Before 2001 Australia had a 28-11 lead, but since then India won 17 and lost only 15 Tests against Australia
The Australia-India test matches have been among the most intense clashes in recent years, and on Boxing Day, the rivalry will reach a significant milestone: it will be the 100th test between the two teams and the 50th in Australia. .
This will be the seventh rivalry to reach the century mark; Obviously Australia and England have played each other more often; in fact, they have played more than twice as many games as any other pair of teams. Australia has also played more than 100 tests against the West Indies, while for India it is their second entry at this club: they have also played more than 100 tests against England.
Australia has a significant overall advantage, 43 wins against 28 losses. Among the three teams they have played over 100 events against, their win-loss ratio against India (1.54) is in the middle: better than their 1.33 ratio against England, but not as good as his record of 1.81. against the West Indies. Among these seven rivalries with more than 100 tests, the most lopsided is between England and New Zealand: England won 48 of 105 and lost only 11.
Unsurprisingly, both Australia and India have been dominant at home, but Australia has been exceptionally strong at home against India, winning 30 tests and losing just seven. India won 21 and lost 13 at home.
The Australia-India test trip began 73 years ago, on November 28, 1947, when Brisbane hosted the first game in a series of five tests. Australia defeated the visitors by one inning and 226 – India’s match tally of 156 in two innings was 29 fewer than Don Bradman’s 185 – but India improved as the series progressed, though they lost 4-0. Vijay Hazare and Vinoo Mankad scored a couple hundred each, while Dattu Phadkar scored one and averaged 52.33. India’s first victory came in 1959 at Kanpur, in the 10th round between the two teams. That was thanks in large part to Jasu Patel’s incredible 14-for-124.
Australia was completely dominant in the first 20 events, winning 13 and losing just two. Australia has since only extended that lead from 11 to 15. In fact, since 2001, India has held the lead, with a 17-15 record. Both have been equally dominant at home for the past 20 years: Australia is 11-4 in 21 events in Australia, while India won 13 and lost four in 21.
S Rajesh is statistics editor for ESPNcricinfo. @rajeshstats
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