A batsman's day out

Australia have played 61 Tests at Adelaide, and have won 30, lost 15, and drawn 16. After six consecutive draws from 1985-86 to 1990-91, the last 12 years have shown a changing trend - nine victories, two losses, and a solitary draw (against South Africa in 1997-98). Among those two defeats was a one-run loss against West Indies, when a bouncer by Courtney Walsh brushed Craig McDermott's glove to end a 40-run last-wicket partnership. Curtly Ambrose picked up ten wickets in the game.

On winning the toss, captains are inclined to bat first, and the figures reveal why. Since 1995-96, wickets on the first day are worth 51.7 runs each, in stark contrast to 30.51 on the third day, and 19.46 on the fifth. And it's no surprise that the fewest number of wickets fall on the first day. In fact, Australia have a poor fourth-innings average of 171, 11 fewer than their opponents' average when batting last.

In seven Tests between Australia and India (India have lost five and drawn two), 21 centuries have been scored, the highest being Kim Hughes's 213 in 1980-81. Sandeep Patel made the highest individual score by an Indian, 174 off 240 balls, in the same game, to help India escape with a draw.

The Adelaide pitch has provided equal assistance to all types of bowlers. An average of 32.3 is complemented by a strike rate of 66.2 for the seamers, while the corresponding figures for spinners are 32.7 and 68.4. Of the ten five-wicket hauls in seven matches between Australia and India, five are by each side, with Kapil Dev's 8 for 106 in 1985-86, the best bowling figures. His record at the ground is impressive: 19 wickets in three Tests at 23.1.

The closest India have come to a victory at the Adelaide Oval was in 1991-92, when Mohammad Azharuddin scored a fourth-innings century to take them to 333 - but India still fell 38 runs short of the target.

India scored their highest total of 520 in 1985-86, when Sunil Gavaskar carried his bat for 166. At the other end of the scale is the 110 India managed in 1999-2000, when VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly scored a paltry 246 runs between them in eight innings, while Anil Kumble's figures were 3 for 174. Ajit Agarkar impressed with the ball, taking 5 for 129. He also managed to score 19 in the first innings, before starting his famous sequence of ducks. In the same game, Tendulkar was dismissed in bizarre fashion when he ducked into a short ball from Glenn McGrath, was struck on the shoulder, and was given out lbw.