At midnight on December 31, 1999, there were massive celebrations at Sydney Harbour to welcome the new millennium. Around 1 million crowded the shores of the harbour and an estimated 20 tonnes of fireworks were lit up. It was certainly a party out there in Sydney. Just a couple of days later, India locked horns with Australia at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). India, who had already lost the series, looked listless as they were thumped by an innings and 141 runs. The only saving grace was VVS Laxman’s brilliant 167. Just watching the Indians go through the motions, it didn’t seem as if they were enjoying the arrival of a new millennium.
Fast forward to the World Test Championship final in 2023, at The Oval. In stark contrast to some of India’s performances away from home in the previous century, India go into the all-important Test with a bit of a mental edge. After all, they haven’t lost a single Test series to their arch-rivals since slipping to a 0-2 defeat in Australia in 2014. Although it has to be pointed out that India are playing the summit clash at a neutral venue and not in Australia, where they tasted success in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
Since that debilitating loss at the SCG in January 2000, India having triumphed on 21 occasions, with Australia coming out on top in 16. The remaining games have been drawn. In the first 60 Tests played between the two countries, India won just nine, with Australia emerging winners in 28.
Let’s delve a bit deeper and do more number-crunching about how India slowly turned the tables on Australia. Until the Kanpur Test in 1959-60, India had lost seven of their first nine Tests, with the others ending in draws. But on a new turf wicket, which was liberally moistened with river water, Jasu Patel, the off-spinner, ran through Australia’s batting unit and finished with an astonishing 14 wickets in the Test. Ultimately, India defeated Australia by 119 runs. Patel was decorated with a Padma Shri, and a stamp was also later released to commemorate his achievement.
It took nearly 18 more years for India to post their first Test win in Australia. At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in 1977, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar bagged 12 wickets for the Test as the visitors sealed a 222-run win. In that series, India also beat Australia at the SCG, but ended up slipping to a 2-3 series defeat to an Australian side whose stalwarts were all playing in Kerry Packer’s ‘rebel’ World Series.
In 1980-81, at the MCG, on the back of Kapil Dev’s splendid spell of 5 for 28 in the second innings, and Gundappa VIswanath’s ton in the first, India managed to pip a full-strength Australian side by 59 runs. Kapil’s spell was even more heroic as he bowled with a hamstring problem.
Despite all the sporadic success, India had won just three Tests in Australia in the 20th century, starting with their first tour down under in 1947-48. The silver lining was, over a period of time, India had become a fortress that was difficult to breach for visiting Australian sides. Since a Bill Lawry-led team romped home to a 3-1 series win in 1969-70, India had collected two series wins at home, with one rubber in 1986 ending in a stalemate. India had also clinched the one-off Test in Delhi in 1996.
Australia’s only Test win in India in that period came at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore in 1998. By then, India had already sealed the series by winning the first two Tests. A small mention too for the famous tied Test at Madras in 1986, where Dean Jones scored an unforgettable 210. Jones, who suffered dehydration during the course of the innings, reportedly vomited 15 times during the time he spent at the crease.
Since that disastrous Test series in 1999-00, India have clearly upped their game away from home. Under the able leadership of Saurav Ganguly, India drew the Test series 1-1 in 2003-04. That was followed by a contest which had plenty of controversy and bitter moments in 2007-08. India put up a gritty show, becoming the first Asian side to win a Test at the WACA in Perth. Eventually, Australia won that series 2-1.
Unfortunately, the 2011 Test series turned out to be a humiliating campaign for India, as they hurtled to a 0-4 series loss which signalled the end of a golden batting generation.
The 2014-15 series also didn’t go India’s way, with Australia winning 2-0. Even though India seemed to have a window of opportunity to post a famous win at Gabba, Mitchell Johnson’s fiery spell on day four broke the visiting side’s back. When India embarked on their next trip to Australia in 2018-19, they were yet to win a Test series Down Under. But a long tunnel of darkness was about to give away to a land of light.
India created history by becoming the first side from Asia to win a Test series in Australia, 2-1. Cheteshwar Pujara (521 runs) and Jasprit Bumrah (21 wickets) were the stalwarts of the Indian campaign. Pujara’s twin tons in Adelaide and Bumrah’s slower one to Shaun Marsh would perhaps be remembered for generations to come. Virat Kohli’s ton, albeit in a losing cause in Perth, was as impressive.
And that was followed by arguably India’s greatest performance – home or away – in 2020-21. After suffering an ignominious defeat in Adelaide, where India were snuffed out for a mere 36, they made a remarkable comeback to win the rubber 2-1. Ajinkya Rahane, who was captaining in the absence of Kohli, led the side from front and cracked a splendid ton at the MCG. A slew of Indian players were laid low by injuries throughout that series.
Despite all the injuries and Covid-19 situation, India salvaged a draw in Sydney and then clinched a believe-it-or-not win at the Gabba, ending Australia’s unbeaten 32-year record at that ground. Rishabh Pant turned out to be the man of the moment, stroking one of the all-time great knocks – a 138-ball 89 – to pilot India to a three-wicket win.
Not surprisingly, at home, India have had the upper hand over Australia in the last two decades. Adam Gilchrist (and Ricky Ponting) led Australia to a memorable 2-1 series win in 2004. But since then, Australia haven’t been able to win a Test rubber in India. The 2017 series was keenly fought, with India winning 2-1.
The iconic 2001 Test series certainly has to be mentioned. After losing the first Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India made an awe-inspiring comeback to emerging victorious 2-1. Harbhajan Singh’s 32 wickets and the 376-run stand between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid at the Eden Gardens have been written about with indelible ink in the annals of Indian cricket.
To summarise the India-Australia rivalry, there have been some nail-biting Test matches, mixed with controversies. In the last two decades, though, India have held the edge. Hopefully, the WTC final between the two sides at The Oval would turn out to be a cracker of a contest.