Flashback - India's tour of Australia- a brief history Part 2 ( 1980-1992)

 

After the exciting 5 tests series  in Australia in 1977-78 , India next visited down under in 1980-81 . All the star players of Australian cricket who were absent in the 1977-78 series were back by then after settlement between Kerry Packer & Australian cricket board & so a bigger challenge loomed for India with the returns to the test fold of Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee , Rod Marsh , Doug Walters , Pascoe etc 

India in Australia  1980-81 

India's batting lineup featured the likes of skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Viswanath, Dilip Vengsarkar, a promising Sandeep Patil  and Chetan Chauhan – a formidable group with a reputation for resilience and skill. The team had also found a fresh spark in pace bowling through the arrival of Kapil Dev Nikhanj, who, alongside Roger Binny, offered much-needed depth and variety. Meanwhile, Australia, recovering from the disruptions of the Kerry Packer era, had regained strength as mentioned above . In Greg Chappell, Kim Hughes, Allan Border , Doug Walters , Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh and Len Pascoe they had a powerful  core of players.  This series was especially vital for Australia as they sought to re-establish their standing among cricket's elite.

In the first Test at Sydney, India won the toss and chose to bat, but their innings quickly fell apart against the lethal pace duo of Dennis Lillee and Len Pascoe, who claimed four wickets each. India was dismissed for a meagre 201 with only Sandeep Patil (65) providing resilience with a sparkling knock . In response, Australia, led by skipper Greg Chappell’s classy & monumental 204, built a commanding total of 406. India, trailing by 205 runs, again faltered in their second innings, scoring an identical 201, and handed Australia a victory by an innings and four runs – a dominant start for the hosts and a humbling setback for India.

Greg Chappell cuts during his 204 at Sydney test  1981

The second Test in Adelaide unfolded as a high-scoring affair with unexpected drama. Australia racked up 528 in their first innings, thanks to a remarkable 213 from Kim Hughes and a superb 125 from opener Greame Wood .  India responded with 419, driven by a blistering 174 from Sandeep Patil and a gritty 97 from Chetan Chauhan . Declaring their second innings at 221/7, Australia set India a target of 331 runs, with about 80 overs to survive. Facing relentless pressure from Lillee and Pascoe, India soon found themselves in a precarious position, with the score at 128/8. Victory seemed imminent for Australia until India’s tail-enders, Karsan Ghavri and Shivlal Yadav, mounted a gritty defence after Vengsarkar departed for a gritty 37. Ghavri and Yadav withstood 36 and 28 balls, respectively, refusing to yield. Their courageous resistance secured India a draw that felt as victorious as any win. The series margin was still 1-0 to Australia.  

The third Test witnessed yet another challenging start for India. Viswanath, displaying masterful technique, scored a brilliant 114, but no other Indian batsman exceeded 25, leaving India with a modest total of 237. Australia replied with 419, aided by a solid 124 from Allan Border and half-centuries from Greg Chappell (76) and Doug Walters (78) . Trailing by 182 runs, India seemed cornered once more. But this time, the batsmen showed remarkable grit. Gavaskar (70) and Chauhan (85) built an opening partnership of 165 before Gavaskar was controversially given out lbw that created a big debate  but that partnership offered a glimmer of hope. India's second innings concluded at 324, setting Australia a target of 143 runs – a modest chase on paper considering the powerful Aussie batting lineup .

The stage was set for a battle between bat and ball in Australia’s fourth innings, and the Indian bowlers rose to the occasion on a badly deteroiting pitch . In a display of breathtaking bowling, Kapil Dev who was playing with a serious groin injury  unleashed a spell of aggressive pace bowling, capturing five wickets for just 28 runs. Ghavri and Dilip Doshi contributed with two wickets each. Australia's batsmen crumbled under pressure, managing a mere 83 runs. India the rank underdogs , against all odds, had pulled off a thrilling victory by 59 runs, securing one of the most dramatic comebacks in cricketing history.  Thus the 3 test series ended 1-1 and this was the first time that India did not lose a test series in Australia 

India’s journey through this Test series was one of dramatic swings. After a rough start, they showed dogged resilience in the second match and, by the third, turned the series around with an unforgettable performance. This series showcased India's potential to battle through adversity, with a final victory defined by resilience, grit, and exceptional teamwork.  Greg Chappell (368) , Kim Hughes (330) and Sandeep Patil (311) were the major run getters in the series while Dennis Lillee (21) and Kapil Dev (14) were the leading wickettakers .

India in Australia  1985-86 

In 1985-86 Kapil Dev led a formidable  Indian team down under and this time India were the favourites.

Australia faced challenges of its own, with several players departing for the rebel tour in South Africa. Additionally, the retirement of veteran stars such as Greg Chappell, Rod Marsh, and Dennis Lillee left a significant void in the Australian lineup.

The first Test in Adelaide ended as a high-scoring tame draw with 100s from Boon (123) & Greg Richie (128) helping Australia to get 381 but the test showcased the brilliance of India’s superstars, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. Gavaskar carried his bat for an unbeaten 166 for India to get to 520 , while Kapil Dev took an impressive 8 for 106 in Australia 's first innings 

The next match, held on Boxing Day at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, presented India with a prime chance to secure a rare series victory on Australian soil. Australia batted first, scoring 262, with India’s spin trio—left-arm spinner Ravi Shastri (4-87), off-spinner Shivlal Yadav (3-64), and leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (2-51)—proving effective. India responded with a solid total of 445, led by Krish Srikkanth's valuable 86, establishing a lead of 183 and positioning themselves strongly for a victory if they could bowl out Australia swiftly.

India managed to take wickets at regular intervals, yet Australian captain Allan Border anchored the innings. Australia struggled to 84-4, then moved from 161-6 to 202-7, and ended the fourth day at 228-8, with only a narrow lead of 45 runs. 

On the final day, Australia reached 231-9, but some poor umpiring continued to deny India clear decisions. The last wicket pair of Border who played a gallant knock of 163  and Dave Gilbert fought back resiliently, contributing a critical 77 runs to extend Australia’s lead to 125.

India set out to chase 126 runs in just two sessions, but when rain interrupted play at 59 for 2, with India needing only 67 more for victory, the match was ultimately called off as a draw, leaving the series tied at 0-0.

In the New Year’s Test of 1986, Kapil Dev’s team posted a massive total of 600-4 declared, with Gavaskar (172)  once again scoring a superb century followed by a breathtaking 116 from Srikkant and a solid 138 from  Mohinder Amarnath. David Boon responded with a gritty 131, Marsh (92) & Border (71) but India’s spinners, Shastri (4-101) and Yadav (5-99), continued to dominate to get Australia 396 allout - 4 runs short of the follow on target  . With Australia’s second innings score at 119-6 after following on , time ran out, and the Test ended in another draw.

The series concluded with a 0-0 deadlock. A young Australian side managed to avoid defeat, while the experienced Indian team missed out on what could have been a remarkable achievement- a test series win in Australia 

Sunil Gavaskar (352) and David Boon (323) were the highest run getters in the series followed by Allan Border (298), Srikkant (291) and  Mohinder Amarnath (223) . Shivlal Yadav (15) , Ravi Shastri (14) , Kapil Dev (12) and Bruce Ried ( 11) were the top wicket takers.  

India in Australia  1991-92 

After a 6 year gap India toured Australia in 1991-92 with a team of a mix of experience  & youth- a few ageing stars and a few youngsters . The 1991-92 Test series in Australia proved to be a very challenging one for India. They were soundly beaten in the first two Tests before a more favorable and slower pitch at Sydney allowed India to play better cricket and dominate the third Test, only to slip back to mediocrity and lose the final two Tests.

In the first Test at Brisbane, India scored 239 in the first innings, with Craig McDermott taking five wickets. Australia replied with 340, with Mark Taylor top-scoring with 94, while Kapil Dev started a good series as a bowler, taking four wickets. India fared worse in the second innings, scoring only 156, leaving Australia with just 56 runs to win, which they achieved to win by 10 wickets. McDermott claimed nine wickets in the match.

In the second Test at Melbourne, India was dismantled by the tall left-armer Bruce Reid, who took 12 wickets in the match, bowling out India for 263 and 213. Geoff Marsh’s 86 helped Australia reach 349 in the first innings, with Kapil Dev taking another five-wicket haul. Australia chased down the winning target of 128 to secure victory by eight wickets, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

Bruce Reid, due to an injury issue, could not play further in the series as India played the third Test at Sydney on a more favorable pitch. David Boon's unbeaten 129 helped Australia post 313 in the first innings. Some rain interruptions extended India's batting to nearly three days, with Ravi Shastri scoring a mammoth 206. The 18-year-old Sachin Tendulkar, after showing glimpses of his talent at Melbourne with a blazing 40 in the second innings, showcased his true class with a magnificent 148* to announce himself on Australian soil. India piled up 483 and actually had Australia on the ropes for the first time in the series on the final day. Ravi Shastri took four wickets as Australia barely saved the game, finishing at 173/8, with Allan Border playing one of his many rescue acts with a 53* to salvage the game and maintain Australia’s 2-0 lead.

Sachin Tendulkar cuts during his 148 * at Sydney 

Riding on the momentum from the third Test, India began the fourth Test at Adelaide on a strong note, bowling out Australia for only 145 in the first innings. However, the tourists could not bat Australia out of the game, as they themselves were bowled out for 225, with Kapil Dev scoring 56, while McDermott picked up another five wickets. Riding on David Boon's 135 and Taylor’s 100, Australia compiled 451 in the second innings to pull themselves out of trouble. India needed 372 to win the Test, and at 102/4, it looked over for them. However, skipper Mohammad Azharuddin played a blistering knock, scoring 106 to raise some slim hopes for India. He was well supported by Manjrekar (45) and later by a valiant Manoj Prabhakar (67). Yet, those partnerships could not last as McDermott took five wickets, and India were dismissed for 333, losing by 38 runs and conceding the series with a 3-0 deficit with one Test remaining.

Sachin Tendulkar scores 114 at Perth Test 

After a close escape at Sydney and facing challenges at Adelaide, Australia returned to their best at the WACA in Perth. Australia, with prolific David Boon’s 107 in the first innings and Dean Jones’s 150* in the second innings, scored 346 and 367/6. India replied with 272 in the first innings, courtesy of a brilliant 114 by Sachin Tendulkar on the bouncy WACA pitch. However, with 442 to win, India were bundled out for 141 in the second innings, with Mike Whitney taking seven wickets. Thus, India lost the series 4-0.

David Boon (556 runs) and young Sachin Tendulkar (368 runs) were the top scorers in the series, while Craig McDermott (31 wickets) and Kapil Dev (25 wickets) took the most wickets. While Kapil Dev reached the milestone of 400 Test wickets during this series, it was Sachin Tendulkar whose batting feats as an 18-year-old on challenging Australian pitches sparked conversations in world cricket circles. The prodigy had arrived.