The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a Test match series played between the Indian cricket team and Australia since 1996 and has since witnessed some fierce competition between the two sides.
Central to this rivalry is the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored the most runs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Between 1996 and 2013, Sachin Tendulkar accumulated 3,262 runs in just 34 matches against Australia.
Between 1947 to 1996, India vs Australia Tests accounted for only 50 matches. Since then they have played 14 editions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from 1996 to 2019, adding another 48 matches.
There have been some memorable batting performances over the years so let’s have a look at some of the batting records from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
Most runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Batsman
As the records and statistics suggest, Sachin Tendulkar always loved playing against the mighty Australians. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was one of his favourite competitions where he accumulated 3,262 runs from 34 matches and 65 innings - the most runs by any batsman between the two sides.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is the second-highest run-scorer. Between 1996 and 2012, Ponting scored 2,555 runs in 29 matches and 51 innings at an average of 54.36. He has eight hundreds and 12 fifties.
From the current lot, Steve Smith from Australia with 1,742 runs and Cheteshwar Pujara from India with 1,893 runs lead their respective teams in the batting charts in the series.
Most runs in a Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Single series
Steve Smith holds the record for most runs scored in a single edition of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, with 769 runs in four Test matches in the 2014-15 series. The former Australia captain smashed four centuries and two fifties with scores of 162*, 52*, 133, 28, 192, 14, 117 and 71.
Ricky Ponting is next on the list with 706 runs in the 2003-04 series. Virat Kohli leads the numbers for Team India, having accumulated 692 runs in four matches in the 2014-15 series.
Most runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Highest individual score
During the second match of the Australia vs India 2011-12 Test series, Michael Clarke smashed 329 not out at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the knock remains the highest individual score by a batsman in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,
Michael Clarke had amassed 626 runs at an average of 125.20 to help the Australians whitewash India 4-0 to regain the trophy.
A total of 10 players have gone beyond the double century mark in the fixture. The highest individual score by an Indian batsman is 281 by VVS Laxman at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata during the 2001 series.
Most runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Team score
The 2003-04 series had seen India declaring their first innings after scoring 705/7 in Sydney, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 not out. That remains the highest team score recorded in the series so far. Under Sourav Ganguly’s leadership, India had retained the trophy after the series ended 1-1 Down Under.
The highest total posted by Australia was 659/4 during the 2011-12 series. In the second match at the SCG, Australia thrashed India by an innings and 68 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the series, eventually whitewashing the visitors 4-0.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee
