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Former India's star opener and skipper Gautam Gambhir feels India versus Australia encounter pips the traditional rivalry between India versus Pakistan, citing that the current Indian team is much superior to their neighboring rivals.
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The historic rivalry between India and Pakistan has always been a major draw, known for being one of the most intense in global sports. Over the years, these two teams have engaged in numerous unforgettable and nail-biting matches. Iconic moments include Sachin Tendulkar's legendary 98 in the 2003 semi-final against Pakistan and the tense T20 World Cup final in 2007. However, in recent times, the rivalry has somewhat diminished in intensity, with only occasional matches, such as the one in Melbourne in 2022, reigniting the old spark.
During a conversation with Hotstar, Gambhir pointed out that there has been a shift in the dynamics, with India recently emerging as the more dominant team in their encounters with Pakistan.
"Pakistan has dominated India a lot of times. Currently, if you see the level of both teams, India is far superior to Pakistan in all three formats. If Pakistan defeats India it's an upset, if India defeats Pakistan, it's very much given," Gambhir said.
India and Pakistan have not engaged in bilateral cricket series for over ten years, with their recent encounters limited to ICC and Asian Cricket Council events. India maintains an impressive unbeaten streak against Pakistan in ODI World Cups, a record they further extended with a victory at the 2023 ODI World Cup match held at the fully-packed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The anticipation for this high-profile clash skyrocketed, leading to increased travel and accommodation costs, but India managed to assert their dominance over Pakistan on the field.
In the T20 World Cup history, India initially held an unblemished record against Pakistan, winning six consecutive matches. However, this changed in October 2021 when Pakistan clinched a 10-wicket victory over India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, making the head-to-head T20 record 6-1 in favor of India.
Gambhir also said that the rivalry between India and Australia has reached its pinnacle, with the intense and competitive nature of their matches adding an extra layer of excitement to the rivalry.
"India and Australia, from a cricketing point of view, is a top rivalry. If you ask a cricket fan what is the actual rivalry, they will also say India and Australia," Gambhir added.
Over the years, the cricketing powerhouses of India and Australia have delivered some exceptional matches. India's victory in the 2001 Border-Gavaskar series is celebrated as one of the most remarkable comebacks in Indian cricket history. Similarly, the 2021 Test series, led by Ajinkya Rahane, stands out as another extraordinary comeback against formidable odds. Furthermore, Virat Kohli etched his name in history as the first Indian captain to secure a Test series win in Australia during the 2018-19 series.
However, 2023 saw India facing setbacks against Australia, first in the World Test Championship final and then enduring a heart-wrenching defeat in the ODI World Cup final.
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