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Ahead of the start of the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, here’s a look at top performers for India in 52 Tests played so far in Australia.
India’s Test record in Australia. (Picture Credit: AFP)
India will face Australia in a five-match Test series, which is set to start on November 22 in Perth. The series opener is scheduled to take place at Optus Stadium, and then the action will move to Adelaide, which will host the day-night Test between the two teams from December 6 to 10. The third Test will be played at The Gabba in Brisbane (December 14-18), and the last two matches are in Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 3-7).
India has won the last two Test series played on Australian soil, and the Rohit Sharma-led side will be eager to complete the hat-trick of series win in 2024, but it is not going to be an easy task this time around as Aussies are a force to reckon with in their home conditions and their players are in a good touch as well. On the other hand, India is dealing with injury-related issues to a few top players.
Ahead of the start of the much-awaited Test series, here’s a look at top performers and record holders for India in 52 Tests played so far in Australia:
- Result summary: 9 wins, 30 defeats, and 13 draws
Out of the 52 Test matches played so far in Australia, India has only managed to win nine games and suffered defeat in as many as 30 Tests, whereas 13 red-ball matches ended in a draw. Of those nine wins, India won four times in the last two tours.
- Highest total: 705 for 7 (declare) in 187.3 overs in Sydney, January 2004
Riding on Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 241-run knock and VVS Laxman’s 178, India declared its first innings at 705 runs for the loss of seven wickets at Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2004.
- Lowest total: 36 all out in 21.2 overs in Adelaide, December 2020
Australia bowled out India for just 36 runs in the second innings of the Test match played at Adelaide Oval in December 2020. 36 is also India’s lowest total in Test cricket’s history.
- Biggest win (innings): India beat Australia by an innings and 2 runs at Sydney Cricket Ground in January 1978.
- Biggest win (runs): India beat Australia by 222 runs in Melbourne during the Test match played from December 30, 1977, to January 4, 1978.
- Biggest win (wickets): India beat Australia by 8 wickets in the 2020 Boxing Day Test played at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
- Smallest win (runs): India beat Australia by 31 runs at Adelaide Oval in December 2018.
- Smallest win (wickets): India beat Australia by 3 wickets to win the Brisbane Test in January 2021.
- Most runs: Sachin Tendulkar (1809)
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for scoring most runs for India in Test matches played on Australian soil. In 20 matches, he amassed a total of 1809 runs.
- Highest score: 241* by Sachin Tendulkar
The record of highest individual score by an Indian batter in a Test match played on Australian soil is held by Tendulkar, who remained unbeaten on 241 runs from 436 balls during the match played at SCG in January 2004.
- Highest average: 62.40 by Rishabh Pant
In seven Tests played so far in Australia, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has scored 624 runs at an average of 62.40.
- Most 100s: 6 each by Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar
Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar both have scored six Test centuries each for India in Australia.
- Most 50s: 7 half-centuries by Sachin Tendulkar
Apart from six centuries, Tendulkar scored seven fifties in 20 Test matches played in Australia.
- Most ducks: 7 zeros by Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma failed to open his account in seven out of 23 Test innings played in Australia.
- Most sixes: 10 maximums by Rohit Sharma
In 14 innings of seven Test matches in Australia, Rohit has smacked 10 sixes for India.
- Most sixes in a match: 5 maximums by Virender Sehwag
During his 195-run knock at MCG in December 2003, Sehwag smashed five sixes for India.
- Most runs in a series: Virat Kohli (692)
During the India tour of Australia in 2014-15, Kohli played in all four Tests and amassed a total of 692 runs in eight innings.
- Most wickets: Kapil Dev (51)
Former India captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev holds the record for taking most wickets by an Indian in Test matches played on Australian soil. In 11 matches, he accounted for the dismissal of 51 Aussie batters.
- Best bowling figures (innings): 8/106 by Kapil Dev
In the first innings of the India-Australia Test match played at Adelaide Oval in December 1985, Kapil picked up 8 wickets for 106 runs in 38 overs.
- Best bowling figures (match): 12/104 by Bhagwath Chandrasekhar
Bhagwath Chandrasekhar holds the record for best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in a Test match played in Australia. During the Melbourne Test played in December 1977-January 1978, he dismissed 12 Australian batters for 104 runs in 34.1 overs (8 balls per over).
- Most five-wicket hauls: 5 fifers by Kapil Dev
In 11 Tests, Kapil Dev has five five-wicket hauls to his name.
- Most 10 wickets in a match: 1 each by Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Bishan Singh Bedi, and Anil Kumble.
- Most wickets in a series: 31 by Bishan Singh Bedi
During the India tour of Australia in 1977-78, Bishan Singh Bedi picked up 31 wickets in 10 innings of five Test matches.
- Most dismissals: 35 by MS Dhoni
In nine Test matches, Dhoni completed 31 catches and 4 stumpings.
- Most catches: 18 by VVS Laxman.
Former India batter Laxman completed 18 catches in 15 Tests played in Australia.
- Highest partnership: 353 runs between Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman
During the first innings of the 2004 Sydney Test, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman added 353 runs for the fourth wicket.
- Most matches: 20 matches by Sachin Tendulkar
Tendulkar holds the record for playing most Test matches by an Indian player in Australia. During his more than two-decade-long Test career, he played 20 red-ball matches down under.
- Most wins as captain: 2 each for Bishan Singh Bedi, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane.
India managed to win a couple of Test matches each under Bishan Singh Bedi, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane’s leadership in Australia.
