Australian cricket team in India in 1986–87

Australia had just lost two-Test series against New Zealand and only narrowly held on to a 0–0 draw against India during the 1985–86 summer. The team was in a rebuilding phase, with Bob Simpson having newly been appointed as coach. However Australia were not unfamiliar with Indian conditions having recently toured in 1984.

The original squad was selected by Lawrie Sawle, Greg Chappell, Jim Higgs and Bobby Simpson. It was announced on 30 April 1986:{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131701203 |title=Phillips discarded as selectors go for a 'keeper. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=1 May 1986 |access-date=10 November 2015 |page=30 |via=National Library of Australia}}

• Batsmen – Allan Border (captain), David Boon (vice-captain), Geoff Marsh, Dean Jones, Greg Ritchie, Mike Veletta
• Fastbowlers – Craig McDermott, Bruce Reid, Dave Gilbert, Simon Davis
• Spinners – Ray Bright
• All rounders – Greg Matthews, Steve Waugh
• Wicketkeepers – Tim Zoehrer, Greg Dyer
• Team officials – Bob Simpson (coach), Alan Crompton (tour manager), Errol Alcott (physio), Charlie Pinto (transport), Govind Bawji (baggageman)

A number of top-level Australian cricketers were unavailable for selection because they had signed to tour South Africa and were banned from playing international cricket.

Selection panel on tour: Border, Boon, Simpson

Wayne Phillips had been Australia's wicketkeeper over the 1985–86 summer, then replaced by Tim Zoehrer and tried as a batting specialist. However he was overlooked for selection – the only member of the New Zealand tour squad not picked to go to India. On the night of his non-selection Phillips told the media "I'm going to do what I want to do and not be at the beck and call of these idiots who pick the side." He was fined $2,000 by the Australian Cricket Board and never played cricket for Australia again.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19861008&id=BDspAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3530,5743211 Hugo Kelly, "Border Hints at Return by Exiled Phillips", 9 October 1986] accessed 4 December 2014

Allan Border returned early from county cricket with Essex on 19 August to prepare for the tour. The Australian squad attended a special six day training camp with Simpson, Greg Chappell and Ashley Mallett.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119471340 |title=Warming up for the Ashes India should toughen up team: Border. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=27 August 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=46 |via=National Library of Australia}}

See Tied Test for details.

{{Two-innings cricket match

| date = 18–22 September 1986
(5-day match)

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AUS}}

| team2 = {{cr|IND}}

|score-team1-inns1 = 574/7d (170.5 overs)

|runs-team1-inns1 = DM Jones 210 (330)

|wickets-team1-inns1 = NS Yadav 4/142 (49.5 overs)

|score-team2-inns1 = 397 (94.2 overs)

|runs-team2-inns1 = Kapil Dev 119 (138)

|wickets-team2-inns1 = GRJ Matthews 5/103 (28.2 overs)

|score-team1-inns2 = 170/5d (49 overs)

|runs-team1-inns2 = DC Boon 49 (92)

|wickets-team1-inns2 = Maninder Singh 3/60 (19 overs)

|score-team2-inns2 = 347 (86.5 overs)

|runs-team2-inns2 = SM Gavaskar 90 (168)

|wickets-team2-inns2 = RJ Bright 5/94 (25 overs)

| result = Match tied

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47866.html Scorecard]

| venue = M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Madras

| motm = Kapil Dev (IND)

| umpires = DN Dotiwalla and V Vikramraju

| toss = Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

| rain =

| notes =

}}

{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131839259 |title=Test selectors play a waiting game. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=18 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131839463 |title=Jones 210 and Border 106 as Australians dominant in Madras. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=20 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=12 Section: POSITIONS VACANT |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131840139 |title=TEST: IT'S A TIE!. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=23 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{Two-innings cricket match

| date = 26–30 September 1986
(5-day match)

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AUS}}

| team2 = {{cr|IND}}

| score-team1-inns1 = 207/3d (75.4 overs)

| runs-team1-inns1 = DC Boon 67 (149)

| wickets-team1-inns1 = RJ Shastri 2/44 (21.4 overs)

| score-team2-inns1 = 107/3 (26 overs)

| runs-team2-inns1 = K Srikkanth 26 (41)
CS Pandit 26 * (34)

| wickets-team2-inns1 = SR Waugh 1/29 (6 overs)

| score-team1-inns2 =

| runs-team1-inns2 =

| wickets-team1-inns2 =

| score-team2-inns2 =

| runs-team2-inns2 =

| wickets-team2-inns2 =

| result = Match drawn

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47872.html Scorecard]

| venue = Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi

| motm =

| umpires = VK Ramaswamy and PD Reporter

| toss = Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

| rain = There was no play on the first three days.

| notes =

}}

{{Two-innings cricket match

| date = 15–19 October 1986
(5-day match)

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AUS}}

| team2 = {{cr|IND}}

| score-team1-inns1 = 345 (147.4 overs)

| runs-team1-inns1 = GR Marsh 101 (300)

| wickets-team1-inns1 = NS Yadav 4/84 (41.4 overs)

| score-team2-inns1 = 517/5d (170 overs)

| runs-team2-inns1 = DB Vengsarkar 164* (303)

| wickets-team2-inns1 = GRJ Matthews 4/158 (52 overs)

| score-team1-inns2 = 216/2 (88 overs)

| runs-team1-inns2 = DM Jones 73* (164)

| wickets-team1-inns2 = RJ Shastri 2/60 (30 overs)

| score-team2-inns2 =

| runs-team2-inns2 =

| wickets-team2-inns2 =

| result = Match drawn

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47911.html Scorecard]

| venue = Wankhede Stadium, Bombay

| motm =

| umpires = JD Ghosh and RB Gupta

| toss = Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

| rain =

| notes = RR Kulkarni (IND) made his Test debut.

}}

{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118269622 |title=Gavaskar 103, India 5-291. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=18 October 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=12 Section: POSITIONS VACANT |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118269883 |title=India batsmen demolish Australia's spin attack. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=19 October 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=12 Section: SPORT |via=National Library of Australia}}

India won the Charminar Challenge Cup 3–2.

{{Limited overs matches

| date = 7 September 1986

| time =

| daynight =

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AUS}}

| team2 = {{cr|IND}}

| score1 = 250/3 (47 overs)

| runs1 = DC Boon 111 (118)

| wickets1 = M Azharuddin 1/53 (7 overs)

| score2 = 251/3 (41 overs)

| runs2 = K Srikkanth 102 (104)

| wickets2 = BA Reid 1/27 (8 overs)

| result = India won by 7 wickets

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47834.html Scorecard]

| venue = Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

| umpires = S Banerjee and BR Nagaraja Rao

| motm = K Srikkanth (IND)

| toss = India won the toss and elected to field.

| rain = The match was reduced from 50 to 47 overs per side.

| notes = R Lamba (IND) made his ODI debut.

|night=yo}}

{{Limited overs matches

| date = 9 September 1986

| time =

| daynight =

| team1 = {{cr-rt|IND}}

| team2 = {{cr|AUS}}

| score1 = 222/8 (47 overs)

| runs1 = SM Gavaskar 52 (56)

| wickets1 = BA Reid 2/37 (10 overs)

| score2 = 226/7 (46 overs)

| runs2 = AR Border 90* (106)

| wickets2 = RMH Binny 2/25 (8 overs)

| result = Australia won by 3 wickets

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47842.html Scorecard]

| venue = Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar

| umpires = SB Kulkarni and RS Rathore

| motm = AR Border (AUS)

| toss = Australia won the toss and elected to field.

| rain = The match was reduced from 50 to 47 overs per side.

| notes =

}}

{{Limited overs matches

| date = 24 September 1986

| time =

| daynight =

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AUS}}

| team2 = {{cr|IND}}

| score1 = 242/6 (47 overs)

| runs1 = GM Ritchie 75 (53)

| wickets1 = RJ Shastri 2/36 (10 overs)

| score2 = 41/1 (10.4 overs)

| runs2 = R Lamba 20* (36)

| wickets2 = BA Reid 1/20 (4 overs)

| result = No result

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47868.html Scorecard]

| venue = Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad

| umpires = RR Kadam and RV Ramani

| motm =

| toss = India won the toss and elected to field.

| rain = The match was reduced from 50 to 47 overs per side.

| notes = GC Dyer (AUS) and RP Singh (IND) made their ODI debuts.

}}

{{Limited overs matches

| date = 2 October 1986

| time =

| daynight =

| team1 = {{cr-rt|AUS}}

| team2 = {{cr|IND}}

| score1 = 238/6 (45 overs)

| runs1 = SR Waugh 57* (53)

| wickets1 = Maninder Singh 2/30 (10 overs)

| score2 = 242/7 (43.3 overs)

| runs2 = R Lamba 74 (68)

| wickets2 = BA Reid 3/43 (9 overs)

| result = India won by 3 wickets

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47893.html Scorecard]

| venue = Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi

| umpires = AL Narasimhan and J Roy

| motm = R Lamba (IND)

| toss = India won the toss and elected to field.

| rain = The match was reduced from 50 to 45 overs per side.

| notes =

}}

{{Limited overs matches

| date = 5 October 1986

| time =

| daynight =

| team1 = {{cr-rt|IND}}

| team2 = {{cr|AUS}}

| score1 = 193 (47.4 overs)

| runs1 = RJ Shastri 53 (54)

| wickets1 = SP Davis 3/35 (9.4 overs)

| score2 = 141 (43.3 overs)

| runs2 = GR Marsh 43 (96)
AR Border 43 (64)

| wickets2 = Kapil Dev 2/17 (8 overs)

| result = India won by 52 runs

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47896.html Scorecard]

| venue = Gujarat Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

| umpires = BR Keshavamurthy and MG Mukherjee

| motm = RJ Shastri (IND)

| toss = India won the toss and elected to bat.

| rain =

| notes =

}}

{{Limited overs matches

| date = 7 October 1986

| time =

| daynight =

| team1 = {{cr-rt|IND}}

| team2 = {{cr|AUS}}

| score1 = 260/6 (48 overs)

| runs1 = R Lamba 102 (120)

| wickets1 = SR Waugh 2/50 (10 overs)

| score2 = 263/3 (46.3 overs)

| runs2 = AR Border 91* (88)

| wickets2 = RJ Shastri 1/50 (10 overs)

| result = Australia won by 7 wickets

| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47902.html Scorecard]

| venue = Municipal Stadium, Rajkot

| umpires = KR Karimanickam and N.N.Patwardhan

| motm = AR Border (AUS)

| toss = Australia won the toss and elected to field.

| rain = The match was reduced from 50 to 48 overs per side.

| notes =

}}

• [http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1986-87/AUS_IN_IND/AUS_IND-BPRES-XI_30AUG-01SEP1986.html Board President's XI v Australians at Bangalore, 30 Aug-1 Sep 1986] – match drawn. Geoff Marsh scored a century and Matthews took five wickets in the game.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131836164 |title=Marsh sees Australia through to lead. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=1 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=30 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• [http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1986-87/AUS_IN_IND/AUS_BOM_03-05SEP1986.html Bombay v Australians at Gwalior, 3-5 Sep 1986] – match drawn. Greg Ritchie scored a century as opener and Matthews made 99.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131836940 |title=Matthews basks in the Indian warmth. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=5 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=3 Section: SPORT |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131837152 |title=No sweat at all for Border's men. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=6 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=10 Section: POSITIONS VACANT |via=National Library of Australia}}
• [http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1986-87/AUS_IN_IND/AUS_IND-U25_12-14SEP1986.html Indian Under-25 XI v Australians at Chandigarh, 12-14 Sep 1986] – match drawn{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131838870 |title=Waugh gives Young India a shake. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=16 September 1986 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• [http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1986-87/AUS_IN_IND/AUS_DELHI_10-12OCT1986.html Delhi v Australians at Baroda, 10-12 Oct 1986] – match drawn – Dave Gilbert scored a century.

The tour established David Boon and Geoff Marsh as Australia's opening combination, and Dean Jones as a Test batsman. Greg Matthews appeared to establish his credentials as a top line spinner. Jones later argued the tied Test marked a turning point in Australian cricket, although Australia went on to lose the 1986–87 Ashes series 2–1.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/142306.html Andrew Miller, 'Dean Jones - Tied Test marked the renaissance of Australian cricket', Cricinfo 13 Oct 2004] accessed 15 June 2012 By the end of that series, Boon, Ritchie, Matthews, McDermott, Davis, Gilbert and Bright had all been dropped from the Australian Test team.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

The experience gained by the players did prove valuable for Australia in their campaign to win the 1987 World Cup in India.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/61426.html Tour home] at ESPNcricinfo
• [http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1986-87/AUS_IN_IND/ Australia in India : Aug/Oct 1986] at ESPNcricinfo archives
• [http://test-cricket-tours.co.uk/page_1641281.html Australian cricket team in 1986-87] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927232739/http://test-cricket-tours.co.uk/page_1641281.html |date=2020-09-27 }} at Test Cricket Tours

{{International cricket tours of India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian cricket team in India in 1986-87}}

Category:1986 in Australian cricket

Category:1986 in Indian cricket

1986-87

Category:Indian cricket seasons from 1970–71 to 1999–2000

Category:International cricket competitions from 1985–86 to 1988