The Indian team led by Virat Kohli has arrived in Australia for the next series and is currently in quarantine. But the players have already started their training sessions, videos of which the BCCI constantly shares on its social media platforms. India is scheduled to play 3 ODI, 3 T20I, after which the two teams will play the all-important Border-Gavaskar test series. The series of four tests will begin with the day-night test in Adelaide from December 17th.
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Here’s a look at some of India’s biggest test victories in Australia.
1977: Gavaskar, Chandra shine at MCG
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Sunil Gavaskar were the stars of India’s great victory over Australia in the third round in Melbourne in 1977. While Chandrasekhar went 6/62 to defeat Australia by 213 in the first inning, in response to India’s 256 , Gavaskar, who was sacked by a duck in the first inning, scored 118 runs to help India set Australia a goal of 387. Chandrasekhar chose another six-wicket course, which included Australia for 164.
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1978: India levels the series in Sydney
Chandrasekhar, in the fourth round, teamed up with captain Bishan Bedi as the two combined to collect 7 wickets and take out Australia 131 in Sydney in the first innings. In response, India saw a 97-race opening partnership between Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan, the best opening partnership of the series. Later, Gundappa Viswanath (79) and Karsan Ghavri (64) helped India take a whopping 265 run lead. Erapalli Prasanna starred in the second inning with the ball, choosing four wickets and Australia was pitched for 263, losing by one inning and two runs. India, who was trailing 0-2 in the series, tied the series with back-to-back wins at MCG and SCG. But the hosts had the last laugh, winning the final test in Adelaide by 47 runs to secure a 3-2 series victory.
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1981: the collapse of Gavaskar
The Melbourne test between India and Australia in 1981 saw a collapse of Gavaskar. India was not satisfied with the decisions of referee Rex Whitehead throughout the series. In the second inning of the MCG Test, Gavaskar was hitting 70 when Dennis Lillee hit him on the pads. The referee raised his finger, but Gavaskar was convinced that he had stolen the ball. Gavaskar held his ground, leading to a confrontation with Lillee, and Gavaskar ordered his hitting partner Chauhan to leave the field with him. India team coach Shahid Durrani met the pair on the edge of the boundary to bring Chauhan back to center and the match resumed again. India put Australia on a 143 goal, but Kapil Dev wove his magic on the ball, collecting 5/28 in 16.4 overs, while Australia was eliminated by 83, losing the match by 60 runs.
2003: Dravid-Laxman steals the show after Ponting’s epic ton
In the 2003 Adelaide Test, Ricky Ponting broke 242 runs to lead Australia to 556 in the first innings. But in response, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman scored 233 and 148 respectively to lead India’s strong response of 523. Fast pitcher Ajit Agarkar stepped up with a lethal spell as he posted numbers of 6-41 to defeat the hosts. at 196. Dravid, once again, scored a 72 patient to help India chase the 230-run goal with four wickets to spare.
2008: India ends Australia’s 16-game streak
The 2008 ‘Monkeygate’ scandal had increased tensions between India and Australia. India had lost the first two tests, and the controversy arose after the Sydney test, where Harbhajan Singh was accused of racially abusing Andrew Symonds. At the third test in Perth, India rallied back in the series and ended Australia’s 16-game winning streak. With Rahul Dravid scoring 93, India recorded 330 in the first innings. RP Singh collected four wickets and Australia was eliminated by 212, their lowest score in the first inning in 24 home events. India set a 413-run goal for the hosts to chase, and India’s closers wove their magic again to defeat Australia by 340, thus winning the match by 72 runs.
2018-19: Virat Kohli’s India creates history
The Melbourne Test victory in 2018-19 will be considered one of the biggest victories in Virat Kohli’s career as captain of India. The 4-match test series was tied at 1-1 when India traveled to MCG. On the back of Cheteshwar Pujara and 84 ton from Kohli, India posted 443/7 in early innings. Jasprit Bumrah surprised the Aussie batting lineup, picking up 6 wickets to pitch to the hosts for 151. India decided not to enforce the follow-up and set a goal of 399 for the hosts to chase after. The India Pacemakers rocked the Aussie batting lineup once again, pitching them out for 261 and winning the game by 137 runs. The result meant that India had taken a 2-1 lead in the series, needing only a draw in Test 4 in Sydney to record its first Test Series victory in Australia. Things worked out well for India when the Sydney Test ended in a draw, with which Kohli entered the history books, leading India to its first victory in a Test series in Australia in 71 years.
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