Australian cricket team in Ceylon and India in 1969-70
| Australian cricket team in Ceylon and India in 1969–70 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
||
| Australia | India | ||
| Dates | 31 October – 28 December 1969 | ||
| Captains | Bill Lawry | Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi | |
| Test series | |||
| Result | Australia won the 5-match series 3–1 | ||
| Most runs | Keith Stackpole (368) | Ashok Mankad (357) | |
| Most wickets | Ashley Mallett (28) | EAS Prasanna (26) | |
The Australia national cricket team toured Ceylon and India in the last three months of 1969. The team, captained by Bill Lawry, played five Test matches against India, captained by the Nawab of Pataudi Jr. The Australians also played first-class matches versus each of the five Indian Zone teams: Central, North, West, East and South. In Ceylon, they played one first-class game against Ceylon and three minor matches. Australia won the Test series in India 3-1 with one match drawn. It was to be Australia's last Test series win in India until Adam Gilchrist's side's victory in the 2004-05 series.
Australia came into the series with a win under its belt against Garfield Sobers' West Indians at home the previous season. They had also retained The Ashes by drawing the 1968 series in England. Prior to the Australians' arrival, India had just managed to draw its home series against New Zealand by drawing the deciding Third Test because of rain; India had been 7/76 chasing 268.
The Australian cricket team played three minor matches in Ceylon before the first-class fixture against the Ceylonese national team on 24 October; the game was drawn. Australia's first match in India was against West Zone, a three-day match, from 31 October to 2 November, also ending in a draw.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat on a "greenish than usual" wicket. The Australians declared after scoring 340/7 in their first innings with captain and opener Bill Lawry scoring the highest, 89. In reply, West Zone captain Chandu Borde scored an unbeaten 113 before declaring after taking the score to 344/6. Ian Chappell for the Australians attacked the West Zone in their second innings, scoring eleven boundaries in his 84, taking the team's score to 150/2 at the end of third and final day's play.
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