Best Border-Gavaskar Trophy Matches: India and Australia met for the first time in Test cricket in 1947 and have clashed 107 times so far. Out of these, Australia won 45 Tests, India won 32 Tests, and 29 Tests were drawn, while one Test match ended in a tie.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was initiated in 1996. And so far, 56 Tests have been played between the two nations since then. In this, though, India have a slight upper hand with 24 wins in 20 losses.
Apart from being dominant at home, Team India is also the only Asian side to register a Test series win on Australian soil. And India have done it twice, on their last two tours down under.
The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will be played in Australia. India are the current holders of the BGT, having defeated Australia in the last four series.
The India vs Australia Test matches are always a spicy encounter, and the forthcoming AUS vs IND series won’t be any different. This is also the first time since 1991/92 that an IND vs AUS series comprises five Test matches.
In this article, we will look at the five greatest India vs Australia Test matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy history.
Top 5 Best Border-Gavaskar Trophy Matches in history:
5. Bengaluru, 2017
The Bengaluru Test in the 2017 BGT series in India was one of the most thrilling encounters between these two teams. The game was balanced every session and made for compelling viewing. Australia were leading the series 1-0 after winning the Pune Test, but India didn’t give up and won the Bengaluru Test by 75 runs in a low-scoring affair.
On a ticky pitch, Australia took a crucial 87-run first-innings lead. Then half-centuries from Pujara, KL Rahul, and Rahane helped India set a target of 188 runs. While defending, Ashwin took a six-wicket haul to ride India to a highly competitive victory.
4. Mohali, 2010
The Mohali Test of the 2010 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was another humdinger, a game that could well have gone Australia’s way if not for VVS Laxman’s heroic innings of 73* runs off 79 balls in the chase of 216.
Australia had gained a first-innings lead of 23 runs and then set India a target of 216. The majority of the Indian batting line-up crumbled, but Laxman dragged the side towards the target. When India lost their 9th wicket, they needed 11 more runs. Pragyan Ojha stood with Laxman, and the duo took India over the line.
Also Read: Best Border-Gavaskar Trophy Moments
3. Perth, 2018
The Perth IND vs AUS Test of the 2018 series saw the bowlers run riot of both teams, but Virat Kohli stood tall for India in their first innings. In reply to Australia’s 326, India managed 283, out of which Kohli alone scored 123 off 257 balls. This is one of Kohli’s best Test hundreds; it might rank among his top five! India eventually lost the match by 146 runs, but the quality of play from both sides was exceptional.
2. Kolkata, 2001
It might be a surprise to many, especially to the fans of the yesteryears, that we have put the India vs Australia Kolkata Test of the 2001 BGT series at the second spot. It’s just the fact that it was played in India that made us nudge it to the second.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t take anything away from the fact that this is one of, if not the greatest, comebacks in Test cricket history and one of the most famous Test match victories in history.
Australia had posted 445 in their first innings and then bowled India out for only 171. They enforced the follow-on, but then VVS Laxman played one of the greatest innings ever to score 281 runs. In his support was Rahul Dravid, who scored 180 runs. They helped India to a total of 657, setting a target of 384 runs for Australia.
Harbhajan Singh then spun Australia out for 212 runs as India registered almost an unbelievable victory.
1. Brisbane, 2021
The famous Gabba Test of the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is widely recognized as the greatest win by India in Test cricket as it came against all odds. India had lost several players due to injury by the time they reached Brisbane for the fourth Test. In fact, among Indians, only Rahane and Pujara played all Tests of that series. Further, Australia had not lost at the Gabba for 32 years.
So to even be competitive there, let alone imagine winning, was hyperbolic for India. Somehow India managed to keep themselves alive till the final day of the Test. They had heroes in Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Washington Sundar, T Natajaran—all on their maiden Test tour of Australia.
Chasing 328 then, India produced an epic batting performance. Shubman Gill scored 91. Then Pujara became a statue of patience and defiance, as he always is, to score 56 off 211, taking a dozen body blows. At the other end, Rishabh Pant played the innings of his life. He remained not out on 89 and hit the winning runs as India scripted their most famous win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Also Read: Predicting India vs Australia BGT 2024-25 Scoreline
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