Ahead of Australia's three-match Qantas ODI Tour of India, take a look back on some classic matches between the two teams in the subcontinent
One-day wonders: Eight classic India v Australia ODIs
Australia win by three runs, Hyderabad, 2009
In a high-scoring affair in Hyderabad, Shaun Marsh’s first ODI ton (112) came at an opportune time, combining with Shane Watson (93) for a 145-run opening stand. Contributions from Ricky Ponting (45), Cameron White (57) and Michael Hussey (31no) boosted Australia’s total to an above-par 4-350.
Image Id: 6E293D790F714D689EDC56F86B86239CIndia had never before chased a total that big before, but they had the ultimate record-breaker in Sachin Tendulkar opening the innings. The Little Master compiled a brilliant 175, passing 17,000 ODI runs along the way, with Suresh Raina (59) riding shotgun as they gunned down what seemed an unattainable total.
But with 18 runs to get from three overs, Sachin fell to Clint McKay (3-59) leaving the door for ajar for the tourists to storm back. And thanks to Doug Bollinger (1-75) and two run outs, Australia claimed the unlikeliest of victories to take a series lead.
India win by 57 runs, Bengaluru, 2013
Rohit Sharma became just the third player, and third Indian, to score a double century in white-ball cricket in an absolute run-fest at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The final installation of an already intriguing seven-match series saw Rohit blast a then-record 16 sixes alongside 12 fours as Australia’s bowlers were put to the sword.
Shikhar Dhawan (60) and MS Dhoni (62) put the cherry on top of the onslaught, the hosts posting 6-383 with the series on the line.
Image Id: E47A9C903F674D6AB02117E3FCB068F9While never really a chance of chasing down the behemoth total after the loss of early wickets, Australia’s middle-order went down swinging, with James Faulkner at the forefront with a maiden-ODI century from just 59 balls.
Glenn Maxwell (60 from 22 balls) and Shane Watson (49 from 22 balls) were perfect foils for the Tasmanian tyrant, who would be the final wicket to fall, eventually out for 116.
Australia fell 57 runs shy of victory in a match were an astonishing 709 runs were scored.
Australia win by nine wickets, Vadodara, 2007
A game remembered for events off the field rather than on it, when Indian fans taunted Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds, the action inside the gate was highlighted by the arrival of Mitchell Johnson.
Image Id: 814A5752A6524E8DA1DE83D292744C55Taking the new ball, Johnson obliterated India’s line-up, claiming 5-26 from 10 overs to uproot the hosts for just 148 on a wicket they elected to bat on.
In reply, Australia made child’s play of the chase with Adam Gilchrist’s unbeaten 79 from just 77 balls the standout knock in a match completed in under 65 overs.
India win by five runs, Mohali, 1996
A star-studded India were pushed to the final over by Australia after the tourists’ Test openers turned white-ball specialists in Mohali.
Mohammad Azharuddin (94), Sachin Tendulkar (62) and Rahul Dravid (56) took apart the Glenn McGrath-led attack that fell in the World Cup final just six months prior, the home side posting 6-289.
Image Id: 0C0DC1261E6F47479C4553236C1C07E3Robin Singh (2-45) dented the top order before the often-demure pairing of Mark Taylor (78) and Michael Slater (52) combined for 11 boundaries. Slater, batting at No.6, plundered five fours from 38 balls before being trapped in front by Javagal Srinath (1-62) as the game hung in the balance.
Australia’s final five batsmen could muster just 30 runs between them as they fell just four runs short of victory.
Australia win by four runs, Vadodara, 2009
It was a tale of the tail in Vadodara with Australia surviving a late onslaught from notorious tormentor Harbhajan Singh (49) and Praveen Kumar (40) to scrape home by four-runs.
After four of Australia’s top-five posted half-centuries, another imposing total awaited India on a batsman-friendly wicket, and whilst Gautam Gambhir’s 68 held the chase together, things looked dire for the hosts when Australia broke into the lower-order.
Image Id: D679BB40909141B4BF36CDC788C77DE7But thoughts of a simple walkover were quashed when India’s tail wagged, an 84-run stand breathing life back into the contest. But Peter Siddle held his nerve and delivered Australia another victory on the subcontinent.
India win by six wickets, Nagpur, 2013
In just the second time that four centuries have been scored in a single match, India’s chasing powers were on full show in Nagpur, as Virat Kohli and Shikar Dhawan steered the hosts to victory.
After being sent in, Shane Watson (102) and skipper George Bailey (156) combined for a 168-run stand that quietened the usually raucous crowd on the way to 6-350.
Image Id: 390FDF866AFD44DCA5D21DEDC1AE6F45Unphased with the huge chase ahead, Kohli (115no) and Dhawan (100) found the fence 30 times between them in a brutal display of power-hitting.
Glenn Maxwell’s drop of Dhawan on 19 would prove costly, India levelling the series with three balls to spare.
Australia win by one run, Chennai, 1987
The closest finish in the two side’s 137 meetings came in 1987 World Cup with Australia toppling the heavily-fancied reigning-champions in Madras (now known as Chennai).
Coming off five-successive series losses in the game’s shortest format, Australia were given little chance of challenging Kapil Dev’s side, but after being sent in, the tourists compiled a century-opening stand through David Boon (49) and Geoff Marsh (110).
Image Id: 6614F9F46B7A470492B625570D9544D2Dean Jones (39) and a young Steve Waugh (19no) helped Australia to a competitive 6-270, but Kris Srikkanth (70) and Navjot Sidhu (73) looked like they would make light work of the chase.
Enter a 22-year-old Craig McDermott who obliterated the Indian middle order, claiming figures of 4-56 before Waugh returned to close out the innings and keep the hosts two runs shy of victory.
It would be India’s only loss of the tournament until they fell to England in the first knockout game, paving the way for Allan Border’s side to lift their first World Cup trophy.
India win by two wickets, Mumbai, 2007
With the series already in the bag, Australia’s guard was down when left-arm tweaker Murali Kartik took hold and claimed 6-27 from 10 remarkable overs.
In what are still the best figures in a match between the two nations, Kartik claimed Brad Hodge and Andrew Symonds with back-to-back deliveries before returning for a second spell to claim another four wickets in 15 balls.
Image Id: B9FD25CA3EF040699A9B9107CBD6D861Australia finished with just 193, which looked like it could be a winning total when the hosts slumped to 8-143 in the 36th over.
But an unbeaten 52-run ninth-wicket stand between Zaheer Khan and that man again, Murali Karthik, secured victory with four overs to spare.
Australia Qantas ODI Tour of India 2020
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa
India squad: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami.
First ODI: January 14, Mumbai (D/N) (Fox & Kayo)
Second ODI: January 17, Rajkot (D/N) (Fox & Kayo)
Third ODI: January 19, Bengaluru (D/N) (Fox & Kayo)