Location India Gulabrai Ramchand Richie Benaud | India Australia | |
Date 12 December 1959 - 28 January 1960 Result Australia won the 5-Test series 2-1-2 Nari Contractor (438)
Pankaj Roy (263)
Ramnath Kenny (229) Norm O'Neill (376)
Neil Harvey (356)
Les Favell (229) | ||
The Australian national cricket team toured India in the winter of 1959-60. The two teams played five Tests, with Australia winning two, India winning one, and two others being drawn. The Australians also played several matches against domestic Indian squads.
Contents
At the time of its arrival in India, the Australian cricket team was acclaimed as the strongest side in the world, having won 11 of its last 16 Tests and lost none. In the years just prior, they had not only defeated India, but also South Africa, England, and Pakistan as well. The confident Aussies, led by captain Richie Benaud, featured such names as Neil Harvey, Norm O'Neill, Ray Lindwall, and Ian Meckiff among others. Meanwhile, India had dropped 11 of its last 13 Tests, including humbling defeats at the hands of Australia, the West Indies, and England, and had not won a single one. The Indians seemed to be struggling with every aspect of the game – batting, bowling, and fielding – not to mention leadership and the maintenance of a "fighting spirit." Hence, this series between Benaud's Australians and Gulabrai Ramchand's Indian team had a true David vs. Goliath nature to it.
Touring party
2nd Test
The second Test at Kanpur was notable for being India's first-ever Test victory over the Australians, and also the first match to be played on a turf wicket. Indian off-spinner Jasu Patel distinguished himself, taking 14 wickets in the match (nine wickets in the first innings and five in the second). He would go on to take 19 wickets in the series.