Border-Gavaskar Trophy: History and Winners List
Cricket fans love watching matches played between India and Australia. And the craze becomes more intense, especially when they both meet in a popular tournament like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
You remember VVS Laxman dancing down the track at Eden Gardens. You remember the disbelief when India were bowled out for 36 in Adelaide. And if you watched the 2020-21 tour, you probably remember thinking that India had run out of fit players before Rishabh Pant went out and chased down 328 at Brisbane.
That is what makes the Border-Gavaskar Trophy such a compelling rivalry. The teams have been trading blows since 1996, and just when one side seems to have the upper hand, the other finds a way back.
The trophy is named after former captains Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. Here?s how every series has ended.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy Winners List
| Series | Host | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | India | India | 1-0 |
| 1997-98 | India | India | 2-1 |
| 1999-00 | Australia | Australia | 3-0 |
| 2000-01 | India | India | 2-1 |
| 2003-04 | Australia | Drawn | 1-1 |
| 2004-05 | India | Australia | 2-1 |
| 2007-08 | Australia | Australia | 2-1 |
| 2008-09 | India | India | 2-0 |
| 2010-11 | India | India | 2-0 |
| 2011-12 | Australia | Australia | 4-0 |
| 2012-13 | India | India | 4-0 |
| 2014-15 | Australia | Australia | 2-0 |
| 2016-17 | India | India | 2-1 |
| 2018-19 | Australia | India | 2-1 |
| 2020-21 | Australia | India | 2-1 |
| 2022-23 | India | India | 2-1 |
| 2024-25 | Australia | Australia | 3-1 |
The 2003-04 series finished 1-1, with India retaining the trophy.
The Kolkata Comeback That Still Gets Talked About
Australia had won the first Test in Mumbai in 2001. In Kolkata, they made 445 and then asked India to follow on. It looked grim for the hosts.
What happened next is why people still bring up that match.
Laxman scored 281. Dravid made 180. They batted together for what felt like forever, and Australia went from being in charge to chasing the game. India won by 171 runs, then took the series 2-1 with another victory in Chennai.
It was one of those rare Tests where the match seemed to turn completely upside down. And it wasn't a fluke win, either. India had to go out and finish the job in Chennai.
Australia Had Plenty of Answers
India won the first two editions of the trophy, but Australia made their response in 1999-00, sweeping the series 3-0 in Australia.
India came back in 2000-01, only for Australia to win again in 2004-05 and 2007-08. The 2003-04 series in Australia had ended 1-1, so neither side had managed to pull away for long.
India then put together two home-series wins, both by 2-0, in 2008-09 and 2010-11.
Australia?s answer in 2011-12 was brutal: four Tests, four wins. India were beaten 4-0.
A year later, the teams swapped places. India won every Test of the 2012-13 series. Four-nil again, this time in India's favour.
India Finally Won a Series in Australia
India had won Tests in Australia before, but winning a whole series there had always been the difficult part.
That changed in 2018-19. India won 2-1 and became the first Indian team to win a Test series in Australia. It was a result that had taken a long time coming.
The next tour, in 2020-21, was even harder to believe.
India were dismissed for 36 in Adelaide. Kohli went home, Rahane took over as captain, and injuries kept piling up. Plenty of teams would have struggled to recover from that start.
India won in Melbourne, hung on for a draw in Sydney, and then went to Brisbane. Pant's unbeaten 89 helped them chase 328 and win by three wickets.
Australia had not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988. India ended that run and took the series 2-1.
Australia Takes the Trophy Back
India retained the trophy in 2022-23, winning 2-1 at home. But Australia had their chance to reclaim it in 2024-25?and this time they did.
India began with a huge 295-run win in Perth. Australia levelled the series in Adelaide, the Brisbane Test was drawn, and the hosts won in Melbourne and Sydney.
The final result was Australia 3-1 India. It ended India's run of four consecutive series victories and returned the trophy to Australia after ten years.
Who Has Won the Most Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series?
India have won 10 series, Australia have won 6, and 1 series has been drawn. Australia are the current holders after their 3-1 win in 2024-25.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who won the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
A1. India won the inaugural series in 1996-97 by 1-0.
Q2. How many Border-Gavaskar Trophy series has India won?
A2. India have won 10 of the 17 series played since 1996-97.
Q3. When did India first win a Test series in Australia?
A3. India achieved their first series win in Australia in 2018-19, winning 2-1.
Q4. Who holds the Border-Gavaskar Trophy now?
A4. Australia hold the trophy after winning the 2024-25 series 3-1.
Q5. What were the biggest series wins?
A5. India won 4-0 in 2012-13, while Australia won 4-0 in 2011-12.
And the Rivalry Rolls On
The table gives you the record. India have won more series overall, while Australia have the trophy today.
But the numbers don't really capture the feeling of following these teams. A series can go from looking settled to being completely up in the air in a session. One partnership can change the mood of a whole tour. And a team that looks beaten can suddenly find a way to win.
That has happened often enough in this rivalry to make the next meeting interesting before a ball is even bowled.
For now, Australia have the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India will be looking to take it back.
