New Delhi. India’s cricket journey with Australia begins after independence. The first series was played in 1947, in which independent India lost 4 matches. Australia, which wins its first series against India, continues to dominate for the next 53 years. In this journey of Test cricket, a day comes in the year 2001 which changes the entire history. Like everything changes. Since then, India’s dominance over Australia can be clearly seen. Let us know which was that date, which changed the history of India-Australia Test series.
When Dravid-Laxman anchored
14 March 2001. This was the same day when India was playing follow-on against Australia in the Kolkata Test. The first three days of the match were in the name of Australia. On the fourth day, India was struggling to avoid defeat. The day started with 254 runs for 4 wickets. VVS Laxman starts playing with 109 runs and Rahul Dravid starts with 7 runs. Both play all day long. Laxman and Dravid provide anchor to the Australian attack which used to be difficult to survive for an hour. Both of them are not out all day long. Bat the entire 90 overs and take India’s score to 589 runs for 4 wickets. India is now in the driving seat. The amazing thing is that there was that day and then there was this. India has maintained its hold on the driving seat since then.
India had won only 11 out of the first 58 tests.
In the India-Australia Test history, the date from 28 November 1947 to 13 March 2001 is full of Kangaroos’ dominance. During this period, 58 tests were played between the two countries. Of these, Australia won 29 matches and India won 11 matches. There was one tie and 17 draws. Even those who understand simple mathematics can guess that when India won 2 Tests on an average, Australia used to win 5. That means Australia’s winning average was almost two and a half times that of India.
Then won 21 out of 49…
Then on March 15, India beats Australia by 171 runs in the Kolkata Test. This was India’s 12th victory over Australia. After this it seemed as if the whole history changed. After India and Australia, there have been 49 matches so far in Kolkata Test (2021).. Out of these, 21 have been won by India and 16 by Australia. 12 matches were drawn. You can see – the wheel of time has changed. India wins more matches now.
Australia is standing on the backfoot from 2001 till today
Sometimes Indian players used to feel nervous when going to Australia. Now there is panic in Australia that it might lose the third consecutive Test series at home to India. India has defeated Australia at home in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Even though Australia appears to have the upper hand in the overall record. It may have won 45 out of 107 Tests and India has 32 wins in its account. But this is an incomplete side of the coin. The picture becomes clear when you see both sides of it. See how Australia is still standing on the backfoot after the 376-run partnership between Laxman and Dravid.
Tags: Border Gavaskar Trophy, India vs Australia, Number Game, Rahul Dravid, Team india, Vvs laxman
FIRST PUBLISHED: November 21, 2024, 06:23 IST