are nothing short of extraordinary. India had come close a few times to winning a Test series in India but the jinx was finally broken when the Virat Kohli-led team created history in 2018/19 to win the series 2-1. Cheteshwar Pujara's batting masterclass and Jasprit Bumrah's magic with the ball, helped the Men in Blue finally crack the Aussie code, doing what eluded the Indian greats. While the Indian team was highly robust in that series, the next one in 2020/21 was completely on the flip side.
A team that was bruised with injury issues, getting shot out for 36 in the first Test, and losing their skipper due to personal reasons after the opening match, came back to register one of the most epic comeback stories in modern-day cricket. The story which one can admire time and again and still feel proud and honoured of what that team did back then.
The Kolkata Test of 2001 is one of the greatest in Test cricket's history. Not only because it was on a cricketing field. But for what it taught the common man - there is always a second chance. A team like Australia was in a butcher mode, having won 15 Tests in a row entering into the 2001 Border-Gavaskar series and then clinched the first game in Mumbai.
They had India on the mat after winning the first Test and then enforcing a follow-on in Kolkata. India were in more trouble as they lost four wickets in the follow-on but then came a partnership between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid that still resonates with the Indian fans.
With still 42 away from bringing Australia to bat again, Laxman and Dravid crafted out a stand of 376 runs for the fifth wicket that helped India reach 657/7d. Batting like champions, Laxman scored 281, while Dravid made 180. The Aussies were set a target of 384 and they were bowled out for 212, giving India a win that is truly unforgettable.
The upcoming India vs Australia Test series might offer us some jaw-dropping performances yet again and we might fall in awe as these two are fierce competitors and have the toughest rivalry.
