Australia vs India 2018-19: Sydney has never been kind to India in the past

India are strongly placed with a comfortable lead of 2-1 against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy going into the fourth and final Test at Sydney. For starters, India are the favourites to win the Sydney Test.

The uniqueness of Sydney as a Test venue

1. The Sydney wicket has traditionally been a dry, slow and low wicket aiding the spinners more.

2. The sub-continental nature of the wicket could be misleading. Over the years, it has only given a false sense of safety to the Asian teams of being at home before they were caught napping.

3. Due to inclement weather, there have been more draws at Sydney which doesn’t truly reflect Australia’s total domination at the venue.

4. Sydney traditionally used to host the New Year Test which also happened to be the last Test match of a series. Touring teams would be jaded and plagued with injury by the time they reach Sydney. The players would be both mentally and physically drained and would be in no mood to give their best and their mind would be on the flight back home.

5. Against popular belief, the performances of the Asian teams over the years at Sydney have been poor, to state the obvious.

Team India’s record at Sydney

Matches Played – 11

Matches Won - 1, Win Percentage – 9

Matches Lost – 5 –Loss Percentage – 45

Matches Drawn – 5, Draw percentage – 46

Team India’s solitary win at Sydney

India’s solitary win at Sydney came 40 years back way back in 1978 when Bishan Singh Bedi’s Indians overpowered Bobby Simpson’s Australians by an innings and 2 runs. That Australian team was the weakest ever after Kerry Packer took Australian cricket to ransom.

Team India’s heavy defeats at Sydney

The hero and the villains of Monkeygate saga in the Sydney Test in 2008

India have lost a total of five matches in Sydney out of which three were by an innings. In the other two matches in 1968 and 2008, India lost by 144 runs and 122 runs respectively.

The 2008 debacle was the match in which on-field umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor and TV umpire Bruce Oxenford joined hands and were in a huddle to adjudicate 10 horrendous decisions against India.

In the end, India lost the match with only a couple of overs left in the day.

Heartbreaks in draws

Border saved the Melbourne Test for Australia

Out of the five draws that India managed against Australia at Sydney, India should have won three of those matches.

The Test match in 1986

The 1985-86 series in Australia was the biggest disappointing series for India in terms of missed opportunities. India should have won a series in Australia 32 years back in 1986 itself. The Indian team led by Kapil Dev was one of the strongest team in the world at that time.

On the other hand, the Australian team under Allan Border was a team in transition after the retirement of legends like Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee, and Rodney Marsh. Players like David Boon, Geoff Marsh, and Steve Waugh were relatively new and were finding their feet in International cricket.

To explain things in the right perspective, the missed opportunity in the earlier Test at Melbourne has to be presented first. After a tame draw in the first Test at Adelaide, India won the toss at Melbourne and elected to field.

Kapil Dev was justified in his decision when Australia first slipped to 41 for 3 and then to 127 for 6. Thereafter Greg Mathews, more of a bowling all-rounder, with support from the tail added 135 runs for the last four wickets. Greg Mattews himself completed his maiden Test hundred and Australia finished with a respectable 262 in the first innings.

In reply, India made 445 with contribution from Kris Srikkanth (86), Dilip Vengsarkar (75) and Kapil Dev (55). Australia started their second innings with a first innings deficit of 183 and were soon reduced to 84 for 4. However, the Australian Captain Allan Border scored a magnificent 163 and along with the tail took the game into the fifth day.

At the end of the fourth day, Australia were 228 for 8 with Border on 98 and Bruce Reid on 11. In the first session of the fifth morning, Allan Border moved from 98 to 163 with the help of the tail. India needed 125 for a win in two sessions. When India reached 59 for 2 heavens opened up and washed out the remaining day’s play with India just 66 runs away from a win with eight wickets in hand.

Following this huge disappointment at Melbourne, India started the final Test at Sydney on a positive note when their top order Krish Srikkanth (116), Sunil Gavaskar (172) and Mohinder Amarnath (138) all scored hundreds. India declared their first innings close at 600 for 4.

Gavaskar scored 172 at Sydney

In reply, Australia at one stage were 369 for 4 with the follow-on target just 32 runs away. But due to an outstanding bowling spell from Shivilal Yadav, Australia collapsed to 396 and India enforced the follow-on. Meanwhile, about 40 overs were lost on the third day due to rain.

In the second innings, when Australia were 60 for 3, an Indian win seemed imminent. But Greg Ritchie played to the situation and scored 17 not out off 157 balls. In the end, when stumps were drawn, Australia were 119 for 6, 85 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat. The overs lost on the third day due to rain proved critical for India in the final equation.

India finished their disappointing series without a win after dominating more than 80% of the matches. Had the weather Gods smiled on India, India should have won that series in Australia 32 years back. The heartbreaking draw in the Sydney Test was the last straw on the camel’s back.

The Test match in 1992

Ravi Shastri scored a double hundred at Sydney in 1992

The 1992 series was a five-Test series. India lost the first two Test matches before the third Test at Sydney. It was Shane Warne’s debut match. India won the toss and surprisingly elected to field first. Australia, helped by a century from David Boon reached 313 in the first innings.

Sachin remained not out on 148

In reply, Ravi Shastri, opening the innings, scored a fabulous double century. Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 148. Shastri and Sachin added 196 runs for the fifth wicket. Due to their partnership, India managed to reach 483. Shane Warne finished with figures of 1 for 150 in his first Test match. But the worrying factor for India was that on the third day, more than 50 overs were lost due to rain.

Trailing by 170 runs in the first innings, Australia struggled to reach 173 for 8 before India ran out of time. Allan Border remained not out on 53 off 157 balls. But it was Merv Hughes who was instrumental in forcing the draw by playing out 73 balls before stumps were drawn.

India were once again unlucky at Sydney and the 50 overs that they lost on the third day denied them a well-deserved win. Haunted by the disappointment at Sydney, India went on to lose the next two Test matches in Adelaide and Perth to lose the series by a margin of 4-0.

The Test match in 2004

Sachin and Laxman added a massive 353 runs for the fifth wicket in 2004

This was a four-Test series. India had the best chance to win a series for the first time in Australia since they were without their two main bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

India saved the first Test at Brisbane on the back of a sparkling 144 by skipper Sourav Ganguly. India won the second Test at Adelaide by four wickets with Rahul Dravid (233 & 72 not out), VVS Laxman (148 & 32) and Ajit Agarkar (6 for 41) being the heroes for India. In the third Test at Melbourne, India at one stage were 300 for 3 in the first innings before they somehow managed to lose that Test.

The teams reached Sydney for the last Test with the series levelled at 1-1 and everything to play for. It was Steve Waugh’s last Test match. Ganguly won an important toss for India and elected o bat first. The Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Akash Chopra gave India a flying start adding 123 runs.

Sachin Tendulkar, who had a poor series till then, came back to form at Sydney as he scored a scintillating 241 not out with 33 fours. Sachin and Laxman (178) added a colossal 353 runs for the fifth wicket which took the game away from Australia. India reached a massive first innings total of 705 for 7 when they declared their innings closed.

Australia were under tremendous pressure to save the Test and the series. The fact that it was their captain Steve Waugh’s farewell Test added to the pressure. Australia, helped by centuries from Justin Langer (117) and Simon Katich (125) reached 474 in the first innings. For India, Anil Kumble took eight wickets.

Anil Kumble's 12 wickets for the match was not adequate for India to force a win in 2004

Australia were short of the follow-on margin by 27 runs. But, Ganguly chose not to enforce the follow-on since the Indian bowlers were on the field for 117 overs in the first innings.

India went for quick runs in the second innings and declared with the score on 211 for 2. Dravid was on 91 and Sachin on 60 when the declaration came. Sachin made this Test match his own when he scored a total of 301 runs without being dismissed once.

The Australians were set an improbable target of 439 to win. More importantly, India were left with 94 overs to take 10 Australian wickets to win the match and with that the series.

The Australian top-order made useful contributions in the second innings. However, when Australia’s fourth wicket fell with still 50 overs to go, India were in with a very good chance. But, Steve Waugh, playing his last Test innings, came to his team’s rescue one final time.

Steve Waugh (80) and Simon Katich (77 not out) batted through 34 overs to earn Australia a hard fought draw. For India, once again Anil Kumble bowled brilliantly and took four wickets but there was no support for him from the other end.

In the end, the series was levelled 1-1 and India failed to make use of yet another great opportunity to win a series in Australia after scoring 700 in the first innings in that Sydney Test.

To sum up, Sydney, with its inclement weather, has never been kind to India which has denied India some memorable wins in the past. However, in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series, the shoe is on the other foot with India taking a 2-1 lead in the series going into the Sydney Test.

The Australians are under the pump to win the Sydney Test and save the series. The Indians wouldn’t mind a bit of rain at Sydney this time around as a draw would ensure India their first series win in Australia in 71 years and after 12 series.

India are on the cusp of making history at Sydney