This story is from February 04, 2023
Not surprisingly, Sachin Tendulkar still leads the charts here. Sachin was invincible against the mighty Aussies and would regularly smack the likes of Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, and others all over the park. In 34 Tests vs Australia, Sachin scored 3262 runs at an average of 56.24 and struck 9 hundreds which is the most by any player in Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
One of the best captains and batsmen of all time, Ponting is the highest run scorer for Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 'Punter' was a regular nightmare for the Indian bowlers. His iconic pull shots were the highlights of his gameplay. In 29 Tests vs India, he scored 2555 runs at an average of 54.36 and had 8 hundreds under his belt.
When it comes to perfect stroke playing and elegance, Laxman was tailor-made for that job. He was a regular nemesis of the Aussies. The unforgettable knock at the Eden Gardens in 2001 of 281 in a partnership of 376 with Dravid, which led to India’s historic victory was played against the Aussies. In 29 Tests vs Aus, Laxman struck 2434 runs at an average of 49.67 and had 6 centuries.
One of India’s most reliable batsmen, Rahul 'The Wall' Dravid was rock solid at the crease and played on for his team. His 180 in the partnership with Laxman in the 2001 Kolkata Test vs Australia was crucial. In 2008 he frustrated the Aussies with his solid defense, taking 40 balls to open his account. In 32 Tests vs Aus, Dravid scored 2143 runs at an average of 39.68 and had 2 hundreds.
Clarke was a run-machine for the Aussies and was particularly prolific against India. One of his most iconic knocks was played in 2012 at Sydney when he struck a mammoth 329* vs India. He was one of the few Aussies who was adept at playing spin, especially on tough turning Indian tracks. In 22 Tests vs India, Clarke scored 2049 runs at an average of 53.92 and struck 7 hundreds.
Kumble is regarded as one of the best spinners to have played the game. 'Jumbo' leads the charts of most wickets in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Against Australia, Kumble scalped 111 wickets in 20 matches which is the most by a bowler against the Aussies. His best bowling figures are 8/141. He also got 10-fifers.
Harbhajan Singh was one of the premier bowlers for Team India. He had a great on-field rivalry against the Aussies. Fans will never forget his hat trick against them in a historic test match at Eden Garden in 2001. He was the first Indian to claim a Test hat-trick. In 18 matches vs Aus, Bhajji took 95 wickets at an ER of 2.94. His best bowling figures were 8/84 and he got 7-fifers.
Nathan Lyon is the highest wicket-taker from Australia against India in the red-ball format. He is just one wicket away from Harbhajan's mark of 95 wickets. Lyon is known for his sharp spin which disturbs the concentration of the batsmen. In 22 Tests vs India, Lyon got 94 wickets at an ER of 3.14. His best bowling figures were 8/50, with 7-fifers.