Ind vs Aus 2020: 5 Indian players with most Test centuries in Australia
India and Australia will go up against each other for a four-match Test series this summer, and we could be in for an intriguing series between two teams stacked with world-class players.
These two teams have produced some of the most memorable Test matches of all time over the years. And we will see more of the same this summer in Australia.
India have won only seven of their 48 Tests in Australia but will take encouragement from the last time they were down under, when they tasted a 2-1 series victory, their first-ever win in the country.
As always, India's push for victory will be led by their batting contingent. Over the years, several India players have hit match-winning or game-changing hundreds against the world class Australia bowlers. And before we look ahead to the series, we take a look at five of India's leading century makers against Australia, in Australia.
Virat Kohli (6 hundreds in 12 matches)
Virat Kohli loves playing against Australia, as evidenced by his record against them. The India captain has scored 1274 runs at an average of 55.39 in just 12 Test matches against Australia. He has gone on to reach triple figures on six occasions, with his top score being 169 during the drawn Boxing Day test in 2014.
Kohli also has three 50s to his name, and his aggressive approach is something Australia love to hate. He will be sorely missed by the India team in the final three Test matches of the series.
Sachin Tendulkar (6 hundreds in 20 matches)
The Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar also has six hundreds to his name, although his tons have come in 38 innings (15 more than Kohli). Tendulkar has 1809 runs in Australia at an average of 53.20. He also has seven 50+ scores to go along with his six hundreds, with the best score of 241.
Tendulkar remains the only Indian batsman to score a double hundred in Australia, although the likes of Kohli and Pujara will be looking to change that in the upcoming series.
Sunil Gavaskar (5 hundreds in 11 matches)
Third on the list is former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar, who hit five centuries in just 19 innings in Australia. The legendary India batsman scored 920 runs against the Aussies, averaging 51.11. His best score of 172 came in the drawn Sydney test match in 1986, which also saw Mohinder Amarnath and Kris Srikkanth hit hundreds, as India posted a total of 600/4 in the first innings.
Gavaskar only hit one 50 in Australia, so whenever he got going, you knew he was going to post a big score.
VVS Laxman (4 hundreds in 15 matches)
VVS Laxman enjoyed a number of memorable innings against Australia, and scored an impressive four hundreds down under. He is India's third highest scorer in Australia, with 1236 runs to his name at an average of 44.14. He crossed the hundred mark four times, and also hit four fifties.
His best score of 178 came in the 2004 Sydney Test, although it was overshadowed by Tendulkar's 241. Nonetheless, it was an incredible knock that helped India post a monstrous total of 705/7 in the first innings.
Cheteshwar Pujara (3 hundreds in 7 matches)
Cheteshwar Pujara was the star of the show the last time India were in Australia. The classy batsman has an excellent record to his name down under, having scored 722 runs at an average of 55.53. His record includes 3 centuries and 2 fifties.
He came ever so close to scoring a double century in Sydney in 2019, when he was dismissed for 193. Pujara will certainly be aiming for more of the same this time around as India look to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.