India vs Australia Test series is known for some high-octane action, controversies, and some top-notch individual performances. All of it will once again be on display when Rohit Sharma-led India will host Australia for the four-match Border-Gavaskar series, starting from 9 February in Nagpur.
Ahead of the much-awaited series, take a look at the top five knocks played during India vs Australia Tests:
VVS Laxman’s 281-run in Kolkata: Former India batter VVS Laxman’s 281-run knock against Australia at the Eden Garden in Kolkata in March 2001 is one of the best innings in Test history.
Having been bowled out for 171 in its first innings, India were sent back in to bat early on Day 3 with the Aussies holding a 274-run lead. The hosts seemed to be on the brink of losing the Test match as they were four down for 232 in its second innings, needing another 42 runs to avoid an innings defeat. It was then that VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid came to India’s rescue as the duo batted an entire day and stitched together a partnership of 376.
Interestingly, Laxman batted 10-and-a-half hours for 281, while Dravid was run out for 180 after nearly seven-and-a-half. By the time the stumps were drawn on that fourth day, India had a lead of 315, with 589 for 4 on the board.
India eventually declared on 657-7, giving them just over two sessions to bundle Australia out and that’s when former India spinner Harbhajan Singh stepped up and took a brilliant 6-73 as Australia were bundled out for 212, well short of their target of 384 as India registered one of the most iconic wins in the Test history which also helped them clinch the series.
Steve Smith 109 in Pune: Australian mainstay Steve Smith loves batting against India and he has proved that on numerous occasions. However, his 109 in Pune Test in 2017 was not only one of the best innings against India but also one of his career-best.
The knock came in the third innings of one of the rarest events in modern cricket: an Indian home Test defeat. Smith valiantly faced the Indian spinners on a rank-turner pitch, where the hosts were bundled out for 105 and 107 in their two innings meaning that Smith’s 109, which included 11 fours, was more than India made as a team in either innings and it ultimately helped the Aussies win the match by a huge margin of 333 runs.
Rishabh Pant 89* in Brisbane: January 19, 2021, is not only a historic day for India but it’s the day on which the young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant proved his mettle in Test cricket and silenced his critics.
India defeated Australia at their ‘Fortress Gabba’ in the fourth and final Test to seal the series, which turned out to be one of the greatest that India had ever played in overseas conditions, winning 2-1, despite not having the services of its best players.
Australia had never lost a Test at Gabba since 1988 but the Indian team deciphered the method and breached their fortress courtesy of Pant’s heroics.
India responded with 336 runs to Australia’s 369 runs in the first innings, trailing by 33 runs. The hosts added another 294 runs in their second innings, thereby setting a virtually unachievable target of 328 runs for India.
Defending 328-run target on the final day, Australia even struck relatively early, sending back Rohit Sharma for just seven runs but the partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill started tilting the game in India’s favour. However, Gill’s departure for 91 once again put the Aussies back into the game but Pant had different plans.
The southpaw joined batting barnacle Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease at 167-3, i.e. after the early departure of skipper Ajinkya Rahane. While Pujara proved his mental toughness with a resilient knock of 56 from 211 balls, Pant soaked in an incredible amount of pressure after coming in and eventually batted with four batters in the lower order and smashed a sensational 89* off 138 balls to take India to a historic three-wicket victory. During his entertaining three-hour stay at the crease, the youngster took smart singles, smashed nine boundaries, and clobbered a huge six off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.
MS Dhoni 224 in Chennai: Former India captain MS Dhoni reduced Australia to nothingness on February 24, 2013, when he smashed 224 at Chennai in an innings that lasted more than six hours and consisted of 24 fours and six sixes. Dhoni’s maiden double ton lifted India’s score from 196/4 to 546/9 in that Test and the hosts eventually won the match by eight wickets and went on to whitewash the visitors.
Interestingly, Dhoni’s 224 is still the highest individual score by an Indian wicketkeeper in Tests.
Michael Clarke 329* in Sydney: Clarke’s massive score of 329* against India at the SCG in January 2012, still remains one of the highest-ever knocks in Test history. In the 2nd Test of the series, India were bowled out for 191 runs in the first innings. In reply, Australia were reduced to 37/3 and that’s when Clarke came to the crease and changed the scenario of the match completely.
The then-Australian skipper accumulated 329 not out from 468 deliveries. He batted for just over 10 hours and hit 39 fours, and a six during his sensational knock. It remains his highest Test score and also the highest by any batter in India vs Australia Test matches. The career-defining knock eventually helped the hosts win the game by an innings and 68 runs after they declared their first innings for 659/4.
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