Top 3 Border-Gavaskar Trophy knocks in India 

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is among the fiercest rivalry in Test cricket. Indians and Australians have always produced memorable contests whenever they have locked horns against each other. It took India a long time to win their first Test series on Australian soil before Virat Kohli's men ended that drought in 2018. In recent years, however, India have held the edge over the Aussies.

As far as the Australians are concerned, they have often struggled to adapt to sub-continent conditions and have had a torrid time for the most part on tours to India. Nonetheless, one thing the rivalry has never failed to provide is top quality batting.

Here, we will take a look at the top three knocks in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy played on Indian soil.

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Top 3 Border-Gavaskar Trophy knocks in India

#3 Steve Smith 109 (202) at Pune, 2017

Steve Smith, the then-Australian captain played a spectacular knock in Australia's only Test win in India since 2004

The first Test of the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Pune was a nightmare for the Indian team. On a rank turner, Steve O'Keefe and Nathan Lyon routed the hosts for 105 and 107 in two innings, playing a major part in Australia's crushing 333-run win.

In the second innings of that game, when Australia were ahead by 155 runs, they needed to strengthen their chokehold over the Indians. There was no better player than Steve Smith, India's eternal tormentor, who could rise to the occasion.

Smith scored 109 runs off 202 balls, negating the quality spin bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The next best score in that innings was 31. By the time Australia ended their innings, they had left an impossible 441 run-target for the Indians to chase, which they defended with ease.

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#2 Sachin Tendulkar 214 (363) at Bangalore in 2010

Sachin Tendulkar added another one to the collection of memorable hundreds against Australia after his double-ton in Bangalore in 2010

The first Test of the 2010 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is remembered for VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma's heroics in Mohali, but the second belonged to Sachin Tendulkar.

Australia put up a respectable 478 in the first innings and were ahead in the game. Tendulkar, who was in the form of his life, took charge of the proceedings on Day 3 and scored a mammoth 214 runs off 363 balls. He was ably supported by Murali Vijay's 139. Despite the run-feast, the Indians could only manage a slender 17-run lead in the first innings.

It was because of their good bowling in the second innings that India were in a position to push for a result after bowling Australia out for 223, needing 207 on the last day. Sachin scored a 53* in the second innings as well, as India chased down the target.

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#3 Shikhar Dhawan 187 (174) at Mohali in 2013

Shikhar Dhawan was at his sublime best on his Test debut

Shikhar Dhawan burst onto the scene after a spectacular hundred on his Test debut. In the third Test of the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia batted first and scored 408.

When India came out to bat, it was all about Dhawan's one-man show. He pulverized the Australian bowling attack, scoring the fastest hundred and the highest score by an Indian on Test debut in a knock of 187 runs off just 174 balls.

His knock gave India a precious 81-run lead, and the hosts bowled Australia out for 223 in the second innings. India chased down the target of 133 runs on the last day of the Test but Dhawan did not bat in the second innings due to an injury.