It’s been 46 years since India won a Test match in Sydney, and a victory in the concluding match of this Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will not only end the wait of more than four decades but also help India retain the trophy.
After a defeat in the fourth Test of this BGT, India conceded a 2-1 lead to Australia, who now need just a draw to reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2014. If India win to make it 2-2, they will retain it as the previous edition’s winner.
India began the tour on a rousing note with a 295-run win in Perth, but lost the pink-ball Test in Adelaide by 10 wickets. The Brisbane Test ended in a draw, and the hosts once again dominated the visitors in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne to win by 184 runs.
While India’s only win of this series came at a venue known for its fast-paced and bouncy pitch (Perth), the series final will be held at a venue that has historically been the most spin-friendly venue in Australia, which suits India the most.
That was highlighted by spin legend Anil Kumble during the 2003-04 tour of Australia, when the former India captain claimed a match-haul of 12 wickets.
India no longer have off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket after the third Test of this series, to lead the spin attack. That responsibility is now on the shoulders of Ravindra Jadeja, who will have off-spinner Washington Sundar assisting him.
Will one of them do a Kumble for India? Time will tell.
Here’s some interesting trivia for Tests played at the SCG so far:
– Kumble’s match figures of 12 for 279 runs – 8/141 + 4/138 – in January 2004 remain the best by an Indian bowler in a Test match at Sydney.
– Rishabh Pant has been a consistent performer in Tests at this venue, scoring 159 not out in January 2019 and 36 & 97 in January 2021. He managed 292 runs in three innings at an average of 146.00.
– India’s only triumph out of 13 Tests played at this venue had come by an innings and 2 runs under Bishan Singh Bedi’s captaincy in January 1978. India’s three spinners bowled quite well to capture the major chunk of wickets – Bishan Singh Bedi (3/49 + 2/62), Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (4/30 + 2/85) and Erapalli Prasanna (1/14 + 4/51).
– India have lost five and drawn the remaining seven Tests out of the 13 contested at Sydney.
– Twenty three drawn Tests out of 112 played by Australia (won 61 and lost 28) at Sydney are the most in any Australian venue.
– In the 2011-12 Sydney Test, India (191 & 400) had conceded a first-innings lead of 468 to Australia (659/4 declared) — their highest against Australia. India lost by an innings and 68 runs.
– Sachin Tendulkar enjoys an outstanding record in Tests at SCG, aggregating 785 runs in five Tests at an average of 157.00, including three hundreds and two fifties. His three hundreds are 148 not out in 1992, 241 not out in 2004 and 154 not out in 2008.
– Of the eight triple hundreds in Tests by captains, three have been recorded against India — 329 not out by Michael Clarke (Australia) at Sydney in 2012; 333 by Graham Gooch (England) at Lord’s in 1990 and Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) at Wellington in 2014.
– Clarke remains the only batter and captain to record a triple hundred at Sydney (329 not out against India in 2012).
– Clarke and Michael Hussey (150 not out) had shared an unbroken partnership of 334 vs India at Sydney in 2012 – the only triple hundred partnership by any pair against India in Tests.
– In the aforesaid Test, Clarke and Ricky Ponting had put on 288 runs for the fourth wicket – the only instance for Australia of two 250-plus partnerships in the same innings. The said instance remains the only one against India.
(Stats and trivia by: Rajesh Kumar)
