The first Indian team led by Lala Amarnath toured Australia in 1947-48, immediately after independence. Seventy years and eleven tours later, India is yet to win a Test series Down Under.
Despite being deprived of a series win, Indian batsmen have proved their mettle time and again against the fast-paced and bouncy pitches of Australia. Indians, who were bred on flat, batting tracks, were hardly the favourites in Australian conditions, which is still the continuing trend.
The story began as early as the first tour itself. Vijay Hazare and Vinoo Mankad began the proceedings. The next tour which was a good twenty years later saw ML Jaisimha and Tiger Pataudi taking on the mantle. By the next tour, which was again 10 years later, the baton was passed onto Sunny Gavaskar and his favourite cricketer Gundappa Viswanath. Gavaskar went on to shine in Australia till his last tour in 1985-86.
In the nineties, it was the new kid on the block, who took everyone by surprise with his batting display – Sachin Tendulkar. At the cusp of the new millennium, India saw a new hero while Australia was introduced to a new nemesis, who went by the name ‘Very Very Special’ Laxman.
Post 2000, Rahul ‘The Wall’ Dravid and later Virat Kohli carried on the legacy for the Indian batters.
Here’s a look at the top ten batting performances for India in Tests in Australia:
Vijay Hazare: 145, Adelaide,1947-48
Hazare’s 145 in the second innings in the fourth Test of India’s first tour of Australia in Adelaide was preceded by 116 in the first innings.
Both the centuries might have come in the losing cause, but it was Hazare’s artistry with the bat that grabbed everyone’s attention. In fact, such was the supremacy of Hazare’s batting display that the innings of 145 overshadowed Bradman's 201, made earlier in the same Test.
According to Hazare, Bradman was very impressed with his batting and they became really close friends since then.
The potency of the Australian bowling line-up, which boasted the like of Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Ian Johnson and Bill Johnston, only enhanced Hazare’s reputation.
Hazare’s innings of 145 lasted 372 balls and 313 minutes, which included 17 boundaries.
ML Jaisimha: 101, Brisbane, 1967-68
Jaisimha was not part of the original team that was touring Australia in 1967-68. He entered the scene once Chandu Borde, the vice-captain, got injured.
After being flown in he was immediately drafted into the playing XI for the third Test in Brisbane.
In the first innings, Jaisimha and Tiger Pataudi top scored with 74.
Chasing 394 in the second innings, Jaisimha was the only centurion in the innings. He was the last batsman to be dismissed as he batted with the tail and nearly pulled off an improbable win, falling short by only 39 runs.
Jaisimha’s innings lasted around five hours and included nine boundaries.
Sunil Gavaskar: 166*, Adelaide, 1985-86
It was an innings which lasted 10 hours, over a period of four days, and 416 balls, and at the end of it the Australians still couldn’t get ‘The Little Master’ out. He held his bat throughout the innings as India posted a mammoth total of 520 in their first innings of first Test in Adelaide in 1985.
Gavaskar, sporting his distinctive skull cap, faced the likes of Craig McDermott, Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid during the innings, dispatching them to the boundary sixteen times in his innings of 166 not out.
Like all other innings of Gavaskar, this one too was of unparalleled quality but what set it apart were the conditions under which it was completed.
Gavaskar was retired hurt when he was batting on 39 after a ball from McDermott rose unexpectedly and hit him on the left arm. This happened on the second day. The next morning Gavaskar didn’t come out to bat. In fact, he was absent for the full day only to return he next day with India at 247/5. From there he held his bat till the end.
This was also his first Test hundred after nearly two years.
Sachin Tendulkar: 114, Perth,1991-92
It has been voted as Sachin Tendulkar’s best Test century by most of his former teammates.
Despite scoring an unbeaten 148 in the third Test in Sydney, Tendulkar’s 114 at WACA in Perth was the highlight of that series.
The pitch at WACA was always known for its pace and bounce. This time around too it was no different, the only new addition being the cracks. The ball was deviating left, right and centre from the cracks and the Australia bowling line-up didn’t make the job any easier.
Scoring at a strike rate of 70.8, Tendulkar dispatched anything that was short of length and around the off-stump. He made full use of his wrists to deploy the pull shot, cuts and flick on the fastest pitch at the time. The horizontal cut shots neutralised the short balls that Merv Hughes & Co were peppering in.
Clearly, the 18-year-old had got under the skin of the Aussie bowlers. They had never seen an Indian bat like this at WACA. And as far his teammates were concerned it was just a tutorial of how to bat on the fastest pitch in cricket history.
Tendulkar’s 114 took 161 balls and 228 minutes. It included 16 fours.
VVS Laxman: 167, Sydney, 1999-2000
This was probably India’s one of the most disastrous tours to Australia but the only silver lining for the side was the emergence of VVS Laxman.
It was early days for Laxman and instead of his usual number five position, he was opening for his side in Australia.
In the second innings of the third Test in Sydney, too, the Indian batters appeared to be in a rush to finish the match, barring Laxman, who was playing a different game.
As wickets tumbled at one end, Laxman continued his graceful innings to bring up his maiden century. Despite looking down the barrel and a lack of batting partners, Laxman played with aggression and pride. His wristy strokes to all parts of the ground made Indian forget, for a brief period, the nightmare that they were witnessing for a month or so.
Australia had won the series and were sure of a whitewash also. But still Laxman’s innings was wiping the smile ofd their face. They were frustrated. Steve Waugh had to avail the services of Ponting and Slater with ball.
After spending a little over four hours at the crease, facing 198 balls, Laxman departed after his ‘Very Very Special’ innings. India lost the Test and the series but surely exciting (or I may again say special) times were awaiting India (read Eden Gardens).
Sourav Ganguly: 144, Brisbane, 2003-04
“Perfect captain’s knock to start the series,” said the television commentator.
Before the 2003-04 tour to Australia, Sourav Ganguly had come to Australia only once and it wasn’t a memorable one. He scored only 60 runs in his six innings at an average of 29.50. His weakness of the short delivery was also no more a secret. All these factors taken into consideration, Ganguly wasn’t given much of a chance before the tour.
But it looked like he had different plans and wanted to lead with example in the first Test at Brisbane.
When Ganguly came into bat, India were reeling at 62/3. After initial few moments of caution, the Indian skipper was in his elements.
The innings seemed to have reclaimed the majesty and beauty that Ganguly's batting had been known for. Known for his footwork, but Ganguly hardly moved his foot during the innings. His cut shots were more like ferocious slaps on the off-side. The short ball, his Achilles Heel, was also dealt well as he dismissed them with pull shots or ducked safely. Timing was never a problem with him and this innings was no different.
With 18 fours, Ganguly’s innings of 144 lasted 196 balls and 5 hours, and set the tone for rest of the series for his side.
Rahul Dravid: 233 & 72*, Adelaide, 2003-04
After Ganguly in Bribane, it was Rahul Dravid who carried on the momentum for India and bettered it in all sense in the second Test in Adelaide.
India had lost four wickets for 83, Dravid was already at the crease when he was joined by VVS Laxman. The Eden duo was again planning something big. This time at the Adelaide Oval.
After a slow start, Rahul continued to play risk-free but effective stroke play. The innings of 233 was full of stylish yet orthodox shots. He used the full face of the bat to drive through mid-off and extra cover. Against spinners he used his feet and wrists to full effectiveness.
His back-cuts and late-cuts were the highlights of his innings.
Dravid’s innings of 233 lasted well over 9 hours and 446 balls. It included 23 fours and a solitary six. At that time, it was the highest score by an Indian in Australia, eclipsing Ravi Shastri’s record of 206.
If 233 wasn’t enough, it was Rahul Dravid’s 72* in the second innings that drove India home with four wickets in hand. Chasing 230 to win their first Test in Australia in 23 years, it was Dravid again, who decided to hold his bat all through out the innings to help India become the first team to beat the Aussies at their own backyard in the last five years.
Virender Sehwag: 195, MCG, 2003-04
Only Sehwag can score 195 runs on Day 1 of a Test Match and at the same time get dismissed while hoicking one down the ground to bring up his double century.
Coming off a win in Adelaide, the confidence and the momentum was still with Team India as they decided to bat first against the Aussies in Melbourne.
After a watchful first few overs, Sehwag batted the way only he can bat. He reached his fifty in 78 balls as he dispatched eight fours and a six. From there he took the attack to the Australian bowlers, who had little answer to Sehwag’s fireworks.
He had the perfect answer for both fast bowlers as well as the spinners. If it was controlled back foot play for the seamers, Stuart MacGill had no answer for his strokeplay.
But despite his stroke play all around the stadium, Sehwag was disciplined and hardly played any ugly slog. His shot making was restricted to the ground.
After hitting a six to reach 195, another attempt to replicate the shot off Katich brought down curtains to Sehwag’s innings, which is probably one of the best ever innings played in the opening day of a test match.
Sehwag’s 195 consumed 233 balls and 312 minutes while it comprised 25 fours and 5 sixes.
Sachin Tendulkar: 241*, SCG, 2003-04
Prior to his 241 not out, Sachin Tendulkar scored only 82 runs from his five innings in the series at an average of 16.40.
So, this innings was the best answer he could give his detractors, who were questioning his technique with the bat.
Interestingly, in the innings which comprised 33 fours, not even one was a drive down the covers. It was a deliberate move from Tendulkar, who was avoiding getting caught behind by the keeper or in the slips.
After a cautious start, Tendulkar slowly built on his innings.
Any ball on the off stump or the ones moving away, were dealt harshly through mid-wicket for four. The innings was filled with Tendulkar’s trademark drive down the ground. For the first time in the series, Tendulkar was playing the way he was meant to.
Even the competitive Australian crowd couldn’t stop applauding as he walked back to the pavilion, unbeaten as the Aussies didn’t have any answer to his sorcery.
This is now the highest score by an Indian batsman in Australia.
Virat Kohli on the Tour to Australia in 2014-15
As far as the most recent conquest by an Indian batsman in Australia is concerned, look no further than the current Indian skipper – Virat Kohli.
India might have lost the four-match Test series 2-0, but Virat was in a different league all together.
Four centuries in four Tests. A total count of 692 runs and an average of 86.50. It can’t get better than this.
In the first Test in Adelaide, Kohli brought up two centuries (115 & 141) in two innings but both were in losing cause. This was only the second time a Test captain scored 100 in both the innings on his captaincy debut.
After a quiet second Test at The Gabba, Kohli came back with a 169 in Melbourne and finished it off with a 147 in Sydney. Again, both didn’t come in a winning cause, as India drew the last two Tests.
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