Flashback : India's tours of Australia- a brief history Part 3 1999 - 2012

 

India took 7 long years after 1991-92  to tour Australia who are by now the World's top team with an invincible aura. Sachin Tendulkar  who was a teenage prodigy in 1991 is now the captain of a young Indian side which has also seen the emergence of a few young batters leading upto the challenging Australia tour. The start of the new millennium saw India making visits to Australia more often .

India in Australia  1999-2000

The 1999-00 Test series between Australia and India saw Steve Waugh’s powerful Australian side assert their dominance, sweeping India 3-0. Australia, already a force across all formats, displayed the resilience and skill that would later define their reign as the most dominant team in Test and ODI history. For Sachin Tendulkar’s young Indian team, the series was a harsh reminder of the gap between the two sides.

First Test at Adelaide: Australia Set the Tone

In the opening Test at Adelaide, Australia made an imposing 441 in their first innings, driven by Steve Waugh’s masterful 150 and a sparkling 125 from Ricky Ponting. India’s middle order showed some grit with Tendulkar (67) & Ganguly(60) showing spark , managing to fend off an attack led by the legendary Shane Warne, but the batters struggled to convert starts into big scores and eventually folded for 285. Setting India a daunting fourth-innings target of 394, Australia’s bowlers then took control. Damien Fleming (5/30) and Glenn McGrath (3/35) tore through India’s batting lineup, securing an emphatic 285-run victory. Controversy erupted over Tendulkar’s dismissal for LBW , which many felt was a harsh call.

Second Test at Melbourne: Tendulkar’s Fightback in Vain

At Melbourne, Australia once again stamped their authority, posting 405 in their first innings, with opener Michael Slater leading with a well-fought 91. Tendulkar answered with a magnificent knock of 116, a lone show of resistance against Australia’s relentless attack. Despite his heroics, India’s lower order crumbled, conceding a significant lead. Australia declared at 208/5 in their second innings, setting India an improbable target of 376. Tendulkar contributed another steady 52, but the Indian lineup faltered with talented young  guns Dravid , Sourav & Laxman not yet finding their feet on Australia soil , losing by 180 runs and handing Australia an unassailable series lead.

Final Test at Sydney: Laxman Shines Amid a Crushing Loss

The third Test at Sydney featured Glenn McGrath (5/48) and a young, fiery Brett Lee (4/39) dismantling India for just 150 in the first innings in which Tendulkar playing another lone hand  scored a sparkling 45 . Australia responded with an overwhelming 552/5 declared, featuring a career-best 223 from Justin Langer and an unbeaten 141 from Ponting. VVS Laxman, opening the batting, displayed resilience with a brilliant 167 in the second innings, a standout performance in an otherwise struggling side. However, McGrath’s second five-wicket haul of the match handed Australia a comprehensive victory by an innings and 141 runs.

Top scorers in the series were Ricky Ponting (375) , Justin Langer (289) , Sachin Tendulkar (278) , Steve Waugh (276) and 221 by both Gilchrist & VVS Laxman .   Glenn McGarth (18) was the top wicket taker in the series folowed by dthe young debutant Brett Lee(13) , Damien Fleming (12) & Ajit Agarkar (11) 

The whitewash brought an end to several Indian careers and led to a period of introspection in Indian cricket. It also marked the beginning of Tendulkar’s contemplation to step down as captain, as India began to reassess their approach in the face of a world-class Australian side.

India in Australia  2003-04

Following their historic victory over Australia at home, Sourav Ganguly’s Indian team arrived in Australia determined to secure a historic series win. Australia, missing two of their bowling giants, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, seemed more vulnerable than ever, giving India a genuine chance to shine.

However the Aussie batting lineup was as strong as ever .The series opener in Brisbane saw Australia setting the tone with a steady 323, thanks largely to Justin Langer’s solid 121. However, India’s young pacer Zaheer Khan proved a force to be reckoned with, claiming five wickets and disrupting Australia’s batting order. In response, Ganguly led from the front, posting a glorious  144 full of delightful cuts , drives & flicks to push India’s score to 409 after a fluent start by Sehwag (45) and a great suport act by VVS Laxman (75) who gave enough indications of the things to come with a delightful 75 , giving the visitors a first-innings lead. Australia fought back in their second innings, with Matthew Hayden falling just short of a century on 99, guiding his team to 284/3 declared. India weathered 16 overs on the final day, resulting in a tense draw.

The second Test in Adelaide became an unforgettable chapter for Indian cricket, marking their first Test victory on Australian soil in over two decades. Ricky Ponting’s flawless 242 anchored Australia’s massive 556 in the first innings, applying intense pressure on India. Tgere were fine 50s too by Langer (58) & Katich (75) . Yet India had their own heroes—Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who revived memories of their historic partnership at Eden Gardens in 2001. After India slumped initially to 80/4 the two icons  added a 303-run stand for the fifth wicket, with Dravid scoring a remarkable 233 and Laxman contributing a brilliant 148, rescuing &  helping India reach 523 . The Test seemed headed for another draw until Ajit Agarkar seized the moment, taking 6/41 to bowl Australia out for just 196 in their second innings which stunned the hosts . With a target of 230, Dravid stood tall once more, guiding India to a memorable 6-wicket win with an unbeaten 72. India did have some tense moments after Tendulkar (37) departed but Laxman (32) played a fluent knock to take India to safely with Dravid of course staying unbeaten like a wall .

After the dream win at Adelaide , India started well on boxing day.  In Melbourne for the third Test, Virender Sehwag’s explosive knock of 195 set a strong foundation for India. However, after his dismissal, India struggled to build on his momentum, finishing at 366 as Tendulkar had another failure & lower order failed to fire. In reply, Australia’s batting was led by Hayden (136) and Ponting, who ruthlessly hammered 257, pushing Australia to a commanding 558. Ponting’s dominance left India trailing significantly, and despite valiant efforts from Dravid (92) , Ganguly (73) & a return to form of Tendulkar (44)  India folded under pressure. Australia easily chased down a small target of 95 to level the series with a 9-wicket victory.

The final Test in Sydney, Steve Waugh’s swan song, saw India determined to spoil the farewell party. Virender Sehwag (72) made another great start as India piled on the runs on a flat deck .  Sachin Tendulkar, who had been struggling with balls outside his off stump, adjusted his approach and produced a masterclass. He scored an unbeaten 241, refusing to play his trademark cover drive, and was brilliantly supported by Laxman, who contributed a sparkling 178. India declared at an imposing 705/7. Anil Kumble’s relentless 8/141 helped restrict Australia to 474 after fine hundreds from Langer (117) & Katich (125) . Hayden scored an aggressive 67 at the start . However Ganguly chose not to enforce the follow-on. Dravid (91*)and Tendulkar(60*) added quick runs, setting Australia a monumental 443 to win.

Facing an uphill battle, Australia’s top order resisted, and though Kumble picked up four crucial wickets, Waugh delivered a determined final performance, scoring 80 to guide his team to a hard-fought draw. The series ended in a 1-1 draw, a fitting close to Waugh’s illustrious career and an unforgettable clash between two of cricket’s strongest sides.

This test series turned out to be a batting feast . Ricky Ponting (706) scored the most runs followed by Rahul Dravid (619) , VVS Laxman (494) , Sehwag (464) , Hayden (451) , Tendulkar (383), Langer (369) & Katich (353) . In the bowling Anil Kumble took 24 wickets followed by Agarkar (16) , Stewart McGill (14) , Gillispie (10).

India in Australia 2007-08

In the summer of 2007-08, Anil Kumble’s Indian team arrived in Australia to face a charged-up Ricky Ponting led Australian squad in what had become one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries. With both sides unwilling to back down, the stage was set for an intense series. Australia, known for their aggressive sledging, wasted no time in creating a hostile atmosphere.

The opening Test in Melbourne saw Matthew Hayden’s steady 124 & Jaques(66) anchor Australia’s first-innings total of 343. Indian bowlers Kumble (5/84) and Zaheer Khan (4/94) managed to keep the hosts from running away with the game, but Brett Lee (4/46) and Stuart Clark (4/28) dismantled the Indian batting line-up, dismissing them for 196 ( Tendulkar 62, Ganguly 43) . Australia declared at 351/7 ( Jaques 51 , Clarke  73), in their second innings, setting a daunting 499-run target. The Indian batsmen faltered once more being all out 161 ( Laxman 42, Ganguly 40, Johnson 3/21) , and Australia claimed a commanding 337-run victory.

The second Test in Sydney became infamous for several controversial umpiring calls from Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor that heavily favored Australia. A 162-run knock by Andrew Symonds along with contributions from Ponting (55) , Brad Hogg (79) & Brett Lee (59) helped Australia to a strong 463 but . India responded with a solid 532, driven by Tendulkar’s superb  unbeaten 154 , Laxman’s 109 , Dravid 53 , Ganguly a sparkling 67 & Harbhajan 63 . Controversy happened in India's innings when Harbhajan & Symonds had an unpleasant exchange and the Aussies accused  Harbhajan of racial abuse which later snowballed into a crisis post match  . Despite Hayden’s 123 ,  Michael Hussey’s 145*  & Symonds 61 in Australia’s second innings, India faced a target of 333 but stumbled as Michael Clarke and Symonds took three wickets each. Australia won by 122 runs courtesy some dodgy umpiring decisions specifically with Ganguly (51) slip catch dismissal , and Kumble’s post-match statement, “Only one team was playing in the spirit of the game,” highlighted the tension and dissatisfaction with the officiating. 

Further controversy erupted when Australia accused Harbhajan Singh of racially abusing Symonds, claiming he used the term “monkey.” Harbhajan was initially banned for three matches by match referee Mike Proctor. However, the BCCI threatened to pull out of the tour, leading to a second hearing. With Tendulkar testifying that Harbhajan had used a Hindi term misinterpreted as “monkey,” the ban was lifted, though tensions remained high between the teams.

In the third Test in Perth, India staged a remarkable comeback. Dravid (93) and Tendulkar (71) helped India post 330 in the first innings with Johnson and Lee getting 4 & 3 wickets respectively . RP Singh’s 4-wicket haul restricted Australia to 212 ( Symonds 66 , Gilchrist 55) . India’s second innings total of 294 was bolstered by another VVS Laxman (79) special after a good start from Sehwag (43) and Irfan Pathan(46) batting at 3 left Australia chasing 413, and though they put up a strong fight with Michael Clarke (81) , Hussey (46) &  Ponting (45) , the Indian bowlers kept chipping away. Later Mitchell Johnson (50) & Stuart Clarke (32) looked dangerous and caused great tension before Irfan & Singh picked the last 2 wickets .  Australia were bowled out for 340, and India took a 72-run victory, keeping the series alive.

The final Test in Adelaide turned into a high-scoring affair. India put up 526, with Tendulkar scoring 153 and fine contributions from Sehwag (63) , Laxman (51) , Kumble (87) & Harbhajan (63)  but Australia responded with 563, thanks to centuries from Hayden (103), Ponting (140), and Clarke (118). Sehwag’s superb 151 in India’s second innings ensured a drawn match, allowing Australia to secure a 2-1 series victory in a fiercely contested and controversial series.

Sachin Tendulkar (493) ended up as the highest run getter followed by Hayden (410) , Symonds (410) , Laxman (366) & Clarke (316) . In bowling Brett Lee (24) led the way followed by Anil Kumble (20) , Mitchell Johnson (16) , Stuart Clarke (14) & RP Singh (13) .

India in Australia   2011-12

Coming off a disastrous 0-4 series loss in England, India entered the 2011-12 tour of Australia with hopes of redeeming themselves. However, Australia proved relentless, sweeping the series 4-0 and leaving India, captained by MS Dhoni, with few answers.

The series began in Melbourne, where Zaheer Khan’s four wickets restricted Australia to 333 in the first innings with Ed Cowans scoring 67 & Pontiing made 62 . Yet India couldn’t capitalize, as Ben Hilfenhaus’s five-wicket haul kept them to 282 in which Tendulkar hit 73 , Sehwag made 67 and Dravid msde 68 . Umesh Yadav’s fiery spell reduced Australia to 27/4 in their second innings, but a gritty stand between Ponting (60) and Hussey (89), along with a critical last-wicket partnership, helped set India a 292-run target. James Pattinson and Peter Siddle’s combined efforts saw India bowled out for 169, giving Australia a 122-run win.

In Sydney, Australia’s fast-bowling trio again dismantled India’s batting, dismissing them for 191. Ricky Ponting (134) and captain Michael Clarke (329*) led a massive total of 659/4, supported by Hussey’s 150*. Despite solid resistance from Gambhir (83), Tendulkar (80), and Ashwin (62), India fell short, losing by an innings and 68 runs.

Perth’s third Test saw David Warner’s quick-fire 180 set the tone for Australia’s dominance. Hilfenhaus took eight wickets in the match, and India couldn’t muster 200 in either innings, leading to another innings defeat, this time by 37 runs. However amongst  thee ruins of Indian batting we saw the emergence of a future star . Virat Kohli who batted at 6 in both the innings and came up with scores of 44 and 75 on a challenging Perth pitch . 

In the final Test in Adelaide, Ponting and Clarke, who put on a record-breaking 386-run partnership, put the game beyond India’s reach. Clarke scored 210, and Ponting’s 221 kept India on the back foot. Virat Kohli’s maiden century (116) was a bright spot, but Australia’s target of 500 proved insurmountable as India fell for 201, concluding a 4-0 whitewash that underscored Australia’s dominance and India’s struggles on foreign soil.

The 2011-12 series highlighted the decline of Indian batting as the superstars Tendulkar , Dravid , Laxman & Sehwag were  clearly reaching the end of their careers and Dravid actually retired after the series .  The series saw the emergence of Virat Kohli as the new future Indian batting hope . 

In the bowling front  Ben Hilfenhaus (27),  Peter Siddle (23) & a young James Pattinson (11 wkts in 2 tests )  dominated for Australia, Zaheer Khan (15 ) and Umesh Yadav (14) fought hard for India  while in the batting  Michael Clarke ( 626 ) and Ricky Ponting (544) towered above everyone else . Virat Kohli (300) , Mike Hussey (293) , Sachin Tendulkar (287) , David Warner (266) were the other major scorers .  Michael Clarke was the player of the series .