Australia vs India: Cricket Rivalry, Records & Bumrah Absence

The India-Australia cricket rivalry has a way of turning ordinary fans into statisticians, especially during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The 2024-25 series delivered a twist-filled contest that ended with Australia reclaiming the trophy after a decade, while India’s star bowler Jasprit Bumrah watched the decisive Test from the sidelines.

Result of the 5th Test (Sydney): Australia won by 6 wickets ·
Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 winner: Australia (3-1) ·
Bumrah’s series wickets: 32 in 5 Tests

Four key facts, one pattern: Australia’s comeback after losing the opening Test in Perth defined the series, while India’s reliance on Bumrah became their Achilles’ heel at the decisive moment.

The implication: Australia’s series win wasn’t a fluke — it flipped the historical script and showed depth across conditions, while India’s squad depth (especially in bowling) was exposed when Bumrah was unavailable.

Who’s better, India or Australia?

Five years ago, the answer leaned heavily toward India — they’d won back-to-back Test series in Australia. The 2024-25 series shifted that pendulum. Australia now holds a 10-5 advantage in all-time Test series wins (RG.org). But head-to-head records only tell part of the story.

Test cricket dominance

• Australia leads Test series wins 10-5 all-time
• India had won the last two Border-Gavaskar series before 2024-25 (RG.org)
• Current ICC rankings favor India in Tests (#1), Australia in ODIs (#1)

The pattern: India’s recent dominance (2018-2023) was historically exceptional, but Australia’s home conditions and pace attack proved decisive over a five-match series.

ODI and T20 performances

• All-time ODI wins: Australia 80, India 54
• All-time T20I wins: India 15, Australia 11
• India unbeaten in their last 3 T20 series

Australia’s ODI record remains formidable, especially on home soil, while India’s T20 squad has shown greater consistency in the shortest format.

Head-to-head record since 2000

Since 2000, the teams have played 27 Test series. Australia has won 10, India 5, and 12 were drawn (Cricbuzz). But since 2015, India has won 3 of the last 5 series.

The implication: Saying one team is “better” depends on which decade you look at. In the present moment, Australia has the momentum — but India’s Test ranking still sits higher.

Why is Jasprit Bumrah not playing in Australia?

Bumrah was present for the 2024-25 tour — he bowled in all five Tests and took 32 wickets, the most by any bowler in the series (The Economic Times). But he was unavailable to bowl in the second innings of the decisive Sydney Test due to a back spasm.

Why is he also not playing the IND vs AFG ODI?

The IND vs AFG match is part of a different series, and Bumrah’s workload management — combined with his back spasm recovery — explains his absence. According to reports, Bumrah had been managing a stress fracture in his back in 2023-2024, and the team management is cautious about overusing him (The Economic Times).

The pattern: India’s bowling attack became one-dimensional without Bumrah’s reverse swing and yorkers. In Sydney, they failed to defend 162 — a target that would have been competitive with their best bowler available.

The implication: Bumrah’s fitness remains the single biggest variable in India’s bowling strategy.

Who scored 224 in 67 balls?

This is one of the most intriguing claims circulating online. The innings of 224 runs off 67 balls is not identified in available verified sources — it does not appear in any recognized scorecard or database. So far, the identity of the player who scored this remains unconfirmed.

What about Suryavanshi’s joint-third fastest century?

What is confirmed: a young batsman named Suryavanshi scored a T20 century in 33 balls, making it the joint-third fastest century by an Indian in T20 cricket. This innings has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s quickest knocks (RG.org). Another notable score — 144 runs in 42 balls — has also been reported in lower-tier domestic matches.

The implication: Viral cricket stats can be misleading. The 224-in-67 claim appears to be apocryphal, but the verified records (33-ball century, 144 off 42) are remarkable enough on their own.

Who won the 1st ODI?

The 1st ODI of the 2025 series result is not confirmed in available inputs. However, the 2nd ODI (October 23, 2025) was won by Australia by 7 wickets via DLS (India Today). The white-ball matches are part of a separate series from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests.

Results of recent matches in the 2025 series

• 1st Test (Perth): India won by 295 runs
• 4th Test (Melbourne): Australia won by 184 runs
• 5th Test (Sydney): Australia won by 6 wickets
• 2nd ODI (Adelaide): Australia won by 7 wickets

The pattern: Australia’s victories have been comprehensive, while India’s wins have been dominant but isolated. The series structure — one-off wins sandwiched between Australian comebacks — tells the story of a team that struggled for consistency.

Who is replacing Bumrah?

No official replacement was named for Bumrah in the playing XI for the Sydney Test. Squad rotations apply: India used Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep as the pace attack in the second innings (Al Jazeera). None of them could replicate Bumrah’s impact.

Why do Aussies chant ‘oi, oi, oi’?

The “oi oi oi” chant is a traditional Australian sports cheer, not cricket-specific. It’s heard at rugby matches, AFL games, and cricket grounds alike. The origin is debated, but it’s believed to derive from the terraces of English football — adopted and adapted by Australian sports fans. In cricket, it’s used by the crowd to rally their team, especially during tight moments.

The implication: Understanding the cultural quirks of the opposition helps explain why Australian crowds (and players) seem so vocal. It’s not aggression — it’s a deeply ingrained sports culture.

Timeline: The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The pattern: Australia’s depth in pace bowling and batting resilience proved decisive.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Australia won Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 with 3-1 (The Economic Times)
• India won the 1st Test (Perth) by 295 runs (Cricbuzz)
• Australia won the 4th Test (Melbourne) by 184 runs (Cricbuzz)
• Jasprit Bumrah took 32 wickets in the series, most by any bowler (The Economic Times)
• Bumrah was unavailable to bowl in the 2nd innings of the Sydney Test due to back spasm (The Economic Times)
• India led Australia by 145 runs after 1st innings of the 5th Test (Al Jazeera)
• Australia qualified for WTC final after Sydney win (The Economic Times)

What remains unclear

• Official medical reason for Bumrah’s back spasm severity
• Identity of player who scored 224 in 67 balls (if real)
• Exact replacement strategy for Bumrah in future matches
• Full recovery timeline for Bumrah’s recurring back issues

The implication: The series was decided not by superior skill but by availability. Australia’s bowling depth — Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood — stayed fit throughout. India’s entire attack revolved around one body, and when it gave out, so did the series.

“India led Australia by 145 runs after the first innings of the Sydney Test. But without Bumrah to defend 162 in the fourth innings, the target was never enough.”

Al Jazeera

“Bumrah-less India fail to defend Border-Gavaskar series title as Australia win finale by 6 wickets.”

The Economic Times

“Bumrah took 32 wickets in the series and was described as the standout bowler by far.”

RG.org

“Australia needed to win the final Test in Sydney to reclaim the series, after trailing 1-2.”

Cricbuzz

The story of this series can be summed up in one contrast: India’s fast bowling depth — world-class when Bumrah is fit — crumbled under the weight of a single injury. Australia’s attack, by contrast, rotated smoothly. For the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the decision is clear: invest in backup pace options, or accept that one injury can derail an entire series. For Australian cricket, the message is equally direct: home dominance is back, and the World Test Championship final awaits.

For en komplett oversikt over alle møter mellom lagene, se India vs Australia cricket timeline som viser resultater fra 1947 til i dag.

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