Indian captains to win POTM awards in Australia in Tests

India created history in the first Test of the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy by achieving their largest-ever win in Australia. At Perth's Optus Stadium, a venue where the Australian team had never lost before, India registered a stunning victory. Led by Jasprit Bumrah’s Player of the Match (POTM) worthy 8/72 across the two innings, India defeated Australia by 295 runs, their biggest every victory by runs in the country (if innings wins not considered). 

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After achieving the POTM Award in Perth, Jasprit Bumrah became the fifth Indian captain who won POTM awards in Australia in Tests. Here's the other captain who achieved this feat on Australian soil.

1. Kapil Dev | Adelaide, 1985

The Haryana Hurricane Kapil Dev earned the POTM award following his spell of 8 for 106 in the first innings of the 1985 Adelaide Test, which set the stage for India to secure a draw against the home team. He was the first Indian captain who won POTM awards in Australia in Tests.

2. Sachin Tendulkar | Melbourne, 1999

In Melbourne in December 1999, when the weather was damp and batting a struggle, Australia rallied to 405 and India crumbled around Tendulkar. He scored his third ton on Australian soil since his twin shows in the 1991-92 series. His 116 off 191 balls (nine fours, one six) saw a follow-on-saving 43-run partnership with Anil Kumble (28 not out) and India ended on 238. The 167-run lead proved to be decisive as India lost the game by 180 runs, with Tendulkar’s POTM award coming as the visiting side’s consolation.

3. Sourav Ganguly | Brisbane, 2003

At the Gabba, India slipped from 61 for 0 to 62 for 3, in response to Australia's 323. In conditions that offered the pace and bounce that are the hallmark of Australian venues, Ganguly displayed remarkable judgement in his handling of the short delivery, and scored his first Test hundred in Australia.

Ganguly's 146-run stand with VVS Laxman (75) for the 5th wicket was notched up in 206 balls and his 144-run knock was studded with 18 hits to the fence. Such was the class of Ganguly's knock that it drew applause even from some of the Aussie players. This was India's first drawn series in Australia since 1981.

4. Ajinkya Rahane | Melbourne, 2021

After India were hammered in the first match in Adelaide Test series in 2021, skipper Kohli returned home for personal reasons and the responsibility fell on Rahane. Under Rahane's captaincy, India won the game by eight wickets and level the series 1-1. During this Rahane slammed his 12th Test hundred (112 off 223 balls). Rahane later led India to win the fourth and final Test in Brisbane to give his side a 2-1 series victory.

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5. Jasprit Bumrah | Perth, 2024

India played superb cricket over the span of the three and a half days in Perth, and defeated Australia by 295 runs, their biggest every victory by runs in the country (if innings wins not considered). 

Led by Jasprit Bumrah’s Player of the Match worthy 8/72 across the two innings at the Optus Stadium in Perth, India were rampant in the Test match right after their disappointing first innings on Day 1 when they folded for 150. They blew away Australia for just 104 in their first innings, and took a 46 runs lead. India scored 487/6d in the second innings and gave Australia a target of 534. The Australian top order collapsed once again in the second innings and the hosts could have repeated the first innings performance.