It is considered that the match between India’s national cricket team and the Australian men’s cricket team belongs to some of the best rivalries cricket has ever known. From its very first appearance, this rivalry has seen high-intensity contests, brilliance in performance, and sometimes even nail-biting finishes. Two cricketing giants that have been battling each other through all formats make their encounters some of the most memorable in cricket. Whether it is Test matches or ODIs, or even T20s, the scorecards of these encounters reflect the dramatic twists and turns that make this a very celebrated rivalry in the world.
It digs out some of the most iconic encounters between the great fighting India National Cricket Team vs Australian Cricket Team Matches Scorecards, major performances and meaning in the bigger cricketing world.
India National Cricket Team vs Australian Cricket Team : Early Encounters (1947-1980)
The First Test Series (1947-48): India’s First Tour of Australia
The India-Australia cricket rivalry dates back to India’s 1947-48 tour of Australia, where India undertook a five-match Test series. Australia, led by the great Don Bradman, won the entire series 4-0. It was kind of a baptism by fire for the youthful Indian team but marked the foundation of future clashes.
First Test, Brisbane, 1947:
- Australia: 382 & 79/2 (Don Bradman 185, Sid Barnes 112)
- India: 58 & 98 (Vinoo Mankad 8 wickets in the match)
- Decision: Australia won by an innings and 226 runs
It was the beginning of Australia’s stranglehold in the initial years itself with Bradman at the helm and the Indian batting collapsing under pressure.
First Australian Tour of India (1956-57)
In 1956-57, Australia first toured India. The three-Test match series was concluded 2-0 in favor of Australia, but India promised much in their cricketing skills, particularly in handling conditions back home that offered friendliness to spin.
Third Test, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, 1956:
- Australia: 177 & 189 (Neil Harvey 69, Richie Benaud 84)
- India: 136 & 136 (Vinoo Mankad 9 wickets in the match)
- Australia: won by 94 runs
This Test sealed the grip of Australia, with Richu Benaud and Neil Harvey in crucial roles. India could do no better than this against such outstanding performances by the Australians.
Rise of the Rivalry: The Eighties and Nineties
1986 Madras Test: The Tied Test End
Among the finest games of cricket is the 1986 Madras (now Chennai) Test-arguably one of the greatest games of all time and the second Test ever to be tied, as well as the toughest India-Australia rivalry.
India vs Australia, September 18-22, 1986 (Chennai):
- Australia: 574/7 decl. (Dean Jones 210, David Boon 122)
- India: 397 (Kapil Dev 119, Sunil Gavaskar 100)
- Australia: 170/5 decl. (Allan Border 36*, Ray Bright 5/94)
- India: 347 (Ravi Shastri 48, Greg Matthews 10/249)
- Result: Match Tied
Dean Jones’ heroic double century in extreme heat, Kapil Dev’s century, and Greg Matthews’ match-winning 10-wicket haul were the highlights. This match is still remembered as a classic example of the closely fought battles between India and Australia.
1998 Sharjah: Sachin Tendulkar’s Desert Storm
Two innings of the finest order in cricket were manufactured by Sachin Tendulkar during the Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah in April 1998 and are now famously known as the “Desert Storm.” It was Tendulkar who single-handedly took on the fearsome Australian bowling line-up that took India to the final.
India v Australia, April 22, 1998 (Sharjah):
- Australia 284/7 (Michael Bevan 101, Steve Waugh 81)
- India 250/5 (Sachin Tendulkar 143, Nayan Mongia 35)
- Result: Australia won by 26 runs (India qualified for the final on net run rate)
Though Australia came out victorious in this match, India qualified for the final through their net run rate. It is one of the greatest innings ever played in ODI cricket, according to Tendulkar’s innings. Two days after this, Tendulkar again scored a century in the final to send India into the final.
Final, India vs Australia, April 24, 1998 (Sharjah):
- Australia:272/9 (Darren Lehmann 70, Damien Martyn 36)
- India: 275/4 (Sachin Tendulkar 134, Nayan Mongia 63)
- Result: India won by 6 wickets
Sachin Tendulkar’s consecutive back-to-back centuries become a big myth, and he is named as the “Master of Sharjah.”
Border-Gavaskar Trophy: A New Test Rivalry (2000s-Present)
Named after two cricketing legends, Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has grown to be one of the most heavily contested Test series in the world. Leaving all others behind, it was the Indians and Australians who gave some of the toughest matches delivered in recent cricket history.
2001 Kolkata Test: Miracle at Eden Gardens
2001 Eden Gardens Test, Kolkata Often this Test match in Kolkata of 2001 is referred to as the greatest that was ever played. After a follow-on was forced upon it, India came from the jaws of defeat to level the Test series in style.
India vs Australia, March 11-15, 2001 (Kolkata):
- India: vs Australia, March 11-15, 2001 (Kolkata):
- India: 171 (VVS Laxman 59, Glenn McGrath 4/18)
- India: 657/7 decl. (VVS Laxman 281, Rahul Dravid 180)
- Australia: 212 (Matthew Hayden 67, Harbhajan Singh 6/73)
- India: won by 171 runs
VVS Laxman’s marathon 281 and Rahul Dravid’s supporting 180 helped India set Australia a target of 384, which Harbhajan Singh’s brilliant bowling ensured they couldn’t chase. This match was to mark the end of Australia’s 16-Test winning streak and would go down in the annals of Indian cricket as one of their most brilliant cricketing triumphs.
2008 Sydney Test: The Controversy and the Drama
Few may recall the series for the cricket. The series was in controversy during the umpiring decisions and the infamous “Monkey-gate” scandal involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds.
India vs Australia, January 2-6, 2008 (Sydney):
- Australia: 463 (Andrew Symonds 162, Ricky Ponting 55) India 532 (Sachin Tendulkar 154, VVS Laxman 109)
- Australia: 401/7 decl. (Michael Hussey 145, Ricky Ponting 76)
- India: 210 (VVS Laxman 20, Brett Lee 2/43)
- Result: Australia defeated by 122 runs
India, despite brilliant innings from Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman couldn’t prevent the controversy over questionable umpiring decisions, which made this Test match infamous. Bizarre decisions from Steve Bucknor and the air of tension between the teams at their best, this remained their last known Test series.
ODI Encounters: World Cup Clashes and Beyond
2011 World Cup Quarterfinal: India’s March to Glory
More tension in the match between India and Australia, as the latter had faced the three-time winners. The Indians would have to go a long way in this ICC World Cup to get hold of the coveted trophy.
india vs Australia, 24 Mar 2011 (Ahmedabad):
- Australia: 260/6 (Ricky Ponting 104, Brad Haddin 53)
- India: 261/5 (Yuvraj Singh 57, Sachin Tendulkar 53)
- India: won by 5 wickets
Australia’s skipper Ricky Ponting scored a gallant hundred, but the chase initiated by Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar finished off India with five wickets to spare. India finally won the World Cup trophy as they defeated Sri Lanka in the final.
2019 ODI Series: India win in Australia
In the 2019 ODI series, India became the first team from Asia to win an ODI bilateral series in Australia.
Third ODI, January 18, 2019 (Melbourne):
- Australia: 230 (Peter Handscomb 58, Yuzvendra Chahal 6/42)
- India: 234/3 (MS Dhoni 87, Kedar Jadhav 61)
- Result: India won by 7 wickets
India’s bowling, led by Yuzvendra Chahal’s magnificent 6-wicket haul, put the pressure on Australia to 230. MS Dhoni’s steady and calculated 87 in the pursuit then sealed the series for India. This series cemented India’s dominance in one-day cricket and whites.
Conclusion: A Rivalry for the Ages
Thus, the historical cricketing rivalry between India and Australia has turned out to be one of the most intense and treasured in the history of the game. From historic battles in Test matches to thrilling finishes and electrifying T20 encounters, these two nations have kept happening countless unforgettable moments. This is one more reason why the scorecards tell a story of individual brilliance, team resilience, and dramatic contests that have captivated cricket fans all over the world.
With masterful batting from Sachin Tendulkar, aggressive leadership from Ricky Ponting, and new stars breaking through in the likes of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, India Australia rivalry remains a blue ribbon event when it comes to the best that cricket can present. And with every match, the history between these two great cricketing nations is becoming richer, setting up the platform for more iconic encounters in the years to come.
Also read:- India National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline
