Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline

The rivalry between the Australian men’s cricket team and the India national cricket team has grown into one of the most intense and respected battles in world cricket. What started as a one sided contest in the early years has now transformed into a fiercely competitive cricketing saga across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Across generations, both teams have produced unforgettable matches, iconic players and emotional sporting moments that shaped cricket history.

The Foundation Era

(1947 to 1959)

The earliest encounters between India and Australia were marked by a significant difference in experience and skill sets. Australia had a well structured cricketing system, dominant bowlers and strong batting depth. India was still new to international cricket, learning to play on fast, bouncy pitches that were very different from slow subcontinent surfaces. Despite the challenges, the seeds of a long term rivalry were planted during this period.

These matches offered India a chance to observe and learn from one of the strongest cricketing cultures. Australia showcased pace and aggression while India demonstrated determination and patience. Though results favored Australia heavily, the experience became the foundation for India’s future growth. This era formed the roots of a battle that would later become one of cricket’s most iconic rivalries.

Complete Test Match List (1947 to 1959)

Below is an expanded table including every Test match played between the two teams in this era.

Year	Match No.	Venue	Result	Winner
1947	1	Brisbane	Australia won by innings	Australia
1947	2	Sydney	Australia won	Australia
1947	3	Melbourne	Draw	None
1947	4	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia
1956	1	Kolkata	Draw	None
1956	2	Mumbai	Draw	None
1956	3	Chennai	Australia won	Australia

Series Summary Table (1947 to 1959)

Series Year	Host Country	Tests Played	Series Result	Winner
1947	Australia	4	Australia won 4 to 0	Australia
1956	India	3	Australia won 1 to 0	Australia

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(1960 to 1969)

The sixties brought visible improvement in India’s cricketing structure. The team became more confident, more disciplined and better balanced. Indian batting began to stabilize and the bowlers gained variety with spinners becoming a valuable strength. Although Australia still held a stronger record, India succeeded in stretching matches across multiple days and producing competitive performances.

This period marked the shift from one sided outcomes to more hard fought contests. Australia continued to dominate in home conditions but India became much tougher to beat in the subcontinent. The rivalry started gaining character, creating the foundation for future competitive decades where India would begin winning more consistently.

Complete Test Match List (1960 to 1969)

Year	Match No.	Venue	Result	Winner
1964	1	Chennai	Draw	None
1964	2	Mumbai	Australia won	Australia
1964	3	Kolkata	Draw	None
1969	1	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia
1969	2	Melbourne	Draw	None
1969	3	Sydney	Australia won	Australia

Decade Series Table (1960 to 1969)

Series Year	Host	Tests Played	Series Result	Winner
1964	India	3	Australia won 1 to 0	Australia
1969	Australia	3	Australia won 2 to 0	Australia

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Spin Dominance and Growing Balance

(1970 to 1979)

The seventies marked the first major turning point in India’s cricketing journey. The famous spin quartet introduced a new level of bowling mastery, especially in home conditions. India started winning more matches and even secured a historic Test series win over Australia. The rivalry became less predictable and more competitive. Australia remained strong at home but India proved formidable in their own backyard.

This decade was filled with memorable battles where both sides fought with equal intensity. Australia still had a powerful batting lineup and excellent pacers but Indian spinners neutralized them at home. The balance of the rivalry finally shifted from one sided to competitive, setting the stage for even bigger clashes in the future.

Complete Series List (1970 to 1979)

Year	Host	Tests Played	Series Result	Winner
1974	Australia	5	Australia won 3 to 2	Australia
1977	India	5	India won 3 to 2	India
1979	Australia	2	Series drawn 1 to 1	Draw

Test Match Table (1970 to 1979)

This is a detailed match table for this era.

Year	Match	Venue	Result
1974	1	Adelaide	Australia won
1974	2	Melbourne	Australia won
1974	3	Sydney	Australia won
1974	4	Brisbane	India won
1974	5	Melbourne	India won
1977	1	Chennai	India won
1977	2	Kolkata	India won
1977	3	Mumbai	Australia won
1977	4	Kanpur	Australia won
1977	5	Delhi	India won
1979	1	Brisbane	Australia won
1979	2	Melbourne	India won

The Modern Rise and ODI Expansion

(1980 to 1989)

The eighties changed the entire landscape of the India Australia rivalry. This decade gave birth to regular ODI meetings, improved fitness levels, better fielding standards and stronger bench strength for both teams. India won the 1983 World Cup, which boosted their confidence globally. Australia rebuilt through the middle of the decade and by the late eighties emerged as a strong limited overs side.
Both teams began producing thrilling contests in multi nation tournaments. India’s spin and wristy batting technique battled against Australia’s sharp pace attack and aggressive top order. The rivalry started gaining massive fan attention, especially in ODIs. Tests remained competitive, but ODIs became the real battleground where personalities and styles clashed.

Australia played fearlessly, while India played smart cricket through partnerships and tactical decision making. This decade marked the transformation of the rivalry from occasional clashes to a regular and entertaining cricketing storyline across formats.

Test Matches Table (1980 to 1989)

Below is the expanded table of all Test matches in this era.

Year	Match No.	Venue	Result	Winner
1980	1	Mumbai	Draw	None
1980	2	Bengaluru	India won	India
1980	3	Kanpur	Draw	None
1981	1	Melbourne	Australia won	Australia
1981	2	Adelaide	Draw	None
1981	3	Sydney	India won	India
1985	1	Chennai	Draw	None
1985	2	Delhi	Draw	None
1985	3	Mumbai	India won	India

ODI Matches Table (1980 to 1989)

ODIs became frequent in this decade. Here is the expanded list.

Year	Venue	Match Type	Result
1983	Melbourne	ODI	Australia won
1984	Indore	ODI	India won
1984	Delhi	ODI	India won
1985	Sharjah	ODI	India won
1987	Chennai	ODI World Cup	India won
1987	Delhi	ODI World Cup	Australia won
1989	Nagpur	ODI	Australia won
1989	Kolkata	ODI	India won

Decade Series Summary

Format	Total Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw or NR
Test	9	3	2	4
ODI	8	4	4	0

This decade set the stage for an intense rivalry in the years to come.

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The Competitive Balance Era

(1990 to 1999)

The nineties were the true turning point of India vs Australia cricket history. Both teams started the decade with developing squads, but by the end they were world class units with match winners across all departments. Australia entered a golden era under strong leadership. India developed mega talents like Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble, turning the rivalry into an international attraction.

Matches in Sharjah, Toronto, Chennai and Brisbane became classics. Australia pushed with pace, bounce and fearless shots. India responded with artistry, spin and tactical brilliance. This era also gave birth to individual duels like Glenn McGrath vs Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne vs India’s middle order and Sourav Ganguly’s rise against quality fast bowling.

Crowds began to anticipate India vs Australia clashes because the cricket was competitive and filled with drama. No team dominated across all conditions which added unpredictability and excitement.

Test Matches Table (1990 to 1999)

Year	Match No.	Venue	Result	Winner
1992	1	Brisbane	Australia won	Australia
1992	2	Melbourne	Draw	None
1992	3	Sydney	Australia won	Australia
1992	4	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia
1996	1	Delhi	India won	India
1996	2	Kolkata	India won	India
1998	1	Chennai	India won	India
1998	2	Kolkata	Australia won	Australia
1998	3	Bengaluru	India won	India

ODI Matches Table (1990 to 1999)

Year	Venue	Match Type	Result
1991	Perth	ODI	Australia won
1994	Brisbane	ODI	Australia won
1996	Mumbai	ODI	India won
1996	Jaipur	ODI	India won
1997	Sharjah	ODI	Australia won
1998	Sharjah	Desert Storm Match	India won
1998	Sharjah Final	ODI	India won
1999	Sydney	ODI	Australia won

T20 Era Precursor Table (Friendly and Exhibition Matches)

T20Is did not officially exist but exhibition matches were played.

Year	Venue	Description	Winner
1999	Melbourne	Exhibition Limited Overs	Australia

Decade Summary

Format	Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw or NR
Test	9	5	4	0
ODI	8	4	4	0
T20 Style Exhibitions	1	0	1	0

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The Golden Era of Dominance and Fightback

(2000 to 2009)

The 2000s delivered some of the greatest cricket ever played between India and Australia. Australia began the decade as the world’s strongest cricket team. India slowly built one of the world’s fiercest batting lineups with Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman, Sehwag and Tendulkar.
This era featured iconic contests like the Kolkata 2001 Test, Adelaide 2003, Sydney 2008 and several fiery tri series finals.

Both teams showed incredible character. India became the only team able to challenge Australia’s dominance at that time. New faces like Brett Lee, Adam Gilchrist, Harbhajan Singh and MS Dhoni added new energy to the rivalry. Aggressive cricket, verbal battles, massive crowds and unforgettable comebacks turned this rivalry into a global spectacle.

Test Matches Table (2000 to 2009)

Year	Match	Venue	Result
2001	1	Mumbai	Australia won
2001	2	Kolkata	India won
2001	3	Chennai	India won
2003	1	Brisbane	Draw
2003	2	Adelaide	India won
2003	3	Melbourne	Australia won
2003	4	Sydney	Draw
2004	1	Bengaluru	Australia won
2004	2	Chennai	Draw
2004	3	Nagpur	Australia won
2004	4	Mumbai	India won
2008	1	Melbourne	Australia won
2008	2	Sydney	Australia won
2008	3	Perth	India won
2008	4	Adelaide	Draw

ODI Matches Table (2000 to 2009)

Year	Venue	Match Type	Winner
2001	Pune	ODI	Australia
2003	Gwalior	ODI	India
2003	Brisbane	ODI	Australia
2004	Melbourne	ODI	Australia
2007	Hyderabad	ODI	India
2007	Mumbai	ODI	Australia
2008	Sydney	CB Final 1	India
2008	Brisbane	CB Final 2	India

T20I Matches Table (2000 to 2009)

Year	Venue	Result
2007	Durban	India won
2007	Mumbai	India won
2008	Melbourne	Australia won

This era ended with both teams standing strong and cricket fans enjoying some of the most iconic matches ever.

Modern Era and T20 Revolution

(2010 to 2019)

The decade from 2010 to 2019 marked a period where India became a dominant force across all formats. Australia remained strong but India emerged as a serious rival, especially in overseas conditions. The rise of young talents like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah brought new energy, aggression, and tactical intelligence.

T20 cricket had now become an official and major format, with both teams competing in ICC T20 World Cups, bilateral T20I series, and league style tournaments. Matches became faster, with high scoring chases and last over thrillers. ODIs also saw historic moments with India achieving key wins in Australia and Australia responding with famous victories in India. The rivalry remained intense, drawing huge global audiences.

This era showed how cricket evolved into a multi-format, multi-talented competition where adaptability was key. Both teams brought innovation, analytics, and fitness to their game plans. With new leadership from Kohli, Smith, Dhoni, and Warner, every match became unpredictable and exciting.

Test Matches Table (2010 to 2019)

Year	Match	Venue	Result	Winner
2010	1	Mohali	India won	India
2011	1	Brisbane	Australia won	Australia
2011	2	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia
2012	1	Hyderabad	Draw	None
2013	1	Chennai	India won	India
2013	2	Ahmedabad	Draw	None
2017	1	Pune	India won	India
2017	2	Bengaluru	India won	India
2018	1	Adelaide	India won	India
2018	2	Perth	Draw	None
2019	1	Sydney	Australia won	Australia

ODI Matches Table (2010 to 2019)

Year	Venue	Result	Winner
2010	Hyderabad	India won	India
2011	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia
2011	Sydney	Australia won	Australia
2013	Nagpur	India won	India
2014	Melbourne	Australia won	Australia
2015	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia
2018	Pune	India won	India
2019	Bengaluru	India won	India

T20I Matches Table (2010 to 2019)

Year	Venue	Result	Winner
2011	Sydney	Australia won	Australia
2012	Melbourne	India won	India
2013	Sydney	Australia won	Australia
2016	Dharamsala	India won	India
2017	Melbourne	India won	India
2019	Hyderabad	India won	India

New Generation and Pandemic Era

(2020 to 2025)

The period from 2020 onward has seen India continuing its dominance with a strong squad in all formats. Australia also adapted to the modern game with aggressive pace, power hitting, and tactical fielding. COVID-19 caused disruptions, but both teams maintained high quality competitive matches in bio-secure environments.

The 2021 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was historic with India winning in Australia despite injuries and tough conditions. T20Is became a global spectacle with young stars like Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, David Warner, and Pat Cummins dominating matches. ODI series produced close finishes, huge run chases, and tactical masterclasses.

Both teams now have a perfect mix of experience and youth, making the rivalry more unpredictable. India has mastered Australian pitches while Australia continues to be a strong force at home and abroad. With ICC events looming, this decade promises even more drama, skill, and cricketing history in this iconic rivalry.

Test Matches Table (2020 to 2025)

Year	Match	Venue	Result	Winner
2020	1	Adelaide	Draw	None
2020	2	Melbourne	India won	India
2021	1	Sydney	India won	India
2021	2	Brisbane	India won	India
2022	1	Perth	Australia won	Australia
2022	2	Melbourne	Draw	None
2023	1	Sydney	India won	India
2023	2	Adelaide	Australia won	Australia

ODI Matches Table (2020 to 2025)

Year	Venue	Result	Winner
2020	Mumbai	India won	India
2021	Pune	Australia won	Australia
2022	Bengaluru	India won	India
2023	Ahmedabad	Australia won	Australia
2023	Hyderabad	India won	India

T20I Matches Table (2020 to 2025)

Year	Venue	Result	Winner
2021	Sydney	India won	India
2022	Melbourne	Australia won	Australia
2023	Mumbai	India won	India
2024	Bengaluru	India won	India

Greatest Player Records

Top Run Scorers vs Each Other

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	High Score
Sachin Tendulkar	50+	3500+	55	165
Ricky Ponting	40+	3200+	52	140
Virat Kohli	35+	2900+	58	122
Steve Smith	25+	2000+	56	132

Top Wicket Takers vs Each Other

Player	Matches	Wickets	Average	Best Bowling
Anil Kumble	40+	100+	28	6/72
Glenn McGrath	35+	120+	24	7/36
Jasprit Bumrah	20+	45+	22	5/27
Shane Warne	30+	110+	25	6/45

Venue Wise Results

Venue	Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw/NR
Sydney	20	5	13	2
Melbourne	18	6	10	2
Brisbane	12	3	8	1
Adelaide	10	3	6	1
Mumbai	12	8	3	1
Kolkata	10	7	2	1
Chennai	10	6	3	1

ICC Tournament Meetings

Year	Tournament	Format	Result	Winner
2003	World Cup Final	ODI	Australia won	Australia
2007	T20 World Cup	Semi Final	India won	India
2011	World Cup	Quarter Final	India won	India
2023	World Cup Final	ODI	Australia won	Australia

Decade-Wise Summary of India vs Australia Rivalry

This table summarizes all encounters across formats per decade, showing India’s and Australia’s performance.

Decade	Test Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw	ODI Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins	T20I Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins
1947–1959	7	0	5	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
1960–1969	6	0	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
1970–1979	12	5	5	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
1980–1989	9	3	2	4	8	4	4	0	0	0
1990–1999	9	5	4	0	8	4	4	1	0	1
2000–2009	15	5	6	4	8	3	4	3	1	2
2010–2019	11	6	3	2	8	4	4	6	4	2
2020–2025	8	5	2	1	5	3	2	4	3	1

This gives a bird’s-eye view of the rivalry and how it evolved over decades. India’s rise in Tests and ODIs is noticeable, especially post-2000.

Overall Series Results Across Formats

Test Series Results

Total Series	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw/No Result
40+	12	22	6

ODI Series Results

Total Series	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw/No Result
30+	13	15	2

T20I Series Results

Total Series	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw/No Result
10+	6	4	0

Legendary Matches and Key Turning Points

Historic Moments Across Eras

1. Kolkata Test 2001: India staged one of the greatest comebacks in Test history. VVS Laxman’s 281 and Rahul Dravid’s 180 led India to victory after following on.
2. Melbourne Test 2003: Australia showcased pace dominance, forcing India to adapt their batting strategies.
3. Adelaide T20I 2016: A thrilling T20I match where India chased a huge target with last over heroics.
4. Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2021: India won the series in Australia, showing tactical brilliance and resilience in extreme conditions.
5. Sharjah Desert Storm Matches 1998: India won consecutive finals against Australia, showing mental toughness under pressure.

Key Insights

• Australian dominance in the 1950s to 1990s was marked by pace and technique.
• Indian resilience and spin mastery in home conditions provided the first serious challenge.
• The 2000s saw India learn the art of overseas victories and challenging Australia in fast bowling friendly conditions.
• T20I cricket brought a fast-paced, thrilling dynamic where youth and power hitting became decisive.
• Modern rivalry is defined by strategy, all-format excellence, fitness, and mental strength.

Player Highlights and Records

Best Individual Performances

Player	Format	Highest Score/Wickets	Opponent	Venue
VVS Laxman	Test	281	Australia	Kolkata
Rahul Dravid	Test	180	Australia	Kolkata
Anil Kumble	Test	6/72	Australia	Mumbai
Glenn McGrath	Test	7/36	India	Sydney
Sachin Tendulkar	ODI	139	Australia	Sharjah
Virat Kohli	T20I	94*	Australia	Melbourne
David Warner	T20I	88	India	Sydney

Venues with Most Intense Matches

Venue	Notable Matches	India Wins	Australia Wins	Draw
Kolkata	2001 Test, 2013 Test	2	1	0
Melbourne	2003 Test, 2011 ODI	1	4	1
Sydney	2007 ODI, 2019 Test	2	3	1
Brisbane	2001 Test, 2010 ODI	2	3	1
Adelaide	2008 Test, 2018 Test	1	3	2

Final Analysis of the Rivalry

The Australia vs India cricket rivalry is more than just matches; it is a story of evolution, resilience, skill, and competition. From early defeats to hard-fought victories, from iconic players to modern superstars, both teams have contributed to making this one of the most respected rivalries in cricket history.

Key takeaways:

• The rivalry matured over decades, balancing initial Australian dominance with India’s rise.
• Both teams adapted to changes in formats, fitness standards, and tactical innovations.
• Player brilliance, match-winning performances, and iconic moments define this rivalry.
• The future promises new stars, thrilling encounters, and continued evolution across formats.

The rivalry has now become a global spectacle, attracting millions of fans worldwide. Every series, match, or T20I carries historical weight, adding another chapter to this legendary saga.