Top 5 spells by Indian bowlers in ODIs against Australia

The upcoming India-Australia ODI series is surely going to be a complete entertainment package for the fans as both teams are a strong ODI unit and have plenty of match-winners in their arsenal.

Historically, Australia has dominated India in all formats but on some occasions, India surprised the world champions courtesy of individual brilliance. The batsmen have remained in the forefront in steering India home but the Indian bowlers too have left their mark.

India's spin bowling has always remained a challenge for the Aussies and an inspired show by the Indian seamers has brought Australia's downfall on numerous occasions.

We bring back those sensational memories when Indian bowlers tormented Australia and played the decisive role in the game.

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#5. Sachin Tendulkar- five for 32, Kochi, 1998.

Sachin Tendulkar won several games for India with his bat, but in Kochi, in 1998 he surprised the Aussies and the rest of the world by dominating the proceedings with the ball.

Like his batting, Tendulkar's bowling has plenty of variations and he possesses all types of deliveries in his arsenal. At Kochi, in the first ODI of the triangular series, he displayed his bowling talent.

Courtesy of Ajay Jadeja's attacking hundred, India piled up 309 runs on the board and in response, Australia got off to a blazing start with Adam Gilchrist scoring a quickfire fifty.

The duo of Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan kept the visitors in the driver's seat by scoring runs at will. With the required run-rate below six in the last 20 overs, Australia looked set for an easy win. And then Sachin happened.

In the 32nd over, Sachin caught Waugh off his bowling and triggered the collapse. Darren Lehmann was then trapped in front and Tom Moody too perished after scoring some quick runs.

Sachin also got rid of Bevan, the big wicket, who had scored a composed fifty and then sent back Damien Martyn to complete his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.

The Indian bowler tore apart Australia's middle-order and derailed their chase. India won the game by 41 runs in the end.

#4. Kapil Dev- five for 43, Nottingham, 1983

The 1983 world cup is remembered for Kapil Dev's iconic catch of Vivian Richards and his historical inning of 175 versus Zimbabwe but it is seldom remembered for a lion-hearted bowling performance by the Indian skipper against Australia.

Kapil's five-wicket haul in that losing cause has gone unnoticed amidst other heroic performances during this World Cup. In the 11th match of the World Cup, Australia routed India by 162 runs.

After haemorrhaging 320 runs, India was reduced to 158 runs but during this abysmal show, one man left his mark by sending back five Aussie batsmen.

In his first spell, Kapil castled Kepler Wessels and came back in the death overs to limit the damage. At 277 for five wickets, Australia was aiming for a massive score, but Kapil wrecked the lower batting order.

The Indian skipper sent back Rodney Marsh, took the catch of Ken MacLeay in his own follow-through and castled Hogan. He also accounted for Lawson and in no time, Australia's batting had collapsed.

Kapil finished the inning with the figures of five for 43, but the joy was short-lived as India lost the ODI by a big margin.

#3. Ravi Shastri - five for 15, at Perth, 1991

Ravi Shastri of India

On a difficult Perth wicket, Australia was chasing 209 runs against India in the Benson & Hedges World Series in 1991.

India's pace bowling trio of Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar, and Srinath kept the noose tight with their terrific seam bowling and pushed the home team on the back foot.

At five down for 65 runs, Australia had no option but to counterattack, as they were running out of overs.

However, the home team chose the wrong bowler to counter-attack. Ravi Shastri, India's utility cricketer, bowled exceptional leg spin bowling and strangled Australia's lower order. Steve Waugh was the first man to get out on Shastri's bowling.

A few overs later, Ian Healy couldn't resist himself from walking down the track. Shastri's crafty spin was too hot to handle for Healy and he was stumped.

The tail-enders, Taylor and McDermott joined the bandwagon and soon Australia perished for a mere 101 runs. India won by 107 runs registering one of their most memorable wins in Australia. The architect of this win was Shastri who took five wickets for 15 runs in seven overs.

#4. Ajit Agarkar- Six for 42, at Melbourne, 2004

After leading India to a memorable Test win by claiming six wickets in Adelaide, Ajit Agarkar once again routed Australia by claiming six wickets in the ODI at Melbourne in 2004.

On a batting friendly surface where more than 550 runs were scored in 100 overs, bowlers from both the teams struggled to find their mark. But Agarkar bowed exceptionally well and restricted the damage inflicted by Australia's batsmen.

In his first spell, he sent back the Aussie openers who looked set and were eyeing a big score. The Indian pacer got rid of Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn on consecutive balls to push Australia to three down for 70.

In the slog overs, he got the prize wicket of Andrew Symonds and then accounted for Ian Harvey and Andy Bichel in his last over. With six wickets in the innings, Agarkar registered the best bowling figures by an Indian pacer in ODI cricket against Australia.

#1. Murali Kartik - six for 27, Mumbai 2007

When teams India and Australia arrived in Mumbai for the last and the seventh ODI of the series, the visitors had already won the series and both teams had focused on testing their bench strength.

In the inconsequential ODI, Australia at one stage were two down for 117 and the prospect of a big score was on the cards. And suddenly the ball started to turn and the pitch became a minefield for the batsmen.

Brad Hodge, who looked set at the crease, was caught by Dinesh Karthik on Kartik's bowling and on the very next ball Andrew Symonds departed.

Somehow, Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin kept Australia's innings on track, but Kartik removed Ponting - and then delivered the knockout punch in the 32nd over.

The left-arm spinner trapped Haddin LBW on the first ball, then on the fourth ball forced Brad Hogg to offer a catch to Robin Uthappa, and on the next ball removed Brett Lee. Three wickets in five balls imploded Australia's innings and the visitors were bundled out for 193 runs.

Kartik finished the inning with six wickets and registered the best figures by an Indian bowler against Australia.