It’s one thing to win a bilateral Test series once in a while, while it’s completely different to win one after another without losing a single. Having such dominance is quite the stuff of dreams for all Test teams.
The Test format tests teams on another level. And it’s even more difficult for the visiting teams with the home sides having an upper hand in their backyard.
Teams are well aware of their home conditions, and some displayed it by not giving an inch to the visitors, winning several Test series on the trot.
On that note, let’s look at the top five instances of teams registering the most consecutive Test series wins at home.
5. 8 Test Series Wins by New Zealand | 2017-2021
New Zealand are fifth on the list with eight consecutive Test series wins at home. With the helpful seaming conditions, New Zealand have cornered opponents with ease.
Their streak started in December 2017, with a 2-0 series win over the West Indies. The Kiwis then beat England 1-0 in March 2018 and ended the year with a 1-0 victory against Sri Lanka.
New Zealand started 2019 by defeating Bangladesh 2-0, and England returned in November to face a 1-0 loss. The Blackcaps then whitewashed India by 2-0 in February 2020 and beat the Windies and Pakistan by 2-0 each in the 2020/21 summer.
4. 8 Test Series Wins by West Indies | 1976-1986
The West Indies of the late 20th century were a formidable side, with world-class pacers and batters on the roster. Riding on that, the Men in Maroon walloped eight bilateral series on the trot in the Caribbean territory.
They started by beating India 2-1 in March-April 1976. The next year, they had the same result against Pakistan.
The West Indies then made it a hat-trick against Australia in March-April 1978 by handing them a 3-1 defeat. After three years, England toured for a four-match series, which the Caribbean team won by 2-0.
India toured again in 1983, but the Windies got better off them again by 2-0. In 1984, they beat Australia 3-0 in the five-match series. The Windies then defeated New Zealand 2-0 in 1985 and handed a 5-0 drubbing to England in 1986.
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3. 10 Test Series Wins by Australia | 2004 – 2008
The early 2000s Australian team had a bunch of match-winners led by Ricky Ponting. The Aussies were almost unbeatable on their home turf between 2004 and 2008, winning 10 series back-to-back.
Australia’s successful run began in July 2004 with a 1-0 series win over Sri Lanka. Four months later, they overcame New Zealand by 2-0, after which the Aussies thrashed Pakistan 3-0.
In October 2005, Australia played a one-off match against the ICC XI, which they won by 210 runs. The summer of 2005/06 saw them beat the West Indies and South Africa 3-0 and 2-0, respectively.
The next year, Australia hammered England in the Ashes 5-0 in early 2007. They ended the year with series wins against Sri Lanka and India.
Australia’s last series victory came against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand by 2-0 before South Africa stopped their run in the 2008/09 series (1-2).
2. 10 Test Series Wins by Australia | 1994-2001
Before Ricky Ponting’s team had a stellar run, it was Steve Waugh’s men who created a record in 2001. They surpassed the Windies’ record of eight series wins to make it a perfect 10.
Australia started their dream run in 1994/95, beating England in the Ashes by 3-1. The next year, they squared Pakistan 2-1, followed by Sri Lanka 3-0.
The summer of 1996/97 saw them fight hard against the Windies to take the series 3-2. Their 1997 ended with a 2-0 win over New Zealand.
Australia opened 2008 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over South Africa before taking down England in the 2008/09 Ashes by 3-1. The next summer, the Aussies thrashed Pakistan and India by 3-0 each.
The West Indies lined up for a 5-0 thrashing in the 2000/01 series before New Zealand cut their streak in December 2001 by drawing all three Tests.
1. 18 Test Series Wins by India | 2012-2024
India surpassed Australia’s streak and created a record for winning the most consecutive Test series at home. The Men in Blue had an unbeaten run on Indian soil for almost 12 years, winning 18 Test series on the trot.
After losing the 2012 series versus England by 2-1, India bounced back quickly and thrashed Australia 4-0 in March 2013. By the end of the year, they beat the Windies by 2-0.
In 2015, India hosted South Africa for a four-match series, which they won by 3-0. They mauled New Zealand by 3-0 and England by 4-0 within a span of three and a half months in late 2016.
2017 started with a 1-0 win over Bangladesh, followed by a 2-1 victory against Australia. India wrapped up the year with a hard-fought 1-0 win versus Sri Lanka.
India took on Test debutant Afghanistan in a one-off match in June 2018, winning the contest by an innings and 262 runs. Four months later, the Windies went down by 2-0.
India won the three series at home in the WTC 2019-21 cycle, beating South Africa 3-0, Bangladesh 2-0, and England 3-1. The next iteration saw them defeat New Zealand (1-0), Sri Lanka (2-0), and Australia (2-1).
India opened their third cycle with a convincing 4-1 series win over the Bazball-infused England side. They then thrashed Bangladesh 2-0 in September 2024 before New Zealand pulled off the plug in the 3-0 series the next month.
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