The 4th Test between India and Australia, played at Nehru Stadium (now M. A. Chidambaram Stadium), Madras, from 13 to 17 January 1960, was one of the toughest challenges India faced in the 1959–60 series. Australia, touring India and Pakistan as one of the world’s strongest sides, posted a commanding total and enforced the follow-on, ultimately winning by an innings and 55 runs, a result that underlined their dominance in subcontinental conditions. ESPN Cricinfo
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Australia vs India, 4th Test |
| Dates | 13–17 January 1960 |
| Venue | Nehru Stadium, Madras |
| Toss | Australia won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | Australia won by an innings and 55 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test Match |
| Umpires | ND Sane & MG Vijayasarathi |
| Series | Australia in India and Pakistan 1959–60 |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | Australia (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | Colin McDonald |
| Budhi Kunderan (wk) | Les Favell |
| Ramnath Kenny | Neil Harvey |
| Nari Contractor | Norm O’Neill |
| Chandu Borde | Peter Burge |
| Gulabrai Ramchand | Ken Mackay |
| A. G. Milkha Singh | Alan Davidson |
| Bapu Nadkarni | Wally Grout (wk) |
| Man Sood | Richie Benaud (c) |
| Ramakant Desai | Ian Meckiff |
| Jasu Patel | Lindsay Kline |
Test debuts: A. G. Milkha Singh and Man Sood for India.
Australia 1st Innings – 342 all out
Australia set the tone early, batting first after winning the toss. Les Favell played a captain’s knock, scoring a magnificent 101, while Ken Mackay supported well with 89. India’s bowlers showed fight, particularly Ramakant Desai (4/93) and Bapu Nadkarni (3/75), but Australia piled up a sizeable total.
| Batter | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Colin McDonald | 16 | b Jasu Patel |
| Les Favell | 101 | st Kunderan b Nadkarni |
| Neil Harvey | 11 | b Desai |
| Norm O’Neill | 40 | b Desai |
| Peter Burge | 35 | b Desai |
| Ken Mackay | 89 | st Kunderan b Patel |
| Alan Davidson | 6 | lbw b Nadkarni |
| Wally Grout (wk) | 2 | c Milkha Singh b Nadkarni |
| Richie Benaud (c) | 25 | b Borde |
| Ian Meckiff | 8 | c Roy b Desai |
| Lindsay Kline | *0 | not out |
| Extras | 9 | |
| Total | 342 all out |
Bowling Highlights:
- Ramakant Desai 4/93
- Bapu Nadkarni 3/75
- Jasu Patel 2/84
- Chandu Borde 1/55
India 1st Innings – 149 all out
India’s first innings faltered under relentless pressure. Budhi Kunderan made a valiant effort with 71, but wickets fell steadily. Australia’s bowlers, particularly Richie Benaud, exploited the conditions expertly, restricting India to 149.
| Batter | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 1 | c Grout b Davidson |
| Budhi Kunderan (wk) | 71 | b Benaud |
| Ramnath Kenny | 33 | b Mackay |
| Nari Contractor | 7 | c Kline b Benaud |
| Chandu Borde | 3 | c Grout b Kline |
| Gulabrai Ramchand | 13 | c Harvey b Benaud |
| A. G. Milkha Singh | 16 | b Davidson |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 3 | c Kline b Benaud |
| Man Sood | 0 | st Grout b Davidson |
| Ramakant Desai | 0 | c McDonald b Benaud |
| Jasu Patel | *0 | not out |
| Extras | 2 | |
| Total | 149 all out |
Bowling Highlights:
- Richie Benaud 5/43
- Alan Davidson 3/?? (precise figures vary in sources)
India 2nd Innings – 138 all out (Follow-On)
Forced to follow on, India again struggled. Nari Contractor top-scored with 41, but regular wickets ensured Australia stayed firmly in control. Once dismissals mounted, the hosts were bundled out cheaply, sealing the innings defeat.
| Batter | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 3 | c O’Neill b Meckiff |
| Nari Contractor | 41 | c Meckiff b Kline |
| Ramnath Kenny | 1 | c Grout b Meckiff |
| Budhi Kunderan (wk) | 33 | b Benaud |
| Chandu Borde | 1 | c Davidson b Benaud |
| A. G. Milkha Singh | 9 | b Harvey |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 18 | run out |
| Gulabrai Ramchand | 22 | st Grout b Benaud |
| Man Sood | 3 | b Davidson |
| Ramakant Desai | *0 | not out |
| Jasu Patel | 0 | b Davidson |
| Extras | 7 | |
| Total | 138 all out |
Bowling Highlights:
- Richie Benaud 3/43
- Meckiff and Davidson chipped in with key wickets.
Match Result
Australia won by an innings and 55 runs, a dominant performance that reinforced their strength in Indian conditions, backed by big contributions from Favell and Mackay with the bat and Benaud with the ball. ESPN Cricinfo
Highlights of the Match
- Les Favell’s century (101) and Ken Mackay’s 89 anchored Australia’s formidable total.
- Richie Benaud’s all-round impact, 5 wickets in India’s first innings, and crucial scalps in the follow-on were match-defining.
- Budhi Kunderan’s 71 stood out in India’s low-scoring innings.
- Australia enforced the follow-on and wrapped up the test inside four days. ESPN Cricinfo