1 win, 10 losses and 2 draws: India’s record in the 1st Test of every series played in Australia

Latest update:November 21, 2024 08:30 EST

Ahead of the first India-Australia Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday (November 22), let’s take a look at India’s performance in the first Test of the last 13 series played in Australia.

India’s record in the first Test of every series played in Australia. (Photo credit: AFP)

India will take on Australia in the first Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. The match will take place at Optus Stadium and kicks off on Friday 12 November. In the last 77 years, India has visited Australia 13 times for a Test series, but only on one occasion has it managed to win the first series. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, who is yet to arrive in Australia, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah will lead India in the first Test. The 30-year-old fast bowler, who is arguably the best bowler of the modern era, would like to inspire the Indian team to a big win.

However, it will not be an easy task for the visitors, who go into the away series after losing three matches in a row to New Zealand at home.

Ahead of the start of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, let’s take a look at India’s performance in the first Test of the series played in Australia:

1947: Australia beat India by an innings and 226 runs in Brisbane.

The first Test match between India and Australia was played in Brisbane from 28 November to 4 December 1947 and in the match, Don Bradman’s Australia beat India by 226 runs. The hosts rode on Bradman’s 185 and posted a total of 382 runs on the board for the loss of eight wickets, before Ernie Toshack took five and six wickets to dismiss India for 58 and 98 runs in two innings.

1967: Australia win by 146 runs in Adelaide.

The first Test of the 1967–68 Test series between India and Australia was played in Adelaide (23–28 December). In this match, the Bob Simpson-led team set a target of 398 runs so that India could catch them in the fourth innings, but despite half-centuries from Rusi Surti and Venkataraman Subramanya, the Chandu Borde-led team managed to score only 251 runs. runs and then lost the match by 146 runs.

1977: Australia beat India by 16 runs in Brisbane.

Team India, led by Bishan Singh Bedi, gave a tough fight to Australia in the first Test of the 1977–78 series, played in Brisbane from December 2 to 6, but lost by just 16 runs. Sunil Gavaskar scored a century (113) and Syed Kirmani made 55 runs in the second innings, but it all went in vain in the end.

1981: India lose by an innings and 4 runs in Sydney.

In the first Test of the 1981 series, played in Sydney, the Baggies defeated India by an innings and four runs. The Sunil Gavaskar-led team scored 201 runs in both innings while Australia posted a total of 406 runs, which proved to be sufficient.

1985: Draw at Adelaide

The first Test of the 1985 India-Australia series was played in Adelaide from 13 to 17 December and ended in a draw. In reply to Australia’s first innings total of 381, India were driven by Sunil Gavaskar’s 166* and half-centuries from Chris Srikkanth and Chetan Sharma to score 520 runs.

1991: Australia win by 10 wickets in Brisbane.

Australia beat India by 10 wickets in the first Test of the 1991 series, played at The Gabba in Brisbane. The Australians chased down a target of 58 runs in the fourth innings of the match without losing a single wicket. India were able to draw only one of the five Tests played in the series and were defeated in the other four.

1999: Australia beat India by 285 runs in Adelaide.

The India-Australia Test series was renamed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 1996 in honor of two of the game’s greats. The first BGT Test in Australia was played at the Adelaide Oval from December 10 to 14, 1999 and in the match, Steve Waugh’s team defeated Sachin Tendulkar and Co. by 285 runs. The Australians had given India a target of 396 runs to chase in the fourth innings, but the visitors were all out for just 110 runs in 38.1 overs.

2003: Draw in Brisbane

Sourav Ganguly captained the Indian team that fought hard against Steve Waugh-led Australia in the first Test of the 2003–04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, played at the Gabba from December 4 to 8, and managed to draw the game.

2007: Australia win by 337 runs in Melbourne.

The 2007–08 Test series between India and Australia began with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and in that match, the Ricky Ponting-led team defeated Anil Kumble’s India by 337 runs. Australia scored 343 and 351/7 (declared) in this match, while India could only score 196 and 161 runs.

2011: Australia win by 122 runs in Melbourne.

In the first Test of the 2011–12 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 29, Australia beat India by 122 runs. The team led by M.S. Dhoni, was dismissed by the hosts for 169 in response to a target of 292 runs.

2014: Australia beat India by 48 runs in Adelaide

Virat Kohli made his captaincy debut for India in the first match of the 2014–15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, played at the Adelaide Oval from December 9 to 13. But despite his double century in the match, India failed to overcome the hosts. and proceeded to lose the match by a small margin of 48 points.

2018: India beat Australia by 31 runs in Adelaide

India won the first Test of the series in Australia for the first time in the 12th attempt. Virat Kohli captained the Indian team that beat the Kangaroos by 31 runs in the first match of the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, played at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Cheteshwar Pujara scored 123 and 71 runs while Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin took three wickets each in both the innings.

2020: Australia beat India by 8 wickets in Adelaide (d/n)

The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 was a day-night match in Adelaide. Virat Kohli’s India led by a slender 53 runs in the first innings but were dismissed for just 36 runs in the second. In India’s shocking collapse, the Australians were asked to reach the 90-run target in the fourth innings and managed to reach the target without much fuss.

Location :

Perth (Australia)