Australia's 3 highest run-scorers against India in men's ODI World Cups ft. Ricky Ponting
Team India will get their World Cup campaign underway against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.
This has been a favorite haunting ground for these two sides. The most famous of them all is undoubtedly the tied Test match that they played with each other in the Kangaroos' tour of the country in 1986.
The only time that the two sides clashed with each other in the World Cup at this venue was back in 1987 when the prestigious tournament was held in India for the first time ever.
Australia managed to emerge winners by one run after Steve Waugh bowled Maninder Singh off the penultimate ball of the game to seal the deal for the Kangaroos. Geoff Marsh, the father of all-rounder Mitchell, scored a century on that day.
It is time to hark back to the past and bring out statistics that show both sides in a good light. In this listicle, however, we bring to you Australia's three highest-run scorers against India in ODI World Cups.
#3 Steven Smith
The first name on this list is Steven Smith. The 34-year-old is also the only current player on it. He has scored a total of 174 runs against India in the history of the World Cup.
Smith has only played in two matches against the Men in Blue, one each in the 2015 and 2019 editions. Although he was a part of the Australian squad for the 2011 edition, he did not play in the quarter-final in Ahmedabad where India beat the Kangaroos.
Most cricket aficionados will, however, remember Smith for attempting a direct hit at the non-striker's end as Yuvraj Singh pushed a Brett Lee delivery to cover.
The ball, of course, went for four overthrows even as India celebrated their entry into the semi-finals. Smith came on as a substitute in that game.
#2 Mark Waugh
Mark Waugh, who amassed 209 runs against India in two matches across the 1996 and 1999 World Cups, is second on this list. The stylish and elegant right-hander, who is also the younger twin of former Australia captain Steve Waugh, was grace personified whenever he batted.
Waugh's flick and square cut were shots that could take one's breath away. Waugh Junior was a fabulous one-day cricketer and scored 8500 runs in the 244 matches that he played.
He also played in 128 Tests for Australia but lived the majority of his life under the shadow of his more illustrious twin.
The century he scored at the Wankhede in the 1996 World Cup against the Men in Blue is a timeless classic and was the highest score ever by an Australian against India in an ODI at the time.
#1 Ricky Ponting
Who else but Ricky Ponting can be at the top of this list? With two terrific centuries eight years apart- albeit in separate causes- in the business end of the World Cup, Ponting is hands down the leading run-scorer for Australia against India in the history of the tournament.
While his unbeaten 140 at the Wanderers in the 2003 final is a knock that will continue to haunt Indian cricket fans, his 104 at the old Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad in the quarter-final of the 2011 event went in vain.
Ponting played in just five matches against India in the as many World Cups that he participated in and ended up with a Bradmanesque average of 101.
Punter, as he was fondly called, was a big thorn in India's flesh and managed to irk the best of bowlers when he was in full song.
A true modern-day great, Ponting also led Australia to two World Cup titles and was a part of three title-winning sides in total.