In February 2000, South Africa ended India's proud record of being unbeaten in a Test series at home for 13 years. Going into the deciding contest of the five match one-day series against Australia at Margao's Nehru Stadium on Friday, India have another 13-year-old record on the line. They have not lost in a two team one-day series at home since 1988, winning ten and squaring two of their 12 series in that period.

It hasn't always been such a success story. There was a particularly barren stretch in the mid-eighties when India lost five out of seven series, not by close margins but being fairly thrashed in each of them. Ironically India were then the reigning World Cup champions. They succumbed 0-5 to the West Indies in 1983/84, 0-3 to Australia in 1984/85, 1-4 to England, also in 1984/85, and 1-5 to Pakistan in 1986/87. After surrendering the World Cup in 1987, India hosted the West Indies again. Having failed to make the semifinals for the first time in four World Cup competitions, the West Indies took out their frustration on India, trouncing them 6-1.

Since then, India have reigned supreme in an unbeaten streak that kicked off with a 4-0 blanking of John Wright's New Zealand team in 1988/89. While Kris Srikkanth displayed a surprising proficiency with the ball, taking two five wicket hauls, the piece de resistance was produced by Mohd Azharuddin in the final game at Baroda. Chasing 279, India slumped to 133/5 before Azhar smashed a 100 in 62 balls and, assisted by his good pal Ajay Sharma, steered India to victory.

The Sri Lankans were subdued 2-1 during Azhar's first home series as captain in 1990/91. This was followed by the hastily arranged series against South Africa just on the eve of India's trip Down Under in 1991/92. Returning to the international fold after 22 years, the visitors were comfortably beaten in the first two games but successfully chased down a target of 288 in the third.

In 1992/93, England salvaged some pride after being whitewashed in the Tests, squaring the one-dayers 3-3. But they squandered a 3-1 lead as India stealthily crept back to take the last two matches, both at Gwalior, pursuing targets of 257 and 266 thanks to the heroics of Navjot Sidhu and Azharuddin. The Zimbabweans who followed soon afterwards in the same season were handed a 3-0 rout.

Sri Lanka made another visit to India in 1993/94 only to lose by an identical 2-1 margin. Next it was the turn of the mighty West Indians to bite the dust; having routed India twice before, the boot was on the other foot as they lost 4-1 after winning the first game at Faridabad. Sachin Tendulkar incredibly won the Man of the Series award despite ducks in his first two games.

In 1995/96, the Kiwis went down 3-2 with the series going all the way down to the wire. Sri Lanka had another tilt at India in a three match series in 1997/98 which was drawn 1-1, the second game at Indore being abandoned after just three overs because of an ill-prepared wicket. Visiting again in 1999/2000, New Zealand once more took India down to the fifth game at New Delhi which the hosts won by seven wickets to take the series 3-2.

Sourav Ganguly's maiden series as captain in his own right was marked by a 3-2 win over South Africa. But much of the gloss was taken off when the sordid revelations of Hansie Cronje's involvement in match-fixing trickled through. Just over three months ago, with the dust from that disreputable episode settling, the upstarts from Zimbabwe were the latest to be rolled over under the advancing chariot wheels, tasting a 4-1 defeat.

In all India have lost just five of 22 series at home, drawing two and winning the remaining 15. Predictably, India's away record is a stark contrast; in 22 series they have won just four, squared three and lost the other 15. Of the four wins, two came in the Texaco Trophy against England in 1986 (when the series was tied 1-1 but India won a faster scoring rate) and 1990 and the remaining two in Zimbabwe in 1992/93 (a solitary match, so strictly not a series) and 1998/99. Despite the capricious nature of one-day contests, where a sudden rapier thrust can upset the status quo in a twinkling of an eye, home conditions can be just as compelling an advantage as in Test cricket. On the final day of Australia's seven week tour, after being dispossessed of two winning streaks, the Aussies have the opportunity of paying India back in their own coin.

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