India vs Australia 2016-17

The marathon ‘India Cricket’ season is set for its last leg in 2016-17, as the world No. 1 India take on their old foes Australia in a four-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy, beginning on February 23. India are in a regal form; they have not lost any of their last 18 Tests, which also happens to be their best-ever performance in history. On the other hand, a resurgent Australia will look to make a different impression than what they did on their last trip.

For obvious reasons, India are red-hot favourites. India have a team functioning as fluently as a well-oiled machine, with all of their cricketers playing a key role in their recent wins. Jayant Yadav was India’s discovery during their series against England, but Karun Nair’s triple ton in their previous Test at Chennai has created selection headaches for the Indians. Ajinkya Rahane has returned to the national side after recovering from a finger injury, and it will be interesting to see what India’s team combination will be for the first Test.

Australia can expect no respite on their trip to India. The hosts have a formidable bowling line-up; their fast bowlers have clocked more pace than their counterparts recently, and a spin attack consisting Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav and Amit Mishra has wreaked havoc.

Smith’s team is set to run into a rampant India, led by Virat Kohli who is creating some or the other record every single day on the field. Kohli captained India to a 4-0 victory over England in their previous Test series, and a similar result is anticipated when they face Australia who are equally susceptible against spin.

Having lost all of their last 9 Tests in the Indian subcontinent, Australia return to the place where it all began, in 2013. There is no Michael Clarke, Mickey Arthur, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin or Mitchell Johnson — the men who were embroiled in one of the ugliest controversies in Australian cricket — alongside a heavy loss (0-4) in their previous tour to India. A 16-member Australian squad under Steven Smith — who scored 4 centuries the last time these two teams met Down Under — has been entrusted with the task in India.

Australia will have several new players travelling to India for the first tour. Opener Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Steve O’Keefe and Mitchell Swepson are on their first ever India tour for Test cricket.

Interestingly, Australia’s past record of playing Test cricket in India will not have much bearing on this Test series. Apart from their team being a comparatively a fresh one with several new players, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2016-17 will be played at three new Test venues.

The first Test will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune from February 23. The second Test will be from March 4-8 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The third Test will be at Ranchi from March 16-20, whereas the fourth and final game will be at Dharamsala from March 25.

Schedule

Sat, Mar 25, 2017 Tue, Mar 28, 2017 ( 09:30 IST )

India vs Australia, Live Cricket Score, 4th Test match
at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
Live Cricket Score, 4th Test match

India beat Australia by 8 wickets
Thu, Mar 16, 2017 Mon, Mar 20, 2017 ( 09:30 IST )

India vs Australia, Live Cricket Score, 3rd Test match
at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
Live Cricket Score, 3rd Test match

India drew with Australia
Sat, Mar 4, 2017 Tue, Mar 7, 2017 ( 09:30 IST )

India vs Australia, Live Cricket Score, 2nd Test match
at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Live Cricket Score, 2nd Test match

India beat Australia by 75 runs

FEATURES

VVS Laxman: Virat Kohli’s victorious India an inspiration for kids
VVS Laxman March 31, 2017 11:39 PM IST
Virat Kohli and his men have come to be accepted as trendsetters, feels VVS Laxman.
India vs Australia 2016-17: Marks out of 10 for Australia
Devarchit Varma March 28, 2017 4:44 PM IST
For a team that had lost all of its last 9 Tests in the Indian subcontinent, Australia probably did better than what was expected.
Most wins in a season for India and other statistical highlights from India-Australia, 4th Test
Abhishek Kumar March 28, 2017 3:20 PM IST
Statistical highlights for India vs Australia, 4th Test at Dharamsala.
India vs Australia 2016-17: Marks out of 10 for India
Abhishek Mukherjee March 28, 2017 1:12 PM IST
It was, without a doubt, the most keenly contested series in the long Indian winter. Let us check how the Indians had fared.
IND vs AUS 4th Test Day 4: Rahul’s 6th fifty, hosts’ march towards win & other highlights
Devarchit Varma March 28, 2017 1:11 PM IST
Let us take a look at the highlights of the action-packed final day of the 2016-17 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:

‘Hurt, shocked’ Glenn Maxwell responds to Al Jazeera fixing claims
CricketCountry Staff July 24, 2018 12:27 PM IST
The Australian allrounder says that allegations of him engaging in illegal activity during last year’s drawn Test match in Ranchi were certainly very hard to
2 Australian cricketers involved in fixing during India-Australia Ranchi Test 2017, claims match-fixer
CricketCountry Staff May 27, 2018 4:34 PM IST
With the series levelled at 1-1, India and Australia fought out a draw at Ranchi.
Smith terms Kohli's DRS claims during Bengaluru Test as 'rubbish'
Ayush Gupta October 26, 2017 10:46 PM IST
There was quite a controversy between Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Australian skipper Steven Smith during the initial part of the year.

India vs Australia, 4th Test at Dharamsala: Photos
CricketCountry Staff March 28, 2017 8:18 PM IST
Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon emerged as the unlikely hero, taking four key Indian wickets on an engrossing Day 2 of the decisive 4th Test on
Rahane leads India to a memorable series win against Australia on Gudi Padwa
Sanket Jack March 28, 2017 11:32 AM IST
Ajinkya Rahane's 27-ball 38 in the final Test against Australia eased India's way to a comfortable victory to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2017.
India vs Australia, 3rd Test at Ranchi: Photos
CricketCountry Staff March 20, 2017 7:53 PM IST
Electing to bat first on on Australia's 800th Test, Pujara slammed double-century while Saha scored century.
IND vs AUS: When Wade asked Jadeja the meaning of a Hindi slang
CricketCountry Staff March 27, 2017 9:18 PM IST
“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask somebody.” Jadeja further said, “I didn’t use it on you and I don’t know.” But despite this Wade
Video, India vs Australia, 4th Test: KL Rahul speaks about his innings on Day 2 and much more
CricketCountry Staff March 26, 2017 8:04 PM IST
India opener Lokesh Rahul termed the morning spell bowled by Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins as the “toughest” he has faced in his nascent Test
Video, IND vs AUS 4th Test: Wade impressed with India’s chinaman Kuldeep's repertoire of tricks
CricketCountry Staff March 25, 2017 9:29 PM IST
Matthew Wade was impressed with India’s debutant chinaman Kuldeep Yadav‘s repertoire of tricks and admitted that some of the visiting team batsmen found it difficult