4 times India nearly won a Test Series in Australia 

#1 2003-2004, Drawn 1-1

The last time when the Series was close

Almost 20 years on and Australia were anything but struggling. They were missing Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, and even with them they may not have been as strong as the side that won 16 consecutive games from 1999-2001, but they were still an imposing side.

Yet it was India who had ended that 16 game streak through VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's miracle in Kolkata.

They too had a strong side, with one of the finest batting lineups in India's history.

The four-match series was full of big scores. The series would include four double centuries - two from Ricky Ponting, and the others from Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar - and would also see no bowler except for Anil Kumble average under 35.

The first test was an evenly matched draw, but the second saw India take a priceless series lead with a four-wicket win in Adelaide.

Here India responded perfectly to Australia's considerable first innings score of 556. Not only would Laxman and Dravid bring back memories of Kolkata with a 303 run-partnership, but they would follow this by bowling Australia out for under 200 in the next innings.

Ajit Agarkar was the main instigator here, as he took a career best 6/41. But all the Indian bowlers were made to toil in the next test.

The Boxing Day test in Melbourne was a very one-sided affair. Australia won by nine wickets and would have won even more easily if not for a blistering 195 by Virender Sehwag.

But it was Ponting's career best of 257 that ensured the series was level, and also meant that anybody could win going into Sydney.

Yet Sydney simply provided another game for India to wonder what could have been.

This is because of a very contentious decision from India's captain Sourav Ganguly.

India won the toss and batted first, but it was only on the morning of day three that Ganguly eventually declared, with his side on 705.

This can be seen as shrewd captaincy, as having won the previous series in 2001 meant that a draw would see India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. But it also severely hampered India's chances of getting the first series win in Australia.

The game would end with India four wickets from victory, having declared at 2/211 in their second innings.

This match is largely remembered as being Steve Waugh's last, but its historical context is much greater, as it provided India with one of their best chances to win a series in Australia.

15 years later and achieving this has still proved an insurmountable task for India.

However, the state the two sides are currently in suggests that India may finally overcome this barrier when they next meet. If not, it may be some time before an equally favourable opportunity arises.