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Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) India Australia Test Series: The Definitive Guide (Updated 2023), Complete History, Most Runs, Most Wickets, and BGT 2023 Schedule

This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth look at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), one of the most celebrated Test series in the cricket world today.

We will discuss the history of BGT, and look at some of the prominent players who have played a major role in making this tournament what it is today, including the most runs and wickets. The upcoming BGT 2023 schedule and how they can follow the tournament as it unfolds in India is also displayed.

Key Takeaways

  • The Border Gavaskar trophy has been held 15 times since 1996, 8 of which were hosted by India and 7 by Australia.
  • India has won the BorderGavaskar Trophy 9 times (96-97, 97-98, 2000-01, 04-05, 08-09, 2010-11, 12-13, 16-1)
  • Australia has won the Border Gavaskar Trophy 5 times (1999-2000, 04-05,07-08,11-12, 14-15).
  • Sachin Tendulkar (3262), Ricky Ponting (2555), and VVS Laxman (2434) are the highest run scorers in Border Gavaskar Trophy history.
  • Anil Kumble (111), Harbhajan Singh (95), and Nathan Lyon (94) are the highest wicket-takers in the Border -Gavaskar Trophy.
  • India has won in Australia twice (2018-19, 2020-21). Australia has won in India 4 times, but only once since 1996 (1947-48, 1956-57, 1959-60, 2004-05).
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What is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a Test series held between India and Australia named after Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. Although India and Australia have been playing Test series since 1947, this series officially began in 1996 when Australia toured India for one Test match. Since then, it has been held every 2-3 years in either India or Australia.

History of India vs Australia Test Series at a Glance

Since 1947, both Australia and India have hosted the Test series on 14 occasions each (28 series total). Australia has won 12 times each, India has won 11 times, and the series has been drawn five times. The entire table of the India-Australia Test series is summarized below.

*Note that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy officially begins in 1996.

HostSeason PlayedSeries WinnerSeries ScoreTests
Australia1947-1948Australia4-0 5
India1956-1957Australia2-03
India1959-1960Australia2-15
India1964-1965Drawn1-13
Australia1967-1968Australia4-04
India1969-1970Australia3-15
Australia1977-1978Australia3-25
India1979-1980India2-06
Australia1980-1981Drawn1-13
Australia1985-1986Drawn0-03
India1986-1987Drawn0-03
Australia1991-1992Australia4-05
India1996-1997*India1-01
India1997-1998India2-13
Australia1999-2000Australia3-03
India2000-2001India2-13
Australia2003-2004Drawn1-14
India2004-2005Australia2-14
Australia2007-2008Australia2-14
India2008-2009India2-04
India2010-2011India2-02
Australia2011-2012Australia4-04
India2012-2013India4-04
Australia2014-2015Australia2-04
India2016-2017India2-14
Australia2018-2019India2-14
Australia2020-2021India2-14
India2022-2023India2-14

History of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Now we will present each Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series in detail, in reverse chronological order.

BGT 2022-23 (India 2-1)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Nagpur, Delhi, Indore, Ahmedabad

This series was marked by the excellence of India’s three spin allrounders – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, & Axar Patel. Resurgence of Virat Kohli, Usman Khawaja’s defiance, and Nathan Lyon’s effectiveness were factors in yet another absorbing Test series.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2022-23: Ravichandran Ashwin
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2022-23: Usman Khawaja (333)
    • Marnus Labuschagne (244)
    • Virat Kohli (297), Axar Patel (264), Rohit Sharma (242)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2022-23: Ravichandran Ashwin (25)
    • Nathan Lyon (22), Todd Murphy (14)
    • Ravindra Jadeja (22), Mohammad Shami (9)

Scorecards

  1. India won by an innings & 132 runs *Ravindra Jadeja
  2. India won by 6 wickets *Ravindra Jadeja
  3. Australia won by 9 wickets *Nathan Lyon
  4. Match Drawn *Virat Kohli

BGT 2020-21 (India 2-1)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane (GABBA)
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Virat Kohli’s 50, Tim Paine’s rearguard effort, 36 ALL OUT, Ajinkya Rahane’s Melbourne 100 & captaincy, Shubman Gill’s emergence, Smith and Labuschagne’s successful partnership, and Pat Cummins doing it all. Siraj suffers but delivers, Thakur & Sundar lead India’s next generation, Ashwin-Paine spice up the tournament, Vihari takes body blows, and the yin and yang of Pujara-Pant gives India series victory and breaches the Gabba fortress.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2020-21: Pat Cummins
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2020-21: Marnus Labuschagne (426)
    • Steven Smith (426)
    • Rishabh Pant (274), Cheteshwar Pujara (271), Ajinkya Rahane (268)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2020-21: Pat Cummins (21)
    • Josh Hazlewood (17), Mitchell Starc (11)
    • Mohammad Siraj (13), Ravichandran Ashwin (12), Jasprit Bumrah (11)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 8 wickets *Tim Paine
  2. India won by 8 wickets *Ajinkya Rahane
  3. Match Drawn *Steven Smith
  4. India won by 3 wickets *Rishabh Pant

*Denotes Player of the Match Award

Also Read: India Vs Australia Series Review 2020-21: The Greatest Story of Them All? Better Than Ashes 2005?-, Top 10 Life Lessons From India Vs Australia 2020: Courage, Character, Resilience – Which One Is Your Favorite?

Note: Bharat Sundaresan is going to release his book on the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy during the 2023 BGT in India. He was in the thick of things traveling to each city and discussing the events of each day with Melinda Farrell.

BGT 2018-19 (India 2-1)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Adelaide, Perth (Perth Stadium), Melbourne, Sydney
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If you saw the first season of The Test, you will realize what a thorn Pujara was in Australia’s plans. He defended, defended, and defended some more. In the process, he scored tons of runs. Rishabh Pant & Tim Paine provided several cute moments, Nathan Lyon vs Pujara & Pant was mesmerizing. Bumrah’s slower delivery to dismiss Shaun Marsh will forever be etched in memory. To sum it up though, it was Kohli’s captaincy and the fast-bowling revolution was key to India’s success. Australia was without the services of Warner & Smith as they tried to recover from the ball tampering scandal, but this does not take anything away from India.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2018-19: Cheteshwar Pujara
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2018-19: Cheteshwar Pujara (521)
    • Rishabh Pant (350), Virat Kohli (282)
    • Marcus Harris (258), Travis Head (237)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2018-19: Jasprit Bumrah, Nathan Lyon
    • Mohammad Shami (16)
    • Pat Cummins (14), Josh Hazlewood (13), Mitchell Starc (13)

Scorecards

  1. India won by 31 runs *Cheteshwar Pujara
  2. Australia won by 146 runs *Nathan Lyon
  3. India won by 137 runs *Jasprit Bumrah
  4. Match Drawn *Cheteshwar Pujara

BGT 2016-17 (India 2-1)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Pune, Bengaluru, Ranchi, Dharamsala
Steven Smith celebrates after scoring 109 in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2016-17.
Steven Smith’s 109 in Pune – One of the greatest centuries on Indian soil by an Australian batter.

Australia started with a massive win and hope to win a series in India. Pujara scored another double century and a couple of fifties. Beginning to be a pattern, isn’t it? Steve Smith with scores of 109, 178, 111 was at his absolute best, but the Ravis (Ashwin & Jadeja) were just too hot to handle. Other players played decent roles as well. Nathan Lyon took an eight-for and Steve O’Keefe delivered that first win with 6-fers. KL Rahul with twin fifties, Matt Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Rahane, Wade all contributing as well in what was a competitive series.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2016-17: Ravindra Jadeja
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2016-17: Steven Smith (499)
    • Cheteshwar Pujara (405), KL Rahul (393), Ajinkya Rahane (198)
    • Matt Renshaw (232), Pete Handscomb (198)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2016-17: Ravindra Jadeja (25)
    • Ravichandran Ashwin (21), Umesh Yadav (17)
    • Steve O’Keefe (19), Nathan Lyon (19)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 333 runs *Steve O’Keefe
  2. India won by 75 runs *KL Rahul
  3. Match drawn *Cheteshwar Pujara
  4. India won by 8 wickets *Ravindra Jadeja

BGT 2014-15 (Australia 2-0)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
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Although India did not exorcise the ghosts of 2011, Team India provided that glimmer of hope. It was Mitchell Johnson’s year and even though he was Australia’s highest wicket-taker, the partnership between Virat Kohli & Ajinkya Rahane will be remembered forever. Just check this clip out. Virat Kohli’s twin tons in Adelaide made for a classic Test and set his career up. But Steve Smith. 769 Runs. Genius. Nathan Lyon. 23 Wickets. Australian legends coming into their own in this series. MS Dhoni surprises with his retirement after the 3rd Test, and Ryan Harris retires after yet another memorable performance.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2014-15: Steven Smith
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2014-15: Steven Smith (769)
    • Virat Kohli (692), Murali Vijay (482), Ajinkya Rahane (399)
    • David Warner (427), Chris Rogers (417)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2014-15: Nathan Lyon (23)
    • Mohammad Shami (15), Ravichandran Ashwin (12)
    • Mitchell Johnson (13), Josh Hazlewood (12)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 48 runs *Nathan Lyon
  2. Australia won by 4 wickets *Steven Smith
  3. Match Drawn *Ryan Harris
  4. Match Drawn *Steven Smith

BGT 2012-13 (India 4-0)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Chennai, Hyderabad, Mohali, Delhi

Michael Clarke’s unforgettable year, MS Dhoni’s double, and the greatness that Ravichandran Ashwin is. Pujara scored a double as well, and Vijay continued in the prime of his life with 167. But this series will be remembered for Shikhar Dhawan’s glorious 187 on debut, Starc’s 99 at #8, and Steven Smith starting to make runs on Asian soil.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2012-13: Ravichandran Ashwin
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2012-13: Murali Vijay (430)
    • Cheteshwar Pujara (410), MS Dhoni (326), Virat Kohli (284)
    • Michael Clarke (286), Ed Cowan (265), David Warner (192)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2012-13: Ravichandran Ashwin (29)
    • Ravindra Jadeja (24), Pragyan Ojha (7), Ishant Sharma (7)
    • Nathan Lyon (15), James Pattinson (9), Peter Siddle (9), Glenn Maxwell (7)

Scorecards

  1. India won by 8 wickets *MS Dhoni
  2. India won by an innings and 135 runs *Cheteshwar Pujara
  3. India won by 6 wickets *Shikhar Dhawan
  4. India won by 6 wickets *Ravindra Jadeja

Source: Border Gavaskar Trophy 2012-13

BGT 2011-12 (Australia 4-0)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide
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Australia crushes India. Shall I say anymore? A drubbing. A disaster. Michael Clarke smashes 329* and 210, Ricky Ponting averages 108.8 and also scores a double. Hilfenhaus & Siddle take 50 wickets among themselves. James Pattinson announces himself (briefly) on the international stage. Rahul Dravid gets bowled 7 times. An end of an era. Kohli’s 116 in the 4th Test India’s only positive. This tour will always be remembered for the infamous 0-8.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2011-12: Michael Clarke
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2011-12: Michael Clarke (626)
    • Ricky Ponting (544), Mike Hussey (293), David Warner (266)
    • Virat Kohli (300), Sachin Tendulkar (287)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2011-12: Ben Hilfenhaus (27)
    • Peter Siddle (23), James Pattinson (11)
    • Zaheer Khan (15), Umesh Yadav (14)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 122 runs *James Pattinson
  2. Australia won by an innings and 68 runs *Michael Clarke
  3. Australia won by an innings and 37 runs *David Warner
  4. Australia won by 298 runs *Peter Siddle

Source: BGT 2011-12

BGT 2010-11 (India 2-0)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 2
  • Venues: Mohali, Bengaluru

Short but sweet series. The Mohali Test is an all-time classic. VVS Laxman, back spasms, and a successful chase with the lower order. In the second Test, Tendulkar continued his dream resurgent year with 214 & 53*. In the second innings, Rahul Dravid was yet again going to be demoted from his #3 position for someone else. That someone else turned out to be Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored a counterattacking 72. Cheteshwar Pujara—counterattacking Australians since 2010.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2010-11: Sachin Tendulkar
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2010-11: Sachin Tendulkar (403)
    • Murali Vijay (176), Suresh Raina (118)
    • Shane Watson (271), Ricky Ponting (224), Tim Paine (183), Marcus North (141)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2010-11: Zaheer Khan (12)
    • Harbhajan Singh (11), Pragyan Ojha (9)
    • Mitchell Johnson (8), Ben Hilfenhaus (8), Nathan Hauritz (6)

Scorecards

  1. India won by 1 wicket *Zaheer Khan
  2. India won by 7 wickets *Sachin Tendulkar

Sources: BGT 2010-11

BGT 2008-09 (India 2-0)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Bengaluru, Mohali, Delhi, Nagpur
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Anil Kumble retires at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Ishant Sharma continues his growth with a player of the series performance. Although Hussey, Katich, Johnson, Krezja, and Watson played key roles for Australia, it was clear that Australia was in a transition era.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2008-09: Ishant Sharma
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2008-09: Gautam Gambhir (463)
    • Sachin Tendulkar (396), VVS Laxman (381), Virender Sehwag (351)
    • Mike Hussey (394), Simon Katich (349)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2008-09: Ishant Sharma (15)
    • Harbhajan Singh (15), Amit Mishra (14), Zaheer Khan (11)
    • Mitchell Johnson (13), Jason Krezja (12), Shane Watson (10)

Scorecards

  1. Match Drawn *Zaheer Khan
  2. India won by 320 runs *MS Dhoni
  3. Match Drawn *VVS Laxman
  4. India won by 172 runs *Jason Krejza

Sources: BGT 2008-09

BGT 2007-08 (Australia 2-1)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide
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The series turned out to have both off-field and on-field drama. What began as a great era of Test series from 2000-01 ended with 2007-08 with some questionable decisions and the Monkeygate crisis. Tendulkar still scored runs, Anil Kumble still took wickets, but Brett Lee was the pick of the players in the series.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2007-08: Brett Lee
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2007-08: Sachin Tendulkar (493)
    • VVS Laxman (366), Virender Sehwag (286)
    • Matthew Hayden (410), Andrew Symonds (410), Michael Clarke (316), Michael Hussey (292), Ricky Ponting (268)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2007-08: Brett Lee (24)
    • Mitchell Johnson (16), Stuart Clark (14)
    • Anil Kumble (20), RP Singh (13)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 337 runs *Matthew Hayden
  2. Australia won by 122 runs *Andrew Symonds
  3. India won by 72 runs *Irfan Pathan
  4. Match Drawn *Sachin Tendulkar

Sources BGT 2004-05

BGT 2004-05 (Australia 2-1)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Bengaluru, Chennai, Nagpur, Mumbai (Wankhede)
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Australia finally breaches the India fortress feat Damien Martyn. A young Michael Clarke, game-changing Gilchrist, and Gillespie all contributed to their effort. India’s spin trios—Kumble, Harbhajan, and Murali Kartik took 60 wickets among themselves but fell short.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2004-05: Damien Martyn
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2004-05: Damien Martyn (444)
    • Michael Clarke (400), Simon Katich (276), Matthew Hayden (244), Justin Langer (228), Adam Gilchrist (218)
    • Virender Sehwag (299), Rahul Dravid (167), Parthiv Patel (156), Mohammad Kaif (153)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2004-05: Anil Kumble (27)
    • Harbhajan Singh (21), Murali Kartik (12), Zaheer Khan (10)
    • Jason Gillespie (20), Glenn McGrath (14), Shane Warne (14)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 217 runs *Michael Clarke
  2. Match Drawn *Anil Kumble
  3. Australia won by 342 runs *Damien Martyn
  4. India won by 13 runs *Murali Kartik

Sources: BGT 2004-05

BGT 2003-04 (Drawn 1-1)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 4
  • Venues: Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney
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A series for the ages. Ricky Ponting & Rahul Dravid at the top of their games scoring 706 & 619 runs respectively. Dravid’s 233 & 72* with VVS Laxman torturing Australia once again. Sachin Tendulkar resists his cover drive temptation to score 241*, Kumble India’s top performer with the ball yet again, Ganguly scores a ton. Sehwag, Hayden, Martyn, Steve Waugh all among the runs. Gillespie, Agarkar, MacGill, and Lee among the wickets. Something for everybody. Many great players of this era in peak form. Deserved 1-1 drawn series.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2003-04: Rahul Dravid
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2003-04: Ricky Ponting (706)
    • Matthew Hayden (51), Justin Langer (369), Simon Katich (353)
    • Rahul Dravid (619), VVS Laxman (494), Virender Sehwag (464), Sachin Tendulkar (383)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2003-04: Anil Kumble (24)
    • Ajit Agarkar (16)
    • Stuart MacGill (14), Jason Gillespie (10), Brett Lee (8)

Scorecards

  1. Match Drawn *Sourav Ganguly
  2. India won by 4 wickets *Rahul Dravid
  3. Australia won by 9 wickets *Ricky Ponting
  4. Match Drawn *Sachin Tendulkar

Sources: BGT 2003-04

BGT 2000-01 (India 2-1)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 3
  • Venues: Mumbai (Wankhede), Kolkata, Chennai
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The series that began the rivalry. Steve Waugh’s final frontier was so close, yet so far. VVS Laxman’s greatest innings of the century, the 281, and the partnership turned narrative around for this series and Indian cricket in general. Shane Warne’s expression that day said it all. Sourav Ganguly, the charasmatic captain leading India after the match-fixing era, Sachin Tendulkar doing what he does best (along with his googlies), and Harbhajan Singh being a class apart. India’s top three bowlers in the charts read: Harbhajan (32), Tendulkar (3), Zaheer Khan (3). From Australia’s end, Hayden, McGrath, Gilchrist, Waugh, Warne, and Gillespie all played a role in the series.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 2000-01: Harbhajan Singh
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2000-01: Matthew Hayden (549)
    • Steve Waugh (243), Michael Slater (166)
    • VVS Laxman (503), Rahul Dravid (338), Sachin Tendulkar (304), SS Das (173)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2000-01: Harbhajan Singh (32)
    • Sachin Tendulkar (3), Zaheer Khan (3)
    • Glenn McGrath (17), Jason Gillespie (13), Shane Warne (10), CR Miller (6), Mark Waugh (3)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 10 wickets *Adam Gilchrist
  2. India won by 171 runs *VVS Laxman
  3. India won by 2 wickets *Matthew Hayden

Sources: BGT 2000-01

BGT 1999-2000 (Australia 3-0)

  • Hosts: Australia
  • Number of Tests: 3
  • Venues: Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney
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With the exception of individual performances by India, Australia completely blew the visitors away. Ricky Ponting was the top run-scorer and Glenn McGrath was the highest wicket taker of ther series, two names that would come up time and again over the next decade. Tendulkar was the player of the series, but VVS Laxman’s 167 gave Australia a taste of what they were about to face in the future.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 1999-2000: Sachin Tendulkar
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 1999-2000: Ricky Ponting (375)
    • Justin Langer (289), Steve Waugh (276), Adam Gilcrist (221)
    • Sachin Tendulkar (278), VVS Laxman (221), Sourav Ganguly (177)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 1999-2000: Glenn McGrath (18)
    • Brett Lee (13), Damien Fleming (12), Shane Warne (8)
    • Ajit Agarkar (11), Javagal Srinath (10), Venkatesh Prasad (7)

Scorecards

  1. Australia won by 285 runs *Steve Waugh
  2. Australia won by 180 runs *Sachin Tendulkar
  3. Australia won by an innings and 141 runs *Glenn McGrath

Sources: BGT 1999-2000

BGT 1997-98 (India 2-1)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 3
  • Venues: Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru
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1998—The year of Sachin Tendulkar. He continued his Sharjah exploits in Test cricket. Here is a clip of the battle between Shane Warne vs Sachin Tendulkar in India for the first time. Although Australia got a consolation win, India defeated Australia by healthy margins in the first two Tests.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 1997-98: Sachin Tendulkar
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 1997-98: Sachin Tendulkar (446)
    • Navjot Singh Sidhu (341), Mohammad Azharuddin (311)
    • Mark Waugh (280), Mark Taylor (189), Ian Healy (165)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 1997-98: Anil Kumble (23)
    • Javagal Srinath (8), Venkatapathy Raju (7)
    • Gavin Robertson (12), Shane Warne (10), Michael Kasprowicz (8)

Scorecards

  1. India won by 179 runs *Sachin Tendulkar
  2. India won by an innings and 219 runs *Javagal Srinath
  3. Australia won by 8 wickets *Michael Kasprowicz

Sources: BGT 1997-98

BGT 1996-97 (India 1-0)

  • Hosts: India
  • Number of Tests: 1
  • Venues: Delhi
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Nayan Mongia starred in India’s first Border-Gavaskar Trophy win over Australia. Another key contributor, Anil Kumble, would stand up again and again in the India-Australia Tests for years to come.

Stats

  • Player of the Series in BGT 1996-97: Nayan Mongia
  • Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 1996-97: Nayan Mongia (152)
  • Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 1996-97: Anil Kumble (9)

Scorecards

  1. India won by 7 wickets *Nayan Mongia

Sources: BGT 1996-97

2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Schedule

The schedule for the 2023 BGT 2023 is shown below:

  • 1st Test, Nagpur, 9-13 February, 2023
  • 2nd Test, Delhi, 17-21 February, 2023
  • 3rd Test, Dharamsala, 1-5 March, 2023
  • 4th Test, Ahmedabad, 9-13 March, 2023

The ODI series is scheduled as follows:

  • 1st ODI (D/N), Mumbai (Wankhede), 17 March, 2023
  • 2nd ODI (D/N), Visakhapatnam, 19 March, 2023
  • 3rd ODI (D/N), Chennai, 22 March 2023

Who were Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border?

Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border were two of the greatest cricketers in history.

Gavaskar was an iconic Indian batsman who played 125 Tests for India, scoring a then-record 34 centuries. He held several batting records and is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen ever to have graced the game. On the other hand, Border was an Australian all-rounder who captained Australia to their first World Cup win in 1987. He played 156 Tests for Australia and is widely considered to be one of the greatest captains of all time. Together, these two legends were instrumental in establishing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which has become one of the most eagerly anticipated cricket series.

Also Read: 151 Greatest Cricketers of All Time (Men’s)

Final Thoughts

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was established in 1996 as a tribute to two of cricket’s finest players, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. The series has since become one of the most anticipated events in international cricket, with some of the greatest matches being played between India and Australia over the past two decades. The trophy is contested every two years, alternating between India and Australia, with the last edition being hosted Down Under in 2020-21. The series has seen some of the greatest contests in cricket history, providing for a thrilling and intense experience for all fans.

We will just wait and watch what BGT 2023 has to offer. With all the recent past, I’m sure it will be nothing short of delightful.

Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was established in 1996 as a tribute to two of cricket’s finest players, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. The series has since become one of the most anticipated events in international cricket, with some of the greatest matches being played between India and Australia over the past two decades. The trophy is contested e very two years, alternating between India and Australia, with the last edition being hosted Down Under in 2018-19. The series has seen some of the greatest contests in cricket history, providing for a thrilling and intense experience for all fans.

When is the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

The next Border-Gavaskar Trophy will take place in February-March 2023 in India. It will consist of 4 Tests and 3 ODIs.

Who has won the most Border-Gavaskar trophies (BGT)?

India has won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 9 times, while Australia have held it five times.

How many times has India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia?

India has won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy twice (2018-19 & 2020-21).

How many times has Australia won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in India?

Australia has won the Border Gavaskar Trophy exactly once in India (2004). However, Australia has won it thrice more before the inception of the BGT.

How many times has Australia won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

Australia has won the BGT 5 times.

How many times has India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

India has won the BGT 9 times.

Who currently holds the Border Gavaskar Trophy?

India is the current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, winning away from home 2-1 in 2020-21.

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Sources: Australia v India Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com, Border-Gavaskar Trophy Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com, Border-Gavaskar Trophy Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com

Image Courtesy: Steve Smith 109 at Pune (AFP)

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC, 2023. Originally published on 01/29/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Think About It: India Are So Bad That They Are Actually Good

As acclaimed twentieth century writer Khalil Gibran once remarked, “Exaggeration is truth that has lost its temper.”

India’s improbable victory in the 4th Test sent social media into frenzy. There were claims of it being the ‘greatest Test team’ going around or the ‘best Indian Test team.’ Although there is subtle merit to these claims, I argue that this is just an over exaggeration of the ground reality.

How Good Are Team India?

There is no doubt that the Indian cricket team has flourished in the 21st century. With a thriving cricketing culture, robust recruitment setup throughout the country, monetary power in the hands of the BCCI with the advent of the IPL, and a prospering India A system, India has the greatest depth and resources available.

The rise of Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Khan across formats in less than six months attests to this claim.

Overseas Victories

India came back from 0-1 to seal the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. Stories galore and the legend of this series will carry in the minds of fans forever. Similarly, a defeat in the third Test against England did not faze India. In the 4th Test, a 99-run deficit was overcome via valiant century by Rohit Sharma and memorable contributions in both innings by Shardul Thakur.

To give you an idea how far India have come along—This is India’s 4th victory in Australia & England since December (and 8th in Australia, England, South Africa since 2018). In the decade before, India’s only moments of glory in England & Australia were Headingly 2002, Adelaide 2003, England series 2007, and Perth 2008 (coincidentally Rahul Dravid contributing with 148, 233 & 72*, captain, and 93). So this 2-1 series victory (almost) should hold well with the Indian fans, especially after the suffering endured in the 2010s.

This Indian team is good. Really good. They have the spirit to come back from any circumstance, and they just never give up. The attitude instilled by Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli is evident in the body language of each and every player.

However, is this team the best? I do not think so.

Collapse A Day Does Not Keep The Doctor Away

Team India is brilliant at comebacks, but why is there a need of comebacks in the first place?

The 2000s Australia team set the benchmark for Test greatness. Did you ever hear them coming from dire circumstances? Well, not much because they were so dominant, a comeback was not even necessary.

The same is true for the current World Test Championship winner, the New Zealand cricket team. When they win, they win emphatically.

If India are to instill their greatness in cricketing folklore, they must replicate their home dominance away as well.

Current Batting Side Does Not Fire In Unison

KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Ajinkya Rahane are all good batters individually, but they have rarely fired in unison.

When the top order bats at its best, the middle order collapses. When Pujara-Pant come together, the rest of the batters have already gone to the pavilion. Kohli is not back at his best yet and Rahane seems to have fallen off the charts altogether.

Even in the horrendous tours of 2011 and 2014, I do not remember performances like 36/9 or 78/10, let alone two. The batting collapses occur too frequently to be regarded as a modern great. What made the Sehwag-Dravid-Sachin-Laxman-Ganguly era great was their consistent overseas batting performances without having the caliber of fast bowlers at their disposals in the nets to practice with.

Now India finally has the bowling attack to take 20 wickets consistently, but a batting line up that is not even close.

Greatest Indian Bowling Attack

The reason India is succeeding away from home can be attributed to two factors: (1) comparatively lower standard of opposition, and (2) fast bowling unit.

Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur provide regular breakthroughs while Jadeja and Ashwin can play both as wicket-taking options and chief controller depending on the conditions.

Since the South Africa tour of 2018, Indian bowlers have taken all 20 wickets by pace on numerous occasions. Injury replacements are readily available as well.

So is India Good, Bad, or Just Okay?

The bowling attack? The best in their nation’s history. Their batting? Eh. Not so hot.

India might have one of the best line ups on paper but are definitely not the best Test team going around. Or at least just not performing to their full potential yet. The flaws in India’s team performance combined with miraculous comebacks and recency bias actually amplify the degree of their quality. India are so bad sometimes that it brings out the best in the team. Still a long way to go achieve dominance.

In other words, India are so bad that they are actually good. Think about it.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 09/15/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Photo Courtesy: Photo by Sebastian Palomino from Pexels

India Vs Australia Series Review 2020-21: The Greatest Story of Them All? Better Than Ashes 2005?

India Vs Australia Series Review: The Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Usually a Test series is made up of a few iconic moments. This series was a compilation of iconic moments stitched together into a series.

  • Injuries: PucovskiWarner & Ishant-Bhuvneshwar Kumar pre-series. Shami, Umesh, Ashwin, Vihari, Jadeja, Bumrah, KL Rahul, & Pucovski again during the series.
  • Adelaide: Kohli‘s 74 & Run-Out, India 36/9 via Cummins & Hazlewood, Paine & Burn score, Kohli returns home.
  • Melbourne: India’s resilient comeback win, Rahane’s magnificent ton, Ashwin-Smith duel, Rahane comforts Jadeja after run-out.
  • Sydney: Rohit Sharma returns to work, Shubman Gill’s emergence, Smith-Labuschagne master-student showcase, Siraj battles racial abuse, Matthew Wade’s brain fades, Paine drops & sledges, India hold on, Pant 97, Pujara-Pant + Vihari-Ashwin = Draw.
  • Brisbane: Nathan Lyon’s 100th Test & signed jersey by Team India, stranded on 399 wickets, Natarajan & Sundar debut, Saini injured, Siraj’s 5-for, Thakur-Sundar fightback, Gill’s 91 & Pant’s 89*, Pujara Fights Body Blows & Butterfly, 328 chased, The Gabba fortress breached.

The series went from being “too friendly” to racial abuses. There were plenty of mini contests like Paine vs Ashwin, Pujara vs Lyon, fielders vs the flying ball, & Pujara vs Cummins (my favorite battle) to name a few.

Here are my picks for the best moments, emerging players, and much more in this India Vs Australia Series Review! Comment IN THE COMMENTS SECTION below on your favorite moments.

*Note: Underlined & Bolded links are videos. Underlined without bold are links to other articles.

Also Read: Top 10 Life Lessons from the Ind-Aus Series, Ind-Aus Test Series Preview, Prediction Results

Results – India Vs Australia

Test Series: India won 2-1

* Player of Match

  1. Australia won by 8 wickets *Tim Paine (Toss: India elected to bat)
  2. India won by 8 wickets *Ajinkya Rahane (Toss: Australia elected to bat)
  3. Match Drawn *Steven Smith (Toss: Australia elected to bat)
  4. India won by 3 wickets *Rishabh Pant (Toss: Australia elected to bat)

Interesting that toss went the wrong way in these games and batting second was not detrimental.

Player of SeriesIndia Australia
Pat Cummins
4/21 Best Innings, 7/69 Best Match
Most RunsRishabh Pant – 274 Runs (5 innings)


Cheteshwar Pujara – 271 Runs (8 innings)
Marnus Labuschagne – 426 runs (8 innings)

Steven Smith – 313 runs (8 innings)
Most WicketsMohammad Siraj – 13 wickets (6 innings)

Ravinchandran Ashwin – 12 wickets (6 innings)
Pat Cummins – 21 Wickets (8 innings)

Josh Hazlewood – 17 Wickets (8 innings)
India Vs Australia Series Review: Stats

The Highlights

India

1. Cheteshwar Pujara is a Legend.

  • 2018/19 – 521 runs, 100s-3 & 50s-1, best of 193, Average 74.42, Strike Rate 41.41, Balls Faced 1258
  • 2020/21 – 271 runs, 100s-0 & 50s-3, best of 77, Average 33.87, Strike Rate 29.20, Balls Faced 928

Statistically, Pujara had a worse tour than 2018 by double the margin in almost every area. In reality? His impact this time was just as important, if not more. If Pujara was not present at Sydney or Brisbane, neither would have drawn the 3rd Test nor won the 4th. The Australian bowling line up at the final session of 4th Test had all the energy drawn out of them through the defense of Pujara. On the last day, Pujara was unfazed despite so many blows to the helmet, chest, and the worst – finger jarring. Act of character and survival upon which India prospered.

2. Youngsters & India A Deliver

  • In 2008, Sri Lanka unveiled the M Factor against India – Malinga, Muralitharan, Mahela, & Mendis (later Mathews).
  • Similarly, India had the S factor – Debutants Siraj, Sundar, Shubman, Shardul (first Test – 10 balls & injured).

Shubman Gill’s consistency & backfoot punches, Washington Sundar’s confidence, Siraj’s maturity, & Shardul’s ability to make things happen all contributed to India’s series victory. If one player could symbolize this series, it is Mohammad Siraj, leading from the front in his 3rd Test match. Father’s bereavement and on the back of racial abuse, he stood firm on his ground and delivered.

January 11th is Rahul Dravid’s birthday, India A & India U-19 Coach (2016-19), now the head of the National Cricket Academy, and a mentor to many of these youngsters. Rishabh Pant & Vihari, a product of the India A system, provided Dravid with a perfect birthday gift on the eve of his birthday. Pant will always be questioned, but when India needed him, he delivered.

3. Rahane & Team Management

  • In our India vs Australia preview, we said that after 2014, “Rahane has failed to go to the next level,” & needs a “Pujara 2018 or Laxman 281 to elevate to legendary status.”

Verdict: Rahane has now successfully elevated himself to legendary status – as a batsman, player, & captain.

Although Rahane’s Melbourne knock rejuvenated the side, special mention needs to go to Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, the physios, & the support staff. In hindsight, the 36/9 rejuvenated the side, but it could easily have gone the 2011 England-Australia tours with 4-0. Credit to the team management & leadership group to keep the team together and motivated (The law of averages helped India as chances for the rest of the series went India’s way).

With all the Rahane vs Virat vs Rohit Twitter battles, one should remember that this is Kohli’s team (emphasis on fast bowlers & overseas victories) which Rahane took forward with Rohit & co in the leadership group. Team effort, no less.

Australia

1. Labuschagne, Smith, & Warner

  • 739 runs, 100s-2, 50s-4, best of 131, average of 49.27.

Sounds pretty good, right? This is the combined stats of Marnus Labuschagne & Steven Smith and vastly skewed by the performance in the last two matches. They were good, but not the usual. Smith lost the duel to R Ashwin over the series, while Labuschagne capitalized on dropped chances. For a side carrying injured openers, a Joe Burn, and a couple of inconsistent keepers, a lot more was expected from these two.

David Warner was visibly unfit, & 67 runs (from which 48 came in one innings) at 16.75 does not reflect a player of his caliber. Against Warner, every bowler looked like Stuart Broad.

Usman Khawaja & Shaun Marsh, anybody?

2. The Fall of Nathan Lyon & Mitchell Starc?

  • Starc took 11 wickets at 40.72 (74.7 SR) & Lyon with 9 wickets at 55.11 (SR: A whopping 124.6)

Alarming numbers. Lyon looked decent for the first couple of Test matches without much ‘luck,’ especially with Hazlewood & Cummins going through the Indian line-up. As the series progressed, it became clear that Lyon was having an underwhelming series. Pujara’s dancing down the wicket blocks & Pant’s hit was too much to digest. Starc? Inconsistent, out of form, & slightly injured. Amidst a long tour, COVID Bio-Bubbles, and against a certain Pujara, not rotating quicks cost Australia.

Speaking of inconsistent keepers, Tim Paine & Matthew Wade: A Tale of Two Careers.

  • 8, 33, 30, 40, 13, 4, 45, 0, and a whole load of ways of getting out

Look, I like Wade & Paine. Paine even had a great series with the bat, including a match-winning 72. I admire players who started early, were dropped, improved, & fought back into the XI. These two have been in-and-out since 2010-11 & have finally managed some success at the international level, but is it enough? One of Australia’s flaws this series was not capitalizing on strong situations, and Wade was always at the center. Not converting a single start might be too much for the Australian selectors. On the other hand, Paine will still be in the side at least as a batsman, but lots of question on his keeping and captaincy. Also, Tim & his Paineful reviews.

Murmurs about Alex Carey trying a summer England gig after being released from Delhi Capitals…

3. The Lone Bright Spots

Not everything was bad for Australia though.

  • 8 innings, 162.1 overs, 51 maidens, 21 wickets, 4/21 Best innings & 7/69 Best match

That’s Pat Cummins for you. Most overs bowled. Highest wicket taker. Most maidens. Player of the Series. Consistently threatened India’s batting from the first Test to the last. Intensity, eyes on fire, perfect line & length. Hazlewood was really good too, but Cummins was just on another level.

Debutants Cameron Green & Will Pucovski were of the highest quality. Although Green did not have much to show in the wickets column (none after 6 matches & 44 overs), he ticked several boxes. A tall bowler at 140 kph, safe pair of hands with 10 feet reach, can dig in when needed, and explode as his blistering 84 displayed. Pucovski never looked out of place with a confident 62, sandwiched between unfortunate injuries.

The Awards

We like to spice things up with our own awards for the series.

The 4th Test overshadowed the Broken Cricket Dream awards for Australia, otherwise Joe Burns falling career, Pucovski’s repeated injuries, & Wade’s dismissals were ideal candidates. Here they are:

India Australia
Emerging PlayerShubman Gill & Mohammad SirajCameron Green
Surprise PackageIndia’s Resilience & Character
Sundar, Shardul, Siraj
Tim Paine – The Batsman
Marnus Labuschagne – The outfielder
Broken Cricket DreamThe Injuries
The Dropped Catches
Kuldeep Yadav
Tim Paine – The Captain
Tim Paine – The Keeper
Nathan Lyon 399*
India Vs Australia Series Review: The Awards

Who would have been your Emerging Player? Surprise Player? Broken Cricket Dream? Let us know below WITH COMMENTS!

Where Do They Go From Here?

In terms of the World Test Championship, India are at the top with the England home series to go, while Australia drop to #3 with a South Africa 3-match series to happen…somewhere (Australia virtually out of the WTC).

The India-Australia rivalry has taken the next step and few are even calling for a 5 match series. I am not sure if that should happen in the COVID environment and strict quarantine days, but definitely a possibility in the future.

Ashes 2005 Comparsion

Is the 2020-21 India vs Australia series the greatest test victory of all time? Probably not.

Ashes 2005 is usually hailed as the pinnacle of Test cricket extravaganza and rightly so. Both teams at their peaks, Australia’s 2005 meriting Top 2 All Time status (a squad which maybe only Steve Smith & Pat Cummins could have made), full crowds inspiring the next generation, England winning the Ashes (2-1) for the first times since 1986-87.

  • Was India’s Melbourne victory the greatest comeback of all time as the cricket Twitter family suggested at the time? No. Not even close.
  • Was India’s draw the greatest match saving draw of all time? Nope.
  • Was India’s chase at the Gabba the highest ever or the most enthralling? Nah.
  • The 36 All Out worst collapse of all time? Almost, but not really.

Legacy of the India Vs Australia 2020 Series

But the fact that all of the above happened in the same series under the backdrop of COVID-19 and depression around the world (both economically & mentally speaking).

India 36/9 at Adelaide, Kohli going home, Ishant-Umesh-Bhuvi-Shami-Bumrah less India, without the stars of Sydney in Jadeja, Ashwin, & Vihari, Siraj battling father’s bereavement & racial abuse. Gabbatoir breached. You cannot predict this. None of us could have.

So let me ask this again—Was the 2020-21 India-Australia the greatest ever Test series? No, but in terms of the context and stories, this may as well be the greatest story of them all.

Why compare anyway? I am just glad we have both series to cherish in our memories forever.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on this India Vs Australia Series Review? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below! Also feel free to share/discuss on our Twitter & Facebook pages!

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Copyright (2021: 1/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Image Courtesy: Hazlewood www.davidmolloyphotography.com from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons