FAMOUS FIVE DOWN UNDER

A look at India’s five famous previous victories in Australia...

1977: Sunil, Chandra shine at MCG

India were 2-0 down when the third Test began and when India folded for 256, it looked as though the five-Test series could be gone. But leg-spinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar took 6-52 as Australia crumbled to 213 all out. Gavaskar’s 118 helped set Australia a target of 387. Chandra’s 6-52 skittled out Oz for 164.

1978: The great leveller

India kept the Melbourne momentum rolling into the fourth Test in Sydney and levelled the series with an innings and two runs win. Chandrasekhar again was the chief destroyer as he and Bishen Bedi ripped the hosts for 131 after Australia won the toss and opted to bat. India took a huge 265-run lead. Aussies succumbed for 263.

1981: Kapil’s fifer

Unhappy with the umpiring and the sledging by Dennis Lillee, Sunil Gavaskar ordered batting partner Chauhan to leave the field with him. Only the swift intervention of team manager Shahid Durrani prevented the innings, match and series to be conceded. India set Australia 143 to win before Kapil Dev took 5-28 as Aussies crumbled to 83 all out.

2003: Dravid stars

Rahul Dravid’s marathon 233 off 446 balls was backed up by VVS Laxman’s 148 as the pair put on 303 to enable India to post 523 against Aussies’ 556. Ajit Agarkar took 6-41 as the hosts were skittled for 196. Dravid again proved immovable and his patient 72 guided India to their 230-run target with four wickets to spare.

2008: Oz streak ended

After going 2-0 down in losing the ‘Monkeygate’ Test at Sydney, tensions ran high as the teams headed to Perth where the tourists won to end Australia’s 16-Test winning streak. After India posted 330, they reduced Australia to 61/5 on their way to 212 all out. India then set a 413-run target as Aussies folded for 340.