'Our finest achievement': Aussies reflect on India 2004 success

Australia's men's cricket team during the 1990s and 2000s was a superpower. 

Three consecutive World Cup victories, two Champions Trophies, multiple Ashes series wins and two separate runs of 16 Test wins in a row. 

But sandwiched in between those two record streaks in the longest format lies what many consider to be this team's crowning achievement.  

This month has marked the 20-year anniversary of Australia's 2-1 series victory in India, their first success there in 35 years - and still their most recent - with the Stories After Stumps audio documentary podcast piecing together the narrative from interviews with those who were there, archival commentary and research. 

Adam Gilchrist was the stand-in captain for the Aussies with regular leader Ricky Ponting ruled out of the first three Tests with a broken thumb. 

Gilchrist, who won countless titles across formats, reflects with great pride on that trip to the subcontinent. 

"That feeling of accomplishment was quite overwhelming and really emotional," he tells Stories After Stumps.

"I think it's my favourite achievement of that group of players and that era. It was 30-odd years prior, and it hasn't happened since. So that shows you that it's a tough, tough gig there.

"In what was a successful era, I think that's our finest achievement." 

Episode One: The origin story of one of Australia's greatest bowling plans

Fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who was Australia's most effective bowler in the series, has similar feelings.

Gillespie's career best figures of 9-80 came in the series-clinching third Test, with five wickets in the first innings and four in the second. 

"Thirty-five years is a long time. To come away with a win in India, because you know how tough it is in India, was fantastic," he says.

"Obviously, the weather went our way (in Chennai). Then getting the (favourable) surface in Nagpur, (that) went our way as well.

"But you've still got to do it, because India are an unbelievable side, particularly at home.

"It's one of the most satisfying moments of my career, that's for sure." 

Tune into Stories After Stumps in the player above, or on all podcast platforms, to hear from Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, John Buchanan, Jason Gillespie and more on exactly how Australia clinched victory on their remarkable 2004 tour of India.