Wherever there is a sport, rivalries are meant to happen. Honestly, rivalries are one of the key reasons to make a sport an absorbing watch. Since the inception of any game, the viewers have, and continue to witness insane competitiveness among different parties. Whether it is the El Clásico or MI vs CSK, we savour all of it. In terms of cricket too, a long list of vying is extant between various teams. Leaving the ODI and T20I format aside for a while, let us cast our focus upon Test cricket. The Test cricket does not only test a player’s skillset but also the vehemence of certain world-famous rivalries. Making the heart of the matter clear, read on to know about the 3 biggest rivals in Test cricket!
“Great rivalries don’t have to be built on hatred. They’re built on respect, on a respect for excellence.”
~ Mike Krzyzewski
3. Australia vs South Africa
The Australia vs South Africa rivalry has been sprouting through the past decade. Given this rivalry has years of experience, so it undoubtedly has its place amongst the most interesting ones. The sheer will to prove who’s the boss makes this one a delightful watch. No matter how much heat is there on the field, it always ends up serving the audience with a plate quality cricket. The Proteas were the first team to beat the Aussies at home in 16 years in 2008-09. This flabbergasting performance by South Africa put a full-stop to Australia’s prevailing Test dominance for 1.5 decades. Furthermore, adding to the intensity, Australia came back with a bang and claimed the series in the return tour of 2009. Both the teams kind of function under similar templates with world-class bowlers and merciless batsmen. Moreover, this rivalry seems to be on the verge of exponential growth ahead!
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2. India vs Australia
Also known as the Warne-Tendulkar rivalry by the fans in 1990s, this rivalry has its roots since the 1980s. The steps of Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar, and Glenn McGrath in the international arena intensified the competition in the 1990s. India’s 2001 win in the Kolkata and Chennai tests added more to the fire. Both the teams clash once in every two years for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, certain incidents like racism and sledging gave this competition a bad turn and pushed many in a black mood. Although Australia has more wins in head-to-head competitions, but India is emerging to be stronger than ever before. India has been triumphant in the last three editions of 2016/17, 2018/19, and 2020/21 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
1. England vs Australia
Above all, in this list of 3 biggest rivals in Test cricket, The Ashes has to be on top. Nothing comes near the greatest rivalry of England and Australia! Played biennially, the rivalry goes back to the 19th century in 1882. The term ‘Ashes’ came to life after a satirical obituary in the English newspaper ‘The Sporting Times’. The newspaper published it right after Australia’s 1882 victory at The Oval, its first test win on English soil. Some angry fans at The Oval had burnt the bails and took the ashes as a remembrance that England lost. Whenever these two teams face each other, there is always a big buzz about it. They do not play for the sake of a Test Series, but for the pride of their nation. Out of 72 series, Australia and England have 34 and 32 wins respectively, and six series have been drawn.
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These are the 3 biggest rivals in Test cricket at present. As a matter of fact, all these rivalries seem to reign for a longer time. They are not in a mood to lose their spot this early. Just by a glance through the numbers of each team, one can comprehend the fierceness. It is to be noted that rivalries should not spoil the spirit of the game rather escalate it to a new level. Therefore, respectful rivalries are the ones that unite diverse people for a sport. A healthy competition shall never let any team/sport take a bitter turn. Cheers to all the sportive rivalries!
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