A Deep Dive into History of India-Australia Men Hockey Test Series
The India-Australia Men’s Hockey Test Series have always generated excitement all around given the rich flair both teams bring to the hockey turf. India and Australia first squared up in a Test series for the first time way back in April 1983 in Melbourne, and Perth.
The Zafar Iqbal-captained Indian men’s hockey team won the opening Test match 3-0 at Melbourne – it was a match in which India were pegged back by the relentless raids of Australia in the opening half. However, India wore a transformed look in the second half, taking the attack to the opposition with burly fullback Vineet Sharma converting a penalty corner to give India the lead – Mohammed Shahid doubled the lead with a fine field goal before Vineet Sharma got his name again in the scoresheet to hand Australia a rare 3-0 defeat at the now Parkville Stadium (then State Netball Hockey Centre).
India subsequently won the second Test 2-1 at the same venue in Melbourne. Five days later, Australia mounted a comeback winning the third Test at Perth, riding on goals from Terry Walsh and Colin Batch. The Kookaburras ensured the series ended on an even footing with another 2-1 win in the fourth and final Test at Perth – David Bell and Terry Walsh scoring for the winners. Thus, the first-ever India-Australia Four Test series ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
The India-Australia Test series was revived eight years later in 1991 with a two Test series played at the Commonwealth Hockey Stadium at Perth – The Pargat Singh-captained India, were handed a 0-6 defeat by the Kookaburras in the first Test in early October of 1991 – Craig Davies scored a scintillating hat-trick with the likes of Mark Hager, Warren Birmingham, and Lee Bodimeade completing the rout. The Blueshirts redeemed themselves settling for a 2-2 draw in the second Test match at Perth, but it was never going to be enough as the hosts won the two Test series 1-0.
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India-Australia locked horns in a Five Test series played at multiple venues across Australia sometime in May 1994 – India lost the opening Test 0-2 at the Queensland State Hockey Centre in Brisbane and plunged further losing 1-5 in the second Test at the Homebush Stadium in Sydney, where mercurial Mark Hager capped off a superb hat-trick.
The five Test series was beyond the grasp of India, who lost the third Test by a solitary goal. India lost their fourth consecutive match, going down 1-3 in the fourth Test at Canberra. With the series in the bag of the Kookaburras, India only had pride to play for and played out a 1-1 draw in the fifth and final Test match at the Commonwealth Hockey Stadium at Perth. Thus, Australia won the five Test rubber 4-0.
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The 4th India-Australia Men’s Hockey Test Series was played at multiple venues across India in December 1996. India lost the opening Test narrowly 4-5 at New Delhi but lacked the much-needed fight in the 2nd and 3rd Test matches at Bhopal and Hyderabad, where they lost 1-3 and 2-5, respectively. With the series already decided, India capped off a consolation 3-1 win in the fourth and final Test match at Chennai.
India-Australia Men’s Hockey Test Series was revived after a hiatus of eighteen years when both teams featured in a four Test series held at Perth in November 2014. India again under the captaincy of Sardar Singh, put up their best-ever performance in a four Test series held at Perth in November 2014. The Blueshirts were inflicted a 0-4 defeat by Australia in the first Test at the Perth Hockey Stadium but they clawed their way back to win the second Test 2-1 to level the series. With an extra spring in their strides after the win, India won the third Test 2-1 and the fourth and final Test 3-1 to win their maiden Test series against Australia and that too, in Australia. The Test series would be remembered for SV Sunil’s brilliant solo goal in the third Test when he darted down from near the centre-line to score.
A year later, a India-Australia Three Test Series was played in India in November 2015 – the Sardar Singh-captained India drew Australia 2-2 in the first Test at Rajnanadgaon, where Vokkaliga Raghunath scored a double. India lost the second Test 1-2 but won the third Test 3-2 riding on a final-minute goal from Akashdeep Singh played at Raipur.
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An India-Australia Two Test Series was played at Bendigo in November 2016 – India led by Vokkaliga Raghunath, pipped the Kookaburras 3-2 in the first Test riding on a brace from Affan Yousuf and subsequently lost the second Test 3-4, where skipper and drag-flicker Vokkaliga Raghunath fired a brace.
The next India-Australia Test Series was played in May 2019 at Perth, where India under the captaincy of Manpreet Singh lost the two Test series 0-2 – they had lost the first Test 0-4 and the second Test 2-5. Interestingly, this was Graham Reid’s first assignment with the national team.
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The 9th India-Australia Test Series was played at Adelaide in November 2022 – the Harmanpreet Singh-captained Indian side pulled off a famous win but lost the seven Test series 1-6.
The 10th India-Australia Test Series was played at Perth in April 2024, where the Blueshirts under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Singh cut a disappointing figure, losing all five Test match and were whitewashed 0-5.
Over the last 41 years, India and Australia have played in ten Test series. Eight Test series were held in Australia, while two Test series were held in India.
India-Australia 10 Test Series Record Across Decades (Since 1983)
| Year | Number of Test Matches | Venue | Result |
| 1983 | Four Test Series | Melbourne & Perth | Series ended in a 2-2 draw |
| 1991 | Two Test Series | Perth | Australia won the series 1-0 |
| 1994 | Five Test Series | Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane & Canberra | Australia won the series 4-0 |
| 1996 | Four Test Series | Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhopal, & New Delhi | Australia won the series 3-1 |
| 2014 | Four Test Series | India won the series 3-1 | |
| 2015 | Three Test Series | Rajnanadgaon | Series ended in a 1-1 draw |
| 2016 | Two Test Series | Bendigo | Series ended in a 1-1 draw |
| 2019 | Two Test Series | Perth | Australia won the series 2-0 |
| 2022 | Five Test Series | Adelaide | Australia won the series 4-1 |
| 2024 | Five Test Series | Perth | Australia won the series 5-0 |
