It is after a long gap of ten years that Australia will play a Test match in this country, and five years since the two nations last met each other in the extended version of the game.
Interestingly, rival skippers Mark Taylor and Sachin Tendulkar will face each other in the traditional form of cricket for the first time.
As far as Test track records of the two countries are concerned, Australia has a clear advantage over India by virtue of 24 victories against just eight defeats out of a total of 50 matches played. Of the remaining 18 Tests, one ended in a tie, while the other 17 were drawn.
On Indian soil, Australia has won eight and lost five out of 25 games played so far.
Except all-rounder Steve Waugh, all members of the Australian squad will be playing Test cricket in this country for the first time, Steve Waugh being the only survivor of the touring Aussie squad under Allan Border of 1986-87 vintage.
By the same token, former captain Mohammed Azharuddin remains the only Indian survivor of that series.
Following are complete details of India-Australia Test matches :
Skippers Won by
Season Venue Australia India Matches Aust Ind Tie Drawn
1947-48 Aust D G Bradman L Amarnath 5 4 - - 1
1956-67 Ind I W Johnson P R Umrigar 3 2 - - 1
1959-60 Ind R Benaud G S Ramchand 5 2 1 - 2
1964-65 Ind R B Simpson M A K Pataudi 3 1 1 - 1
1967-68 Aust R B Simpson M A K Pataudi 4 4 - -
1969-70 Ind W N Lawry M A K Pataudi 5 3 1 - 1
1977-78 Aust R B Simpson B S Bedi 5 3 2 -
1979-80 Ind K J Hughes S M Gavaskar 6 1 2 - 4
1980-81 Aust G S Chappell S M Gavaskar 3 1 1 - 1
1985-86 Aust A R Border Kapil Dev 3 - - - 3
1986-87 Ind A R Border Kapil Dev 3 - - 1 2
1991-92 Aust A R Border M Azharuddin 5 4 - - 1
Total in Australia 25 16 3 - 6
Total in India 25 8 5 1 11
Grand toal 50 24 8 1 17
Note: The following either deputised for the official touring captain or were appointed by the home authority for only a minor portion of the series :
R R Lindwall (Aust ) in the second Test in 1956-57 (drawn), W M Lawry (Aust) in the third and fourth Tests in 1967-68 (both won by Australia) and C G Borde in the first Test in 1967-68 (lost by India).
* Other milestones : Highest innings totals : For Australia in Aust : 674 at Adelaide, 1947-48
in Ind : 574-7 dec. at Madras, 1987-87
For India in Aust : 600-4 dec. at Sydney, 1985-86
in Ind. : 517-5 dec. at Mumbai, 1986-97
Lowest inning totals : For Australia in Aust: 83 at Melbourne, 1980-81
In Ind: 105 at Kanpur, 1959-60
For India in Aust : 58 at Brisbane, 1947-48
In Ind : 135 at Delhi, 1959-60
* Highest match aggregate : 1488 runs / 32 wkts at Madras, 1986-87
* Lowest match aggregate : 538 runs / 28 wkts at Brisbane, 1947-48
* Highest individual score : For Australia in Aust : 213 by Kim Hughes at Adelaide, 1980-81
in Ind : 210 by Deal Jones at Madras, 1986-87
For India in Aust : 206 by Ravi Shastri at Sydney, 1980-81
in Ind : 164* by Dilip Vengsarkar at Mumbai, 1986-87
*Total centuries : For Australia - 51, for India - 35
* Must runs in a series : For Australia in Aust : 715 by D G Bradman in 1947-48
in Ind : 594 by K Hughes, in 1974-80
For India in Aust : 473 by G R Viswanath in 1977-78
in Ind : 516 by G R Viswanath in 1979-80
* Most wickets in an innings : For Australia in Aust : 7-27 by M Whitney at Perth, 1991-92
in Ind : 7-43 by R Lindwal at Madras 1965-57
For India in Aust : 8-106 by Kapil Dev at Adelaide, 1985-86
in Ind : 9-69 by J Patel at Kanpur, 1959-60
* Most wickets in a Test : For Australia in Aust : 12-126 by B Reid at Melbourne, 1991-92
in Ind : 12-124 by A Davidson at Kanpur, 1977-78
For India in Aust : 12-104 by B Chandrashekar at Melbourne, 1977-78
in Ind : 14-124 by J Patel at Kanpur, 1959-60
* Most wickets in a series : For Australia in Aust : 31 by CG McDermott in 1991-92
in Ind : 29 each by a A Davidson & R Benaud in 1959-60
For India in Aust : 31 by B S Bedi in 1977-78
in Ind : 28 by Kapil Dev in 1979-80