Decoding India's resilience Down Under and their knack for conquering the Australian fortress
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is more than just a series; it is a cricket epic. Since its beginning in 1996, it has grown from a one-Test match to one of the sport's most intense rivalries. In recent years, India has accomplished the unthinkable: winning at home and on Australian soil, where triumphs for visiting teams were formerly as unusual as a solar eclipse.
India's recent performance in the series speaks volumes: the team has won the last four Border-Gavaskar Trophies (2016-17, 2018-19, 2020-21, and 2023). What's more astonishing is that two of these victories happened in Australia, a previously impregnable stronghold. This isn't about luck or pitches; it's about a team that excels under duress.
India's revival in Australia is mainly due to their speed assault. Between 2018 and 2021, Indian pacers grabbed over 100 wickets across two series in Australia, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the way. In the 2018-19 series, he took 21 wickets at an average of 17 and helped India win its first series in Australia.
In the 2020-21 series, Mohammad Siraj stepped up without experienced pacers, taking 13 wickets and finishing as India's highest wicket-taker. Thanks to the combined power of Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, and others, Indian bowlers can take advantage of Australian conditions just as well as the hosts.
The numbers don't lie—since 2018, Indian fast bowlers have taken almost 65% of the team's wickets in Australia, demonstrating their importance to India's success.
Winning in Australia is more than simply skill; it's also about raw desire. During the 2020-21 series, India fully displayed their resilience. Most teams would have crumbled following a humbling loss in Adelaide, where they were bowled out for a record low of 36. Not India.
Without essential players such as Virat Kohli, the squad rallied with injuries piling up. They levelled the series in Melbourne, kept their nerve to draw in Sydney, and then secured an incredible 2-1 triumph in Brisbane. The Gabba victory was incredibly historic, as India chased down 328 runs in the fourth innings, breaking Australia's 32-year undefeated record at the stadium.
India's domination in Australia is not just down to their bowling; it also stems from its well-rounded team. Batting veterans like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have held tall, absorbing pressure and wearing down opponents. Pujara scored 521 runs in the 2018-19 series, including three hundreds, while Rahane's 112 in Melbourne in 2020 was the series' turning point.
The spin section has also made substantial contributions. Despite playing in pace-friendly circumstances, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin had taken crucial wickets and controlled the Australian batters. Ashwin's repeated dismissals of Steve Smith in both series stand out as pivotal moments.
This series is important not just for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also for the World Test Championship. India now leads the WTC points table with six victories in nine matches and will want to secure a position in the final in June 2025.
Australia, too, will be looking for a high finish following its WTC victory in 2023. With both teams among the world's finest, the forthcoming series promises to be a high-stakes matchup.
