All About The Border-Gavaskar Trophy

In the world of cricket, there exist some long-standing rivalries between different nations. England and Australia have a rivalry that dates back to the very first test match ever played. Then there is the intense, high-voltage rivalry between India and Pakistan, which always manages to engage the cricketing world and keeps the fans on the edges of their seats. But over time, a modern rivalry has developed between two proud cricketing nations, Australia and India. The two countries have contested epic battles on the cricket field across all 3 formats over the last 3 decades. The test matches played between the two teams are contested for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

 

What is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is named after two of the greatest players to have played the game: Australia’s Allan Border and the legendary Sunil Gavaskar of India. The naming of the trophy fits as well; both players were the first two players to score over 10,000 test runs respectively; both led their countries at some point in their careers, and both were the World Record holders for the most career runs scored in Test Cricket.

Test Series Between India and Australia

The first edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was played in the 1996-97 season. India vs. Australia test matches were played before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 50 times over 49 years. After independence in 1947, India went to Australia on their 1st overseas tour. But with the rebranding of the test series between the two teams, India vs. Australia games have reached a new level of rivalry.

The series is played with varying lengths of time (usually 18 months apart). If a test series gets drawn, the team previously holding the trophy retains it. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been contested 15 times. India has won 9 times to Australia’s 5. The only drawn series between the two teams was played on Australian soil in the 2003-04 season, where India managed to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after winning it in the previous edition back home.

Some famous Indian and Australian Wins

The matches between both sides have given cricket fans thrill and excitement on numerous occasions. Matches with Australia have given some of the most memorable moments in Indian Cricket. The famous win at Kolkata in 2001, where Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman turned the tables on the Aussies, will spring instantly into mind for any fan of Indian Cricket.

Other famous wins at home, like the one in Mohali (2010), where India won by 1 wicket, are fondly remembered. The success of Indian Cricket on Australian shores is also cherished by the players and fans alike. The famous wins at Adelaide 2003, Perth in 2008, and most recently at Brisbane in 2021 will be in the minds of Indian Cricket enthusiasts for years to come. Series wins in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons are the shining examples of the progress made in Indian Cricket.

India vs Australia contests have always been of high intensity. Echoing the words of the former Australian great Steve Waugh from an Australian perspective, India has always remained the “final frontier” or the ultimate challenge for any visiting side. Before the Australian team’s win in the 2004-05 season, they had not won on Indian soil since 1969-70. The reasoning is further backed up by the fact that India has only lost 2 test series at home since the turn of the century: one being the aforementioned 2004-05 series vs. Australia and the 2012-13 series vs. England.

It is also worth mentioning that India was the team who ended Australia’s record runs of 16 consecutive Test wins, TWICE! On both occasions, India was victorious against the odds: Kolkata 2001 was the match where India managed to win even after being forced to follow-on. The victory at Perth in 2008 was an important milestone in Indian Cricket as India managed to defeat Australia at a venue where visiting teams had often capitulated.

Australia’s victory at Pune in 2017 also came as a stunning result as India had not lost a home Test in 5 seasons. These results have often been described as some of the best tests to be played, reflecting on the competitive nature of cricket matches played between the two countries. The player rivalries like Tendulkar vs. McGrath and Ponting v Harbhajan have also managed to grip the audience in their own right.

India script history at Gabba, retain Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2021 with 2-1 series win

Conclusion

A genuine modern rivalry has developed in World cricket alongside the existing long-standing rivalries like the England v Australia rivalry and the India-Pakistan rivalry. India vs Australia rivalry across all formats of the game is a spectacle. The rivalry between the two countries in Test Match Cricket for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is slowly but surely emerging as a new contest to look forward to for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.

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