The Border-Gavaskar is trophy is one of the most exciting bilateral cricketing events. Perhaps after the Ashes, some might consider it as the second-biggest bilateral series. Over the years, the two teams competing in this series, India and Australia have gifted us some great games of cricket.
While India holds the upper hand in this competition, Australia too have had their moments. Interestingly, there have not been too many drawn series, as we always tend to get a result. Since both India and Australia have produced some of world cricket’s best batsmen, we have seen quite a few superstars amassing runs aplenty in this series.
Let us have a look at the top 5 centurions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 9
Sachin Tendulkar often used to torment the Aussie bowling unit. He has not only scored the most number of centuries in the series but has also amassed the most number of runs. The master blaster has scored 9 centuries and 16 fifties in this series.
He has scored over 3200 runs in this series, which includes a stunning highest score of unbeaten 241. He had an astonishing average in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy of over 55. Interestingly, Sachin Tendulkar also has got the joint-highest number of ducks in this series amongst those batsmen who have scored a century.
2. Ricky Ponting – 8
Ricky Ponting was Australia’s answer to Sachin Tendulkar. Though not as prolific a run-scorer as Tendulkar, Ponting was undoubtedly the best Australian batsman to have played in this series. He has scored 8 centuries, just 1 off the master blaster.
Ponting has scored 2500+ runs in this series. His average is just around a couple of notches behind Tendulkar’s. The former Australian skipper has one 250+ plus score in this tournament, which his Indian counterpart lacks. Though not on the number of centuries, Ricky Ponting has matched Sachin Tendulkar on the number of ducks. Like Sachin, he was dismissed 4 times on 0.
3. Michael Clarke – 7
Though India might have dominated for the most parts in this series, Australia have been a more solid unit batting wise. Michael Clarke, who got the baton of captaincy from Ricky Ponting, struck 7 centuries in this series.
Pup, as he was famously called by his teammates, has over 2000 runs to his name in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His has an average of around 53. He is the first and the only mention on this list to have scored a triple-century in this bilateral series.
4. Virat Kohli – 7
In what has been comparatively a shorter span, the current Indian captain Virat Kohli has also struck 7 centuries in the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Besides that, the lad from Delhi also has 3 half-centuries to his name.
In the 34 innings, he has batted in this series, Kohli has scored over 1604 runs for the men in blue. He has the highest score of 169. His average, however, is under 50, which is not as impressive as that of the 3 men in front of him on this particular list. However, he still has many years left to play and can beat Sachin Tendulkar in a span of a few years.
5. Steve Smith – 7
The last entrant on this list, Steve Smith has perhaps got the most impressive figures in this series. Like Kohli, he has also scored 7 centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, what is really impressive is that he has scored those centuries in just 10 games, while Kohli has played 19.
Smith has already amassed over 1400 runs in this series. He has an average of nearly 85. Interestingly, Smith is the only centurion in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to have maintained an average of over 80 in this series. Shikhar Dhawan comes close at 79, while Adam Gilchrist had an average of nearly 77. Smith has a highest score of 192.
