The Glorious History of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy of India vs Australia Test series

The Background: India vs Australia Test series

Since 1996, India’s rivalry with Australia has produced some of the finest cricket matches in Border-Gavaskar Trophy history. The history of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy history, a series of matches between India and Australia, is one of the richest in cricket history.

The Indian cricket team faced Australia in 50 Test matches between 1947 and 1996. The legendary competition was subsequently renamed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 1996 to celebrate the record-breaking performances of Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and former Australia captain Allan Border. Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border were the first cricketers to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket and have long been top scorers in the longer game format.

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is currently the top scorer in Test cricket. Incidentally, he is also the top scorer in the Border Gavaskar Trophy race. Before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the sides had met in 12 editions in the history of the India v Australia Test series, with Australia winning seven times and India just once. Four are a draw.

Since the competition’s name change, the two clubs have competed in 14 editions of the competition up to 2019.

 The Border – Gavaskar Trophy History beginning

India’s first singles Test matches against Australia have always been intense, as demonstrated once again when the team first met under the Border-Gavaskar banner in 1996. The Australia cricket team traveled to India in October for a one-off test at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. India beat Australia by seven wickets and Nayan Mongia was named man of the match for his first ton in the first innings. It was the only Test played in the history of India vs Australia Test series.

Later on, India defended the 2-1 Border-Gavaskar trophy under Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin as Australia revisited the team for three consecutive games in the 1997/98 season. India dominated, winning their opening two friendlies in Chennai and Kolkata, with Sachin Tendulkar beating Shane Warne in the park, while Australia clinched a consoling victory in Bangalore. Sachin Tendulkar, the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy captain, led India to the third edition of the Border-Gavaskar, a match played in the 1999-2000 season.

It was an uphill battle until India lost 16 and won just three of Australia’s last 25 Test matches in the five years and six lengths of the tour. This time was no different as Australia beat India in all three Test matches at Adelaide, Melbourne, and the Sydney Cricket Ground.

This series saw fast bowler Brett Lee make his Test match debut. Theseries is also notable for the infamous LBW decision against Sachin Tendulkar when bowler Glenn McGrath’s try went deep and landed bent over his shoulder forward.

(Read Also: The interesting stats and records in Border- Gavaskar Trophy)

India lost its third Border Gavaskar trophy for the first time. Historical test match for India Epic India Tour, Australia, 2001The 2001 Test series is considered one of the best in the history of the sport. It was also run in which the Sourav Ganguly-led Indian cricket team ended a record 16 Test match winning streak for an Australian team.

Australia won the opener in Mumbai before India fought valiantly to win the series 2-1. From Harbhajan Singh’s hat-trick to VVS Lax man’s 281-innings run, to a stunning 376-innings partnership involving Rahul Dravid, India’s encouraging win in the second Test game at Eden Gardens has finally helped them complete their Test streak in Chennai.

India retains Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia Commanded by Sourav Ganguly, the Indian cricket team played great cricket to finish the 2003-04 series 1-1 in Australia and retain the Border Gavaskar trophy.

Widely regarded as the finest Indian performance Down Under, the series has seen some majestic one-on-one performances from Indian players. The four-gameTest series was marked by five games by Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble, while two centuries by Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar were the highlights of the batsmen’s performance that leveled the series. India achieved a whopping score of 705/7 in the fourth test, the highest in the series to date.

In India vs Australia Test series, After India’s exploits in Australia, it’s time for kangaroos to retaliate on Indian soil. Interestingly, Australia’s 2-1 win at the 2004 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was their first win in a Test series in India since the 1969/70 tour. Australia had a home advantage in the 2007/08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as the two nations met again in an exciting four-game series.

Although Australia won the series 2-1, most are remembered for India’s unlikely win amid the difficult conditions of Perth and a series of controversial refereeing decisions. These yelling referees caused a huge backlash and Australia was accused of not keeping up the spirit of the game. It was also the scene of the famous Monkey gate scandal in which Harbhajan Singh was accused of making racist remarks toward Andrew Symonds. India stores memories at home.

This 2008 series will forever mark the memories of two Indian cricket legends – Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble. Both wore Indian shirts for the last time in their careers as India beat Australia 2-0 in a four-game series in India. Mohali’s memorable Test is the peak of the India-Australia 2010 series, which took place in India.

In the fourth round of the first test, the hosts chased 216 and conceded eight goals in quick succession. With 92 races remaining for India, VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma formed an incredible 81-race partnership for the ninth goal.

Next, Pragyan Ojha and VVS Laxman led India to a thrilling one-goal victory to complete one of the sport’s greatest comebacks. In the second Test in Bangalore, the hosts beat Australia by seven wickets to win the series 2-0.

Various Whitewashes

Australia defeated India 4-0 to secure the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the 2011/12 Down Under series. Australia captain Michael Clarke was named Player of the Series after amassing 626 runs in four Tests with a 125.20 average. In Game 2 of the series, Clarke broke his career-high 329 without resentment. Led by Mahindra Singh Dhoni, India beat Australia 4-0 to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy held in India in 2013.Interestingly, at the first Test in Chennai, MS Dhoni beat the Indian Test captain’s highest score of 224 runs, beating the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar.

After a third Test draw, MS Dhoni announced a shock withdrawal from Test cricket in December. Virat Kohli has been appointed as the new captain of the Indian Test team. Despite the hosts playing with passion and renewed energy, India lost the four-game series 2-0.

The Australian cricket team toured India in February and March 2017 and played a four-match Test series.

After a 1-0 defeat, hosts India came back strong to win the series 2-1.

2018-19: The Indian team makes history

Commanded by Virat Kohli, the Indian team made history by becoming the first Asian nation to win the Down Under Test series for the first time since 1947-48. While Australia battled stalwart heroes, Steve Smith and David Warner – both 12-month Sandpaper Gate suspensions – India put on a dominant performance throughout the series, winning 2-1. It was a defining moment in the history of India vs Australia Test series.

Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21:

India’s Record-Breaking Epic Series Plagued by a string of injuries and without their talismanic captain Virat Kohli, Team India defeated Australia for the second consecutive Test series in two years to retain the top-flight Border Gavaskar trophy. The Indian cricket team, captained by Ajinkya Rahane, defeated the hosts by three goals in their fourth and final Test in Brisbane, ending their run of four straight games 2-1. Scoringpoints meant the visitors made history by becoming the first team in over 32 years to beat Australia at Gabba stadium.

Interestingly, Australia won the first Test in Adelaide and joined India in the Pink Ball Test for the lowest Test total of 36.

Just have a look at the below Trophy Winners List – to date:

Border-Gavaskar Trophy winners list