Border-Gavaskar Trophy: A statistical summary
The Indian team under Virat Kohli are all set for their next major overseas assignment as they get ready to play the Aussies at their home in a four-match Test series. The 14th edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to begin on 6 December at Adelaide, and the Indian team has probably the best chance ever to win a Test series in Australia.
But we can rest assured that the Australian team under Tim Paine is not going to make it easy for the Indians despite the absence of their regular captain and vice-captain.
There have been some scintillating performances from both sides over the years, some of which are etched in our memories forever. As the stage gets set for the high octane series, we look at some statistical highlights of the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
Most wins
Out of a total of 44 matches in 13 series, India have won 18 games while Australia have won 17. India won the inaugural Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 1996-97 and also the latest edition in 2016-17.
India have emerged winners on seven occasions and Australia have been victorious on five, while there has been one drawn series - in 2003-04.
Most runs
Like most other batting charts in international cricket, this list too is headed by Sachin Tendulkar. In 34 matches, Tendulkar has 3,262 runs at an average of 56.24, with a best of 241*. He is followed by former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting who has 2,555 runs from 29 matches.
VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, who have orchestrated two of the best comebacks in Test cricket against Australia, stand third and fourth with 2434 and 2143 runs respectively. Among the current lot, Steven Smith heads the list with 1429 runs from just 10 matches at an average of 84.05.
Most centuries
Sachin Tendulkar, the man with a hundred international centuries, leads the chart for most hundreds in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with nine. He is followed by Ricky Ponting (8), Michael Clarke and Steven Smith (7).
Among Indians from the current lot, Kohli stands fourth in the list with six tons, followed by Murali Vijay with four tons.
Highest individual score
Michael Clarke holds the record for the highest individual score in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His 329* in 2011-12 remains the only triple hundred in the series.
VVS Laxman's marathon knock of 281 at Kolkata stands second, followed by Ricky Ponting (257) and Rahul Dravid (233), both of which came in the same match at Adelaide in 2003-04.
Highest average
Steven Smith, with an astonishing average of 84.05, tops this list, followed by former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin (69.8), Andrew Symonds (68.33) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (68.2).
Among the current Indian batsmen, Cheteshwar Pujara has the best average (55.05), followed by Murali Vijay (53.12).
Highest team total
The record for highest total is held by India for their score of 705/7 in 2003-04 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The second highest is 659/4 by Australia at the same ground in 2011-12, when Clarke scored a triple hundred.
The next three totals in the list are all by India: 657/7 in the epic Eden Gardens Test of 2001, 633/5 in 1998 and 613/7 in the drawn Test at Delhi in 2008.
Most wickets
Anil Kumble leads the wickets chart in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 111 wickets from 20 matches, followed by Harbhajan Singh (95), who wreaked havoc on the rampaging Aussies in 2001.
Ravichandran Ashwin is the leading wicket taker among the current lot with 71 wickets from 14 games. Nathan Lyon has the most wickets for Australia and stands fourth in the list with 64 wickets.
Most 5-wicket hauls
Anil Kumble, with 10 5-wicket hauls, tops the chart, followed by Harbhajan (7). Ashwin and Lyon stand at third slot, with five 5-wicket hauls from 14 games each, which is also the most among current players.
Most dismissals as wicket-keeper
Adam Gilchrist has 75 dismissals to his name and holds the record of most dismissals in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. MS Dhoni stands second with 71 dismissals, followed by Brad Haddin (58).
Wriddhiman Saha and Parthiv Patel with 20 and 19 dismissals respectively from 7 games each stand fourth and fifth.
Most successful captain
MS Dhoni has the best win/loss record in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a ratio of 2:1. Steve Waugh and Michael Clarke are joint second with a ratio of 1.66.
Clarke has the highest win percentage (62.5%) and is closely followed by Dhoni (61.53%). However, both Clarke and Dhoni have won all their matches at home.
Dhoni has the most wins (8), followed by Steve Waugh and Michael Clarke (5).