Roller-coaster ride for India in 2004

India, who started the year on a rousing note Down Under, went on to create history in Pakistan before a form slump saw them plunge the depths.

The Indian cricket team commenced 2004 by nearly vanquishing world champions Australia in their own backyard, more precisely at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in the first week of the year in the high-profile Test rubber.

HT Image

With some luck, in terms of umpiring decisions and better catching especially by the now discarded Parthiv Patel, Sourav Ganguly's men could have shocked the world cricket order at the SCG and come away with an epochal Test series victory instead of drawing the four-match series 1-1.

It was not to be on Steve Waugh's international swansong as the Australian captain battled the Indian spinners, especially a fired up Anil Kumble, with determination and ended his career without conceding a Test series loss at home.

India, who started the year on a rousing note Down Under, later went on to create history by outsmarting arch-foes Pakistan in both the Test and one-day series, the country's first-ever Test series win in the neighbouring country, before a form slump saw them plunge the depths midway through 2004.