The Biggest Rivals Currently in World Cricket

[6 x Afridi]

pakistan vs India

but india vs australia is slowly taking over becoz of the lack of excitment from indopak games

 

[SaiSrini]

In that sense, India Vs Australia is looking like a good rivalry at the moment but no one can say if the intensity will remain once Sachin, Kumble, Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly retire. So, this rivalry has a chance of losing the heat in the next 5 years. But I guess the ashes will heat up more now that more aussies are getting old.

The recent India-Australia rivalry didnt heat up because of our seniors. In fact, our seniors have tried their best to see that the rivalry doesnt become ugly at times. Its due to our youngsters and their fearless attitude that the rivalry has taken a new dimension. And the number of youngsters who enter the team isnt going to go down, and so unless India decide to self destruct, I dont see the rivalry losing heat. Once Dhoni takes over the test team, it will only become even more interesting.

 

[.::Stevo::.]

That is a load of rubbish. Weren't you in the country during the summer?

Yes i was. And the media hype was only because of Harbajhan and the whole racist thing, nothing to do with the actual cricket. I was at the 20/20 match in Melbourne. People were more interested booing and slagging off him rather than the result (even though some of the crowd was actually going for India since they hardly scored)

 

[fisch]

The recent India-Australia rivalry didnt heat up because of our seniors. In fact, our seniors have tried their best to see that the rivalry doesnt become ugly at times. Its due to our youngsters and their fearless attitude that the rivalry has taken a new dimension. And the number of youngsters who enter the team isnt going to go down, and so unless India decide to self destruct, I dont see the rivalry losing heat. Once Dhoni takes over the test team, it will only become even more interesting.

The youngsters do need to back up their 'aggression' with performance, otherwise it's just hot air. What made the likes of Dravid and Laxman so special was the way they would let their batting do the talking. Dravid, in particular, was an exemplary gentleman at all times. Without them, along with SRT, there would be no Australia-India rivalry in the first place, and it's important to remember that in the current climate of persecuting the 'Fab Four'.

Time will tell on whether the youngsters are good enough. In any case, no side can be at the top of their game forever, and when either India or Australia suffers a decline and slides into mid-table ranking, we will see whether the rivalry has true longevity, like the Ashes.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

So you're pretty much guessing that India will go down the drain in a few years like how the West Indies have gone through? The rivalry between Australia and Windies has taken a beating because the West Indies arent the same side anymore. They are almost like minnows these days.

I am not assuming anything. But if India did go down the drain (or even Australia for that matter) the rivaly would lose its sting. In any case when players like Sachin , Laxman , Ponting , Harbhajan , Symonds and Sreesanth move on its not gonna be the same is it ? Let me ask you a question , do you seriously think this rivaly can last 130 years like Ashes ? maybe 50 ... 25.....personally I would give it 5-10 years max.

 

[metallics2006]

The english and the Aussies were pretty much the only sides that played cricket in a regular basis at that time when the Ashes rivalry started(Guessing) so I am not sure if a rivalry like the Ashes can start in the current period of time.

 

[Pranav]

England vs Australia > India vs Pakistan > India vs Australia

 

[Leggie]

England vs Australia > India vs Pakistan > India vs Australia

What planet are you on?

India Australia last? You havin' a laugh...

 

[KBC]

USA vs Canada. /Thread

Who wins, who cares..

 

[Amiya]

It's me vs. My sports teacher

 

[sohum]

This is rhetorical, because you'll never get a straight answer out of a player on this subject, but I wonder if you asked the Australian team about which rivalry is greater, vs England or vs India what answer you'd get?

I maintain my point that both sides must care about the rivalry for it to count as a rivalry and I'm pretty sure it hurts the Aussies more when the Poms win over when India win. Ok Nobody likes to lose but against some teams it really hurts and of course inversely the joy of winning is so much sweeter against a great rival.

You're right that both sides must care about the rivalry for it to be a rivalry. But my argument is that India and Australia are far more competitive rivals than England and Australia have been for a while. I accept that an Australian player will probably be more unhappy at losing against England than India, but I think a victory against India is savoured slightly more, especially if it comes at a stage when you've been fighting tooth and nail to gain the upper-hand in a series (something that has happened in the last 4-5 series between the two countries).

Hence, I'm not arguing that the India-Australia rivalry is greater than The Ashes, since that would be absurd. But I think it is absurd for people to continue to mock the fact that a rivalry exists when ex-Australian players clearly suggest that there is one.

 

[smssia0112]

India-Australia is a very fierce rivalry right now but when the Ashes come along they are even more fierce.

Of course there is an India-Australia rivalry, it's overtaken South Africa already to become our second biggest rivals, but England will always be our biggest rivals.

 

[ankurs_009]

IND VS PAKISTAN

I agree that recent matches of these two cricketing giants have not been of that standards
but if u go down the memory lane indo pak rivalries have given world cricket a lot.WEATHER u take SACHIN vs AKHTAR or modern day players ,the kind of tension that is experienced in INDO PAK games is unmatchable .It was also for the fact that we had a world class batting lineup & pak had wasim -waqar(hunted in pairs).Who can forget that MIANDAD LAST BALL SIX ..which almost ended the bowler's carrier .It was almost a national holiday when INDIA vs PAK was there. But recent form of PAK has bought question marks over this rivalry...but im sure it"ll catch up .FOR the time bieng its AUS vs INDIA for me:boxing

 

[sohum]

India and Pakistan play way too often for an encounter to be interesting.

 

[khalek]

There were few competitive India-Pakistan matches recently, the world T20 group match and final, 2nd ODI at Mohali, Kitply cup Final.

BTW is this thread only about Tests?