When Sachin refused to play the cover drive: India's top Sydney moments

After a remarkable win at Melbourne that gave India an unassailable 2-1 lead to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India go into the Sydney Test match hoping to script history by winning their first Test series Down Under.

The Indian cricket team doesn't boast a splendid record at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with just one win in 11 Tests. Australia have won five of them while the other five have ended in a draw. But many individual performances by the visitors have caught the eye over the decades.

The last time India played here was in 2014 when the match ended in a draw. Incidentally, it was also Virat Kohli's first Test as captain after MS Dhoni retired midway into the series. Kohli was unfazed by the pressure of being in the hot seat, scoring 147 runs in the first innings.

Sydney is also infamous for the Harbhajan-Symonds 'Monkeygate' episode during the 2007-08 tour that saw the Indian offie get suspended for three Tests for an alleged racial slur against Symonds -- although it was later lifted. The match was marred by some shocking umpiring decisions that resulted in umpire Steve Bucknor being replaced by the ICC for the next Test at Perth. 

Interestingly, Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 154 in the first innings. The match looked to be heading for a draw but with just minutes to spare on the final day, Michael Clarke grabbed three wickets in one over to help Australia pull off a 122-run victory. Symonds was adjudged Man of the Match for his all-round performance.

Sydney has been a happy hunting ground for Sachin. Back in 2003-04, he scored an unbeaten 241 as India piled up a mammoth 707/7 declared, with VVS Laxman playing the perfect foil with 178.

Sachin's brilliant innings came after a disastrous tour where he had managed only 82 runs including two ducks from five innings. Having been repeatedly out caught behind in the series, Sachin did not play a single cover drive during the entire innings, shouldering arms to balls pitched outside the off stump.  

The match turned out to be a high-scoring encounter, ending in a draw as Australia responded with 474. This was also the last match of Steve Waugh's illustrious career.

During the 1999-2000 tour, India lost the Sydney Test by an innings and 141 runs but what stood out was Laxman's fighting 167 in the second innings. It was his maiden Test century and interestingly, he scored 64 per cent of India's total of 261 all out. Laxman has termed this a career-defining moment as it gave him the belief that he belonged on the international stage.

In the 1991-92 series, the Sydney Test saw legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne make his debut -- but it was one to forget. Warne was hammered to all parts of the ground, returning the dismal figures of one for 150 from 45 overs. His solitary victim was Ravi Shastri but only after the Indian had scored his highest individual Test score of 206. Tendulkar, who was then 19, scored an unbeaten 148 and became the youngest man to score a Test century in Australia.

It's also a venue Kris Srikkanth cannot forget as he memorably hit Bob Holland for 22 runs in an over (0,4,6,4,4,4) during the 1985-86 series en route to his maiden Test hundred. The swashbuckling opener smashed 19 fours and a six in the innings, reaching his century in just 97 balls. His performance earned him a shared Man of the Series award with Kapil Dev.

India's lone success at Sydney came 41 years ago -- and it turned out to be a thumping win by an innings and two runs.

Electing to bat first, Australia were bowled out for 131 runs in 49.4 overs. In reply, India declared on 396/8 to take a 265-run lead. Gundappa Vishwanath top-scored with a patient 79 and was involved in a 125-run partnership with Dilip Vengsarkar for the fourth wicket. Tailender Karsan Ghavri also chipped in with 64.

In their second innings, Australia could only manage to score 263. The spin trio of Bedi, Chandra and Prasanna were the destroyers-in-chief, taking 16 wickets between them in the match.

Sydney was also the venue where India gave Don Bradman's all-conquering side a scare on the 1947-48 tour. India lost the series 4-0 but managed to draw the Sydney Test, bowling out the Aussies for 107 in a rain-affected game. Bradman was out cheaply for just 13, being castled by Vijay Hazare.

History beckons at Sydney this week as Kohli's men seek to become the first Indian team in 71 years to defeat Australia in their own backyard. With Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Jasprit Bumrah at the top of their game, India seems ready to conquer the final frontier.