The 2001 India v Australia series was one of the classic post-War Test rubbers: The Aussies, looking for a first series win in India since 1969, easily win the first of three matches

And after racking up 445 in Calcutta, the Aussies dominate the first half of the second Test, Glenn McGrath taking 4-18 as the hosts are all out for 171. Steve Waugh asks India to follow on

Nobody criticises Waugh's decision at the time, but VVS Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) put on an extraordinary 376 for the fifth wicket and the packed masses at Eden Gardens come alive

The 20-year-old Harbhajan Singh takes 6-73 as the Aussies, chasing a formidable 384 on a wearing pitch, fall well short of their target - India winning by 171 runs. Harbhajan's match figures are 13-196

Three days later, the players reconvene at Chennai for the decider. The Aussies win the toss and at the end of day one are sitting pretty on 326-3 with Matthew Hayden unbeaten on 147

Harbhajan hits back with seven wickets as the Aussies collapse to 391 all out, India replying with 501 (Sachin Tendulkar 126); At the close on day four the Aussies are 241-7 in their second innings

Harbhajan's 8-84 in Australia's second innings has India chasing 155 on the last day for the series; after some middle order wobbles, Harbhajan's at the crease as India scramble home by two wickets

The 2003-04 series in Australia is another close affair, but after a draw in Brisbane the unsung Ajit Agarkar's devastating burst in Adelaide gives India an unexpected 1-0 series lead

An epic 257 from Ricky Ponting is the decisive factor at Melbourne, and after a draw on a flat wicket at Sydney the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is retained by Sourav Ganguly's Indian tourists

Nine months later, a new series starts in India, and Michael Clarke's wonderful 151 on debut sets up an Australian win; India are thwarted by rain in Chennai, so the Aussies take a 1-0 lead to Nagpur

Remarkably, Australia are presented with a wicket offering assistance to seam bowlers in Nagpur, and Jason Gillespie takes full advantage. He takes 5-56 and 4-24 to lead the Aussies to a 343-run win

With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy back in Australian hands, the Aussies host an ill-tempered 2007-08 series - and go 2-0 up when India collapse to Clarke's unheralded spin bowling in Sydney

That series ultimately finishes 2-1 to Australia - and barely six months later the two sides will be at it again in Bangalore; the first of four Tests starts on Thursday with India narrow favourites

Much of the pre-publicity has concerned Ricky Ponting's poor batting form in India - the Aussie captain, one of seven batsmen to have scored 10,000 Test runs, averages just 12.28 in eight Tests in India

India's captain, the charismatic Mahendra Dhoni, says the hype is justified: "People expect good, competitive cricket as well as some aggression on the field... there are so many expectations"

Sourav Ganguly controversially keeps his place in India's squad ahead of younger pretenders, while Australia's only fit specialist spinner Jason Krejza endures a tough warm-up match, taking 1-199