On this day in 1978, India won its first-ever Test match on Australian soil in Melbourne. Since then, The Men in Blue has achieved considerable success Down Under. Here is a look at some of India’s best wins on Australian soil.
2nd Test, 2003 India tour of Australia
In December 2003, India picked up one of its most memorable wins in Australia. Batting first, the Aussies piled up 556 runs thanks to Ricky Ponting’s 242. India responded with 523 runs on the board, with Rahul Dravid (233) responding with a double century of his own. Australia was bundled out for 196 runs in the second innings, with Agarkar shining with 6/41. India successfully chased down the target of 230 runs, with Dravid scoring 72*.
3rd Test, India tour of Australia 2007
In this relatively low-scoring affair, Dravid (93) and Wasim Jaffer (71) helped India put on 330 runs in their first innings, followed by the Aussies being bundled out for 212, with RP Singh (4/68) wreaking havoc on hosts. VVS Laxman (79) helped India get a lead of 412 runs. Australia could not chase down the target of 413 runs and were all out for 340 runs. RP Singh and Ishant Sharma tortured the hosts with their lethal pace.
3rd Test, India tour of Australia 2018
This Test win helped India clinch its first series on Aussie soil. Cheteshwar Pujara (106) and Jasprit Bumrah (match figures of 9/86) helped India set a target of 399 runs for the hosts and bundle them out for just 261 runs. India won the match by 137 runs and clinched the series 2-1.
2nd Test, India tour of Australia 2020-21
After being bundled out for 36 runs and losing the first Test by 8 wickets, everyone had counted out India. But they bounced back hard as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ravichandran Ashwin destroyed the Aussies batting while Ajinkya Rahane played a captain’s knock of 112 runs. India chased down the target of 70 runs easily with eight wickets in hand.
4th Test, India tour of Australia 2020-21
With the series level at 1-1 after a valiant draw at SCG, an all-round show by Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar and a brilliant 89* by Rishabh Pant helped India chase the target of 328 with three wickets in hand. They were able to breach the fortress of ‘The Gabba’, becoming the only team to beat Australia at the venue for the first time in 32 years and retain the BGT 2-1.
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