The Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) features a high-profile Australia vs India test match series, which is considered the premier rivalry as these two competitive teams have been dominant at their home in most of the seasons.
Do you know that India and Australia faced each other in their first official test in the 1947-48 season? Yes! Both these teams have competed in 28 test series so far. Later, the India vs Australia test series gained immense popularity with the BGT’s inaugural season in 1996 named after the two former legendary cricketers— Allan Border (Australia) and Sunil Gavaskar (India).
Moreover, Indian fans started to watch the tournament with more excitement than ever before when Team India won their first-ever test series on Australian soil in BGT 2018-19 under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. Before that, the IND vs AUS test series in Australia used to be completely one-sided with either the Aussies winning the series or concluding with a draw outcome.
Shockingly, the Australians won their last test match series against India in 2014. But, this time, the Pat Cummins-led side would aim to end their 10-year drought period of winning the BGT trophy.
On the other side, the Indian cricket team would enter the series under pressure as their 12 years of home test dominance came to an end by facing a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand.
Especially, in the forthcoming 17th edition of the BGT, Cricket Australia hopes to attract a minimum of 90,000 fans or more on Boxing Day to make this Australian summer much more special.
Ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024, let’s find out the main reasons that have intensified the test cricket rivalry between India and Australia much more intriguing.
No More One-Sided Contests in Australia
Until 2018, Australia was dominant by not losing any of the test series against India. However, the fortunes turned favorable for Team India by winning back-to-back test series in the 2018-19 and 2020–21 seasons in Australia.
However, the Aussies would be keen not to face a hattrick of losses at home in the forthcoming 5-match test series scheduled to take place between 22nd November 2024 to 07th January 2025.
Let’s take a detailed look at the outcomes of the AUS vs IND test series in Australia from 1947 to 2021 that proves the rivalry between these two teams is no longer a one-sided affair:
| Series | Season | Winner | Outcome |
| 5-Match Test Series | 1947-48 | Australia | 4-0 |
| 4-Match Test Series | 1967-68 | Australia | 4-0 |
| 5-Match Test Series | 1977-78 | Australia | 3-2 |
| 5-Match Test Series | 1991-92 | Australia | 4-0 |
| Border Gavaskar Trophy | 1999-2000 (3-match test series) | Australia | 3-0 |
| 2003-04 (4-match test series) | Draw | 1-1 | |
| 2007-08 (4-match test series) | Australia | 2-1 | |
| 2011-12 (4-match test series) | Australia | 4-0 | |
| 2014-15 (4-match test series) | Australia | 2-0 | |
| 2018-19 (4-match test series) | India | 2-1 | |
| 2020-21 (4-match test series) | India | 2-1 |
India vs Australia Tests on Boxing Day: Attendance Expected to Increase in 2024
Hosting test matches on Boxing Day (December 26) at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia has been a tradition for several years with a maximum attendance of 91,112 recorded on Day 1 of the fourth test in The Ashes 2013.
Considering the attendance of Australia vs India matches on Boxing Day, the highest was recorded in 2018 and the stats are tabulated below:
| Year (Australia vs India Tests) | Overall Attendance on Boxing Day |
| 1985 | 18,146 |
| 1991 | 42,494 |
| 1999 | 49,082 |
| 2003 | 62,613 |
| 2007 | 68,465 |
| 2011 | 70,068 |
| 2014 | 69,993 |
| 2018 | 73,516 |
| 2020 | 27,615 |
It is expected that the sales for the Boxing Day Test in 2024 are expected to increase 6 times than the 2018 edition.
Virat Kohli’s Upcoming Gabba Test in 2024: Set to Surpass Sri Lanka’s Tally in Australia
Since Virat Kohli’s test cricket debut in 2011, he has played 13 matches on Australian soil.
By the time he plays the Gabba Test scheduled for December 14th to 18th, he will have appeared in more tests in Australia in his 13-year career in the longest format compared to Sri Lanka’s entire test history on Australian soil from 1982 to 2022.
In other words, Sri Lanka has played 14 test series in Australia so far. After the first two tests in Perth and Adelaide, the third match of the series in Gabba would be Kohli’s 16th test on Australian grounds.
It is noteworthy that despite being on paternity leave during the five-match test series against England from January to March 2024, Kohli has played the most tests in Australia, boasting numerous records.
Australia’s 12-11 Lead vs India in Test Series From 1947 to 2023
Out of 28 test series played between 1947 and 2023, Australia takes a close lead of 12-11 against India, which includes 5 draw outcomes. This is because, unlike the Australians, the Indians haven’t been very dominant in the home test series at the early stages and the outcomes are listed below in tabular form:
| Series | Season | Winner | Outcome |
| 3-Match Test Series | 1956 | Australia | 2-0 |
| 5-Match Test Series | 1959-60 | Australia | 2-1 |
| 5-Match Test Series | 1964 | Draw | 1-1 |
| 5-Match Test Series | 1969 | Australia | 3-1 |
| 6-Match Test Series | 1979 | India | 2-0 |
| 3-Match Test Series | 1986 | Draw | 0-0 |
| Border Gavaskar Trophy | 1996 (one-off test series) | India | 1-0 |
| 1998 (3-match test series) | India | 2-1 | |
| 2001 (3-match test series) | India | 2-1 | |
| 2004 (4-match test series) | Australia | 2-1 | |
| 2008 (4-match test series) | India | 2-0 | |
| 2010 (2-match test series) | India | 2-0 | |
| 2013 (4-match test series) | India | 4-0 | |
| 2017 (4-match test series) | India | 2-1 | |
| 2023 (4-match test series) | India | 2-1 |
