The Border Gavaskar Trophy is cricket’s premier bilateral Test series between India and Australia, contested since 1996-97. Out of 17 series played to date, India has claimed 10 victories while Australia has won 6, with 1 series ending in a draw.
The trophy is named after two legendary captains: Allan Border of Australia and Sunil Gavaskar of India. Both players transcended 10,000 Test runs and reshaped their nations’ cricket identities.
This rivalry represents one of Test cricket’s most intense and competitive matchups.
| Statistic | Value |
| Total Series Played | 17 (1996-2025) |
| India Series Wins | 10 |
| Australia Series Wins | 6 |
| Drawn Series | 1 |
| India Home Record | 8 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw |
| Australia Home Record | 6 wins, 0 losses |
| India Away Wins | 2 (2018-19, 2020-21) |
| Australia Away Wins | 1 (2004-05) |
| Total Test Matches Played | 61 |
Complete Border Gavaskar Trophy Winners List (1996-2025)
| Year | Venue | Winner | Captain (Winner) | Captain (Runner) | Series Result | Player of Series | Key Highlight |
| 1996-97 | India | India | Sachin Tendulkar | Steve Waugh | 1-0 | Anil Kumble | Nayan Mongia’s 152, Kumble’s 9 wickets |
| 1997-98 | India | India | Sachin Tendulkar | Steve Waugh | 2-1 | Sachin Tendulkar | Tendulkar’s 155 in Chennai |
| 1999-00 | Australia | Australia | Steve Waugh | Mohammad Azharuddin | 3-0 | Glenn McGrath | Australia’s dominant whitewash |
| 2000-01 | India | India | Rahul Dravid | Steve Waugh | 2-1 | VVS Laxman | Laxman’s 281, Harbhajan’s 32 wickets |
| 2003-04 | Australia | Draw (India retained) | Sourav Ganguly | Steve Waugh | 1-1 | Rahul Dravid | Ganguly’s century, drawn trophy retention |
| 2004-05 | Australia | Australia | Ricky Ponting | Sourav Ganguly | 2-1 | Ricky Ponting | Australia’s only away series win |
| 2007-08 | India | Australia | Ricky Ponting | Rahul Dravid | 2-0 | Andrew Symonds | Monkeygate controversy |
| 2008-09 | Australia | Australia | Ricky Ponting | Anil Kumble | 2-0 | Mitchell Johnson | Australia dominant at home |
| 2010-11 | India | India | Virat Kohli | Michael Clarke | 2-0 | Zaheer Khan | India’s first overseas series win |
| 2012-13 | Australia | Australia | Michael Clarke | MS Dhoni | 4-0 | David Warner | Australia’s whitewash |
| 2014-15 | Australia | Australia | Michael Clarke | Virat Kohli | 2-0 | Michael Clarke | Clarke’s captaincy excellence |
| 2016-17 | India | India | Virat Kohli | Steven Smith | 2-1 | Ravichandran Ashwin | Ashwin’s 25 wickets, India’s dominant home series |
| 2017 | India | India | Virat Kohli | Steven Smith | 2-1 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India’s second consecutive home win |
| 2018-19 | Australia | India | Virat Kohli | Tim Paine | 2-1 | Jasprit Bumrah | India’s first Test series win in Australia |
| 2020-21 | Australia | India | Ajinkya Rahane | Tim Paine | 2-1 | Ravichandran Ashwin | Miracle at the Gabba, Rishabh Pant’s 89 |
| 2023 | India | India | Rohit Sharma | Pat Cummins | 2-1 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India’s fourth consecutive series win |
| 2024-25 | Australia | Australia | Pat Cummins | Jasprit Bumrah | 3-1 | Jasprit Bumrah | Bumrah’s 32 wickets, Australia reclaims trophy |
India’s Dominant Era: Four Consecutive Border Gavaskar Trophy Wins (2016-2023)
India achieved a remarkable streak by winning four consecutive Border Gavaskar Trophy series from 2016 through 2023.
Virat Kohli’s captaincy during 2016-2020 set the foundation for this dominance, establishing India as a formidable home force.
The 2016-17 home series saw Ravichandran Ashwin claim 25 wickets as India dismantled Australia 2-1.
Ashwin’s spin mastery on Indian pitches became the series signature. Just months later, India retained the trophy again at home in 2017 with another 2-1 victory.
The real breakthrough came in 2018-19 when India won abroad for the first time. Australia’s conditions have historically favored the hosts, but India’s balanced attack and improved batting combination broke that pattern.
Jasprit Bumrah’s 21 wickets and Cheteshwar Pujara’s resilience turned the series.
India’s 2020-21 away victory remains legendary. Despite being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide, India bounced back with Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy steering the side.
The Gabba Test in Brisbane became immortal when Rishabh Pant scored an unbeaten 89 to chase down 329.
Rohit Sharma took captaincy in 2023 and extended India’s dominance at home once more.
Ravichandran Ashwin again claimed 25 wickets across the series. India’s four-series streak showcased the team’s evolution from home specialists to global competitors.
Australia’s Breakthrough: 2024-25 Reclaims Trophy After Decade
Australia reclaimed the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2024-25 after a 10-year absence. Under Pat Cummins’ captaincy, Australia won 3-1 in a historic five-match format, the first time the series extended beyond four Tests.
Australia’s pace-bowling strategy proved decisive. Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Josh Hazlewood maintained relentless pressure in Australian conditions. India’s batting lineup struggled against the consistent seam movement and pace throughout the series.
Despite India’s loss, Jasprit Bumrah delivered a career-defining performance. His 32 wickets across five matches ranks among the greatest individual efforts in Test cricket history. Bumrah’s bowling was clinical, but Australia’s collective firepower overwhelmed India’s resilience.
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The victory marked Australia’s return to bilateral dominance. After years of India’s superiority, Australia reasserted home-ground advantage. Pat Cummins’ leadership and the team’s tactical execution reminded cricket why Australia remains a Test powerhouse.
Most Memorable Border Gavaskar Trophy Series
2000-01: Kolkata Test Turnaround
India trailed the series but produced one of cricket’s greatest comebacks at Kolkata. VVS Laxman’s unbeaten 281 and Harbhajan Singh’s 32-wicket match performance orchestrated an extraordinary turnaround. Laxman’s innings is considered among the finest ever played in Test cricket.
2018-19: India’s First Away Victory
For two decades, India never won a Test series in Australia. The 2018-19 breakthrough ended that drought spectacularly. Despite losing key players and facing career-defining moments, India’s collective determination prevailed.
2020-21: Miracle at the Gabba
India faced an impossible situation after being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide. Yet at Brisbane’s fortress Gabba, a venue Australia considered unbeatable at home, India chased 329. Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 89 and India’s collective fighting spirit created an immortal moment in Test cricket.
2024-25: Australia’s Dominant Return
Australia’s 3-1 victory showcased the team’s quality and preparation. The five-match format tested endurance, and Australia’s experience and tactics proved superior. This series reset the rivalry narrative decisively.
Each series adds chapters to this rivalry’s rich history. The trophy has witnessed legendary performances, controversial moments, and unforgettable individual displays.
Individual Records in Border Gavaskar Trophy
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in Border Gavaskar Trophy history with 3,630 runs across 74 innings. His average of 55.00 against Australia remains extraordinary.
Virat Kohli follows with over 2,000 runs in Border Gavaskar Trophy contests. Kohli’s consistency and match-winning performances shaped India’s recent dominance. Steve Smith and Ricky Ponting were Australia’s principal run-scorers historically.
Jasprit Bumrah currently leads in most wickets in a single series with 32 wickets in 2024-25.
Ravichandran Ashwin accumulated 25 wickets in the 2016-17 series. Anil Kumble’s 9-wicket haul in the inaugural 1996-97 Test remains unforgettable.
Home Advantage Dominance in Border Gavaskar Trophy
India has won 8 of 9 home series, establishing an almost perfect home record. The subcontinent’s spin-friendly pitches and India’s mastery of these conditions created fortress-like dominance.
Australia has won 6 of 6 home series, showcasing undefeated performance in Australian conditions. Pace bowling and harder pitches naturally suit Australia’s bowling arsenal. Away victories are exceptionally rare for both teams in this rivalry.
India’s only away victories came in 2018-19 and 2020-21, breaking a 20-year drought. Australia won only once away in 2004-05 under Ricky Ponting. This home-and-away split fundamentally shapes the Border Gavaskar Trophy dynamics.
The pattern shows how pitch conditions and familiarity determine outcomes. Playing at home provides inexplicable advantages in Test cricket’s longest format.
The Border Gavaskar Trophy’s Global Significance
The Border Gavaskar Trophy ranks alongside the Ashes as cricket’s most prestigious bilateral series. Both India and Australia field their finest Test squads, knowing the global prestige attached to this competition.
International cricket observers recognize the Border Gavaskar Trophy as essential for understanding modern Test cricket dynamics.
The series regularly features in cricket’s greatest Test matches discussions globally.
FAQs
Who has won the Border Gavaskar Trophy the most?
India leads with 10 series victories out of 17 contested. Australia has won 6 series, while one ended in a draw with India retaining the trophy.
How many times has India won the Border Gavaskar Trophy away from home?
India has won exactly twice away: 2018-19 and 2020-21 in Australia. Both victories ended India’s away drought against Australia in Test cricket.
Who won the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25?
Australia defeated India 3-1 in a five-match series. This marked Australia’s first BGT trophy win since 2014-15, ending India’s 10-year hold on the trophy.
Which series is known as the Miracle at the Gabba?
The 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy witnessed India’s impossible chase at Brisbane’s Gabba. India won 2-1 despite being bowled out for 36 earlier in the series.
Has Australia ever won a Border Gavaskar Trophy series in India?
Yes, once in 2004-05 under Ricky Ponting. That remains Australia’s sole bilateral series victory on Indian soil in the trophy’s history.
How frequently is the Border Gavaskar Trophy played?
The series occurs every two to three years, alternating between India and Australia. Since 1996, 17 complete series have been contested between both nations.
Who won Player of the Series in 2024-25 BGT?
Jasprit Bumrah earned Player of the Series despite Australia’s victory. His 32 wickets across five matches represent an extraordinary individual bowling performance.
What does the Border Gavaskar Trophy represent?
The trophy honors Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar, both legendary captains who transcended 10,000 Test runs. It symbolizes the fierce India-Australia Test cricket rivalry.
