The rarest of rare: India's five Test wins on Australian soil

India’s record in Australia has been poor historically. India have never won a series and lost 26 of the 40 Tests they have played Down Under while managing to draw five and win five. And two of those wins came when Australia’s best players were playing for Kerry Packer. We look back at those five Test wins and wonder if India will add to this list on their 2014-15 tour of Australia. [caption id=“attachment_1820499” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Ajit Agarkar celebrates the wicket of Simon Katich, caught Chopra bowled Agarkar for 31, in the 2nd Test between Australia and India at the Adelaide Oval on December 15, 2003 in Adelaide. Getty[/caption] Third Test, MCG, 1977: India won by 222 runs India’s first ever win in Australia was tempered by the fact that Australia were missing the Chappell brothers, Dennis Lillee and others because of the Kerry Packer saga. Still, India could only beat the side facing them on the field. Having lost the first two Tests of a five match series, India finally broke the deadlock at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sunil Gavaskar and Bhagwath Chandrashekhar were the heroes. Gavaskar was in sumptuous form as he came into the match on the back of two centuries in the first two Tests. Having opted to bat, India made 256 thanks to half-centuries from Mohinder Amarnath (59) and Gundappa Vishwanath (56). Chandrasekhar then ripped through the Australian batting line-up to scalp 6 for 52 as Australia were bundled out for 213. Gavaskar led the way in the batting line-up in the second innings with a calm 118 as India set Australia a target of 387. Australia had chased down 339 in the 2nd Test at the WACA but Chandra was not about to allow history to repeat itself. He continued up from where he had left off in the first innings as to finish with identical figues of 6 for 52. Australia were bowled out for 164 and India had achieved an historic win.. Fourth Test, SCG, 1978: India won by an innings and 2 runs India continued their momentum in the fourth Test and leveled the series with another big win at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Chandrashekher was at it again as he and Bishen Singh Bedi wreaked havoc in the first innings to bowl Australia out for a paltry 131 in four hours after the hosts had opted to bat on a damp wicket. Openers Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan provided India the best start of the series putting on 97 and Gundappa Viswanath (79) and Karsan Gharvi (64) propelled India to 396, giving India a massive 265-run lead. With the track assisting spin on day four and five, the spnners cashed in - Erapalli Prasanna (4), Chandrasekhar (2) and Bedi (2) took eight of the ten wickets to fall as India bowled the visitors out for 263. Third Test, MCG, 1981: India won by 59 runs A spectacular victory was overshadowed by Gavaskar’s controversial decision to stage a walk-out after a contentious LBW decision against him. After being put into bat on a grassy track by Greg Chappell, India were struggling at 22 for 2 having lost Chauhan and Vengsarkar early. But Viswanath played a crucial innings of 114 to take India to a respectable 237. Pacers Dennis Lille and Len Pascoe scalped four and three wickets each respectively. Allan Border led the way for Australia with a century to help the visitors gain a healthy lead of 182. Gavaskar and Chauhan provided India the best possible start in their second innings by adding adding 165 for the opening stand. But controversy struck when Gavaskar was given out LBW off Lillee by umpire Rex Whitehead. Gavaskar felt that he hit the ball and was so furious that in protest, he took Chauhan off the field and was ready to concede the innings. But then Indian team manager, Wing Commander SK Durrani, intervened and asked Chauhan to continue his innings. However, India couldn’t capitalise on the good start and were bowled out for 324. Australia needed just 143 to win with over a day’s play left and Kapil Dev did not take the field after straining a thigh muscle. Left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi was also injured. But the depleted bowling line-up gave India the perfect start by taking three wickets for 24 runs before close of play. Kapil took the field the next day and bowled unchanged to take 5 for 16. Australia succumbed for 83 in just over two and a quarter hours and India had a famous victory. Second Test, Adelaide Oval, 2003: India won by four wickets The combination of Rahul Dravid and Ajit Agarkar led India to their first win in Australia in almost 23 year. Australia racked up a mammoth 556 after opting to bat thanks to Ricky Ponting’s brilliant 242. In reply, India got off to a decent start courtesy Akash Chopra and Virender Sehwag but then stumbled. Rahul Dravid (233) and VVS Laxman (148) then got together and added a marathon 303 runs for the fifth wicket which brought back memories of the epic 376-run partnership at the Eden Gardens. India posted 523 and it looked even till the fourth day. A superb bowling spell of 6 for 41 from Agarkar provided a dramatic turnaround as Australia were bowled out for 196. India needed 230 to win from 100 overs. Chopra and Sehwag did well to see out crucial last hour on the fourth day. Australia fought hard on the fifth day but Dravid stood tall and powered India past the finishing line with an unbeaten 72. Third Test, WACA, 2008: India won by 72 runs India lost a thrilling and controversial Sydney Test with just nine minutes of the last hour remaining on the final day. The allegations that Harbhajan Singh had racially abused Andrew Symonds had fired up the tourists and they were determined not to succumb to what they saw as Australian aggression. With the win at Sydney, Australia equaled their own record of 16 consecutive Test wins set in 2001. There was not to be a 17th. Two left-arm seamers, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan, were the heroes for India. India won the toss and posted 330. Dravid made 93 while Sachin made a fluent 71, adding 139 runs together. Pathan and RP Singh gave India a dream start by reducing Australia to 61 for 5. Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist led the resurrection process with a 102-run stand for the sixth wicket. However, RP Singh and Kumble combined to knock over the tail and bowl out Australia for 212 - their lowest first innings total in 24 home Tests. India took a crucial 118-run lead and Laxman (79), Pathan 46), who was sent in as nightwatchman, and Sehwag (43) helped India set Australia a stiff target of 413. Irfan was at it again as he removed the openers early. Ponting and Hussey fought it out in the middle but a magnificent spell by Ishant Sharma on the fourth morning ended their resistance. Kumble and Sehwag then chipped in with a couple of wickets as India romped to a 72-run victory, handing Australia their first loss at the WACA since 1996-97, and their first at home since India beat them in Adelaide in December 2003.