By IANS
Perth : Australia’s 72-run loss to India in the third Test at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) Ground here Saturday was their first in almost 10 years. Their previous defeat was in February 1997 in the hands of the West Indies.
It was only the eighth time in 35 matches that a visiting team had won a Test match at the WACA while Australia have won as many as 20 matches.
India’s win on the fourth and penultimate day also stopped Australia from establishing a new world record for most successive wins.
Ricky Ponting’s team, attempting to win their 17th straight Test, now remains on par with Steve Waugh’s side. Waugh had also led Australia to 16 successive wins, with Ponting captaining in one of those matches.
Ironically it was India who stopped Waugh’s attempt to win the 17th straight match in 2001 when Sourav Ganguly’s team registered an incredible triumph after following on in the second Test in Kolkata.
The latest win was India’s first at Perth and their fifth in 35 Tests against Australia in Australia. India has lost 22 and drawn eight.
Under Ricky Ponting’s captaincy, Australia have lost four Tests out of 40, won 31 and drawn 5 for a winning percentage of 77.60
Ponting has now lost his first Test at home as captain. Overall as captain he has lost two Tests each to India and England.
Australia’s four losses at home in last 10 years are as follows:
Margin Opponents Venue Season
12 runs England Melbourne 1998-99
225 runs England Sydney 2002-03
4 wickets India Adelaide 2003-04
72 runs India Perth 2007-08