After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
History has not seen a cricketing rivalry as fierce as this this century, every ball bowled every run taken, coming with no quarter given. Ahead of India's five Test tour of Australia, Norma Astrid Godinho/Rediff.com takes a walk down memory lane, recounting India's sojourns Down Under from 1947 to 2021, in a 4-part series.
'You have to respect if the ball's moving, you have to give it to the fast bowlers and just soak in that pressure and wait for your time to score runs.'
In response, the visitors were 51/4 on a rain-hit third day with questions being raised about batters' technique and the quality of bowling, save for Bumrah.
Australia's senior batter Steve Smith said the last three years have been the most challenging because of Kookaburra changing their ball in 2020.
India gave wings to their ferocious ambition of winning a maiden series Down Under, beating Australia by 31 runs in the opening Test with an irresistible fusion of self-belief, hunger and talent in Adelaide.
Shamar Joseph dismissed the formidable Steve Smith with his very first delivery in Test cricket.
The former South African quick explained the pre-set plan against Head, though it eventually fell flat on its back.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth on Sunday.
The dawn of a new era had begun under Sourav Ganguly's aggressive leadership. With Ganguly and Coach John Wright at the helm India had transitioned into a force to be reckoned with.
Sue Redfern is poised to make history as the inaugural ICC-appointed female neutral umpire
Australia bowled out West Indies for 188 at Adelaide Oval on Day 1 of the first Test on Wednesday.
Opening batsman David Warner tore an adductor muscle in the leadup to the four-Test series and was ruled out of the Adelaide opener as well as the ongoing 'Boxing Day' Test in Melbourne.
The three-match series will be played over six days, with matches in Adelaide, Sydney and finishing in Melbourne on November 22.
Blake Govers slammed a hat-trick as Australia routed India 7-4 in a high-scoring second hockey Test in Adelaide on Sunday.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 3rd Ashes Test played in Melbourne on Sunday.
Smith was banned from leadership roles for two years after the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town in 2018 but the ban expired in March.
India fast bowler Umesh Yadav hobbled off the field after suffering an injury during the third day of the second Test against Australia, in Melbourne, on Monday.
The second match of the four-game series was postponed on Tuesday when four more UAE players tested positive for the novel coronavirus, taking the total to seven COVID-19 cases.
Opening partner Usman Khawaja (62) completed 1000 runs for the calendar year and was looking in great touch before West Indies struck back with two quick wickets after the lunch break.
Factbox on third Test between Australia and New Zealand, which starts in Adelaide on Friday.
With scores of 4,9,9 in his previous three matches, Rahul was under pressure to justify his selection and the opener responded by clubbing four sixes en route to a 31-ball fifty as India reached 86-2 at the halfway stage.
It would be interesting to see who India leave out to play Rohit Sharma
Kohli gained two points for his half-century to get to 888 while Smith (911) lost 10 points in the table after scoring 1 and 1 in his two innings.
The tour will include a 14-day quarantine-cum-training period in Sydney starting November 12 for the Indians who will fly in after the IPL final on November 10.
Images from Day 3 of the 3rd Ashes Test played at the WACA in Perth on Saturday
India would eye nothing less than a clean sweep when they take on an Australian side significantly weakened by injury blows, in the third and final T20 International, in Sydney, on Tuesday.
Australia captain Michael Clarke said he was confident paceman Ryan Harris would be fit to face England in the third Ashes Test on Friday but all-rounder James Faulkner has been ruled out of the match with a broken thumb.
India fast bowler Bumrah has achieved a career-high ranking of 33rd, after his three for 47 and three for 68 at Adelaide helped him to rise five places.
Some highlights from this action-packed weekend we give to in this beautiful package...
Australia won back the Ashes when they bowled out England for 350 to seal a 206-run victory in the third Test on Monday.
Images from Day 2 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
He explained about the technical adjustments he made in Sydney and now in Brisbane to tackle the Australian pacers.
IMAGES from matches on Day 4 of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York on Thursday.
'No more red ball... it doesn't swing, it doesn't do anything, goes soft after 25 overs. It has been pathetic for so long now. Except for the Dukes ball in England, it has been rubbish.'
Steve Smith and David Warner's first batting partnership on home soil since their ball-tampering suspensions helped Australia to a series-sealing nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Brisbane.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers for the Bangladesh team from World Cups.
Likely to be fit for 3rd Test against England.
India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has backed his skipper Virat Kohli's decision to bat first while admitting that the wicket was "soft" in the morning as the visitors were bowled out for 78 against England on the opening day of the third Test here on Wednesday.
