5 times rain ruined an India-Australia encounter

Over the past three decades or so, India and Australia have been engaged in some bruising battles in both Tests and limited overs cricket, which is why a game that is affected by rain is almost always frowned upon by cricket fans from both countries and beyond. At the end of the day, cricket fans want to watch a game that is played in its entirety without the elements interfering in the game.

Rains rob a side of the chance to enforce the advantage in a Test match and allows the side on the wrong side of the proceedings escape with a draw. On the other hand, a perfectly balanced game is often ruined due to rain and last but not the least, when it comes to limited overs cricket, rains can often hand one side with a significant advantage due to the rules in place for adjusting targets if the match is interrupted. So here are 5 cricket matches between India and Australia in which rain played spoilsport.

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#5 1st ODI, Chennai 2017, India won by 26 runs (DLS)

In this game, Australia had India on the mat at 87-5 and through a remarkable recovery by the combined efforts of MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India reached 281 in 50 overs. On a slightly up and down pitch, the target was a challenging one and promised a closely fought game.

However, the rain started just before the Australian reply was about to start and the chase was eventually reduced to 21 overs and the target for the Australians was reduced to 164 by the Duckworth-Lews-Stern method. Although the task became easier for the visitors, a 50 over game was reduced to virtually a T20 and sucked out much of the fun associated with an ODI game.

Australia eventually collapsed and India won but a game that could have been a classic ODI was ruined by rain.

#4 1st Test, Brisbane 2003, Match Drawn

The four-test series between India and Australia in 2003 was a hugely anticipated one and it could have gotten off to a superb start in Brisbane, had rain not played spoil-sport. Zaheer Khan's five-wicket haul in the 1st innings triggered the Australian collapse as they went from 268-2 to 323 all out and India got a first innings lead of 86 thanks to Sourav Ganguly's majestic 144.

However, the match was always going to end in a draw due to the loss of around 170 overs due to rain. For anyone who has watched India-Australia Tests over the past 15 years or so would know that the Brisbane Test could have been a classic had rain not turned it into a snooze fest by the end of the 5th day.

#3 2nd Test, Melbourne 1986, Match Drawn

India had never won a Test series in Australia and this one in 1986 was their best chance, not only because they had an excellent team, but also because Australia were at their lowest as a cricketing nation. The Boxing Day Test at Melbourne was there to be won but a dogged display from their captain Allan Border and rain put paid to India's chances as they had to settle for a draw.

After having dismissed Australia for 262, India replied with 445 and it was only due to Allan Border's 163 and his stand with the last man that ate into the time for India. In spite of all that, they needed 126 to win the Test but rain ruined their chances of winning the game as they were left stranded at 59-2. There was one Test to go but it ended in a draw and the series was drawn 0-0. More importantly, India still haven't won a test series Down Under.

#2 2nd Test, Chennai 2004, Match called-off

Second Test at Chennai, India v Australia: Day 5, 2004

India had beaten Australia in an epic series back in 2001 and the 2004 version was going on similar lines before the 5th day of the Chennai test match rained out to ruin what could have been an outstanding game. Having lost the 1st Test match in Bangalore, India roared back through Anil Kumble's 7 wicket haul to dismiss Australia for 235 on the 1st day and then Virender Sehwag's outstanding 155 paved the way for a 141 run 1st innings lead.

However, Damien Martyn had other ideas as he scored a sublime 104 to take Australia to 369 in the company of the middle order. India needed 229 to win and on the 4th evening, openers Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag knocked off 19 runs in 3 overs to leave India with 210 more to win on the 5th day. It was shaping up to be an epic Test match but heavy rains on the 5th day forced the match to be called off sometime after lunch and a potentialyl-great Test match was ruined.

#1 World Cup, Brisbane 1992, Australia won by 1 run

It might not be classified as 'ruined' since the game in itself was perhaps one of the most exciting World Cup games to have ever been played. However, the rains robbed India when one considers the margin of victory and the infamous 'rain rule' at the 1992 World Cup that revised the eventual target. Australia had scored 237 in their 50 overs and in their reply, India found themselves at 45-1 after 16.2 overs when the rain came.

It wasn't a spectacular start but a steady one. However, after the game was reduced to 47 overs, India's target was reduced by only 2 runs. So, the team did not have 18 legal deliveries to face, yet the target was reduced by a mere 2 runs due to the prevalent rain rule at the tournament. India tried through their captain Azharuddin, who scored a quick 93 and then Sanjay Manjrekar (47) to make a contest out of it. However, they fell short by a run despite the last over heroics from Kiran More.

Needless to say, this was a game that could have been quite different had India played 50 overs.