Rivalry in sport brings elements of fun, competitiveness, a desperation for victory and a burning desire not to end up second best.
In case you missed it, India is currently hosting a cricketing rivalry against Australia. The 16th edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has got fans hooked again on the Test form of the game.
When the series made a stop in New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium for the second Test, the enthusiasm from fans was evident through Mexican waves, vociferous chants and a healthy turnout of over 70,000 people across all three days of the match.
Though Australia was swept aside by India and collapsed in a second straight defeat, fans were delighted to see the Aussies in action.
"It was a great experience and turned out to be pretty fun," Muskan Kathuria said.
"I love Pat Cummins and he played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, so I have a really soft spot for him."
"I also really like Steve Smith despite 'Sandpapergate', and how he has come forward from that. David Warner is also such a loved person in India.
"It was hard to see the mighty Australians going down like that."
Ritu Sinha was also in the crowd. She said she had always liked the Australian players — but second to her Indian favourites.
"Warner and Pat Cummins are the players I watch constantly and really like a lot," she said.
Overshadowing the appreciation for Warner and Cummins was the frenzy for home boy Virat Kohli, as the Indian batter got a loud roar from the crowd on every run he scored.
Jahanvi Goyal went to a T20 match last year and didn't enjoy her experience nearly as much as watching the Delhi Test.
"I saw Virat Kohli live in the stadium and I was really happy," she said.
As for what happened on the pitch, Muskan Kathuria was surprised at Australia's performance.
"They were ahead from us in the first day, like when they made 263 and India scored 262," she said.
"On day two, [Travis] Head was batting beautifully, then the fall in the first session on the third day was just 'Oh my God' stuff.
"Head's dismissal had a big impact. And Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne did not have much impact, so that was disappointing."
Jahanvi Goyal was also dismayed on how the visitors fared.
"I have been following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a long time. To be honest, this was not the Australian team I was thinking about. In terms of how they played, it was not like Australia at all," she said.
In the last few years, Test matches between Australia and India have mostly panned out to be a clash of equals, giving fans unforgettable memories.
At a time when the longest format of the game is seen as being under huge threat due to the proliferation of franchise T20 cricket, the Test battles between Australia and India have brought out elements of magic, persistence and unpredictability.
Muskan Kathuria said she thought the advent of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had softened the intense rivalry between Australia and India, as players from both countries are turning out for the same teams.
"Steve Smith was loved in Jaipur, David Warner is loved in Hyderabad and the same affection is being given to Pat Cummins in the Kolkata Knight Riders," she said.
"Then we saw Pat Cummins gifting a signed jersey to Cheteshwar Pujara, which was symbolic of Ajinkya Rahane gifting one to Nathan Lyon.
"So, I don't think the rivalry which existed in the past is present currently and for that, IPL is to be credited."
Jahanvi Goyal echoed the same sentiment, though she gives India the upper hand in Tests.
Ritu Sinha said players seemed to have a great sense of sportsmanship, and because of their "soft nature", she can't hate her home country's rivals.
"I feel that this Australian team is trying to showcase a 'good boy' image," she said.
"I mean, it's BGT [Border-Gavaskar Trophy] and I want to hate these guys as they are rivals. But I can't as they are just being so good right now."
Niharika Raina is a sports reporter with Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), a news agency in New Delhi, India.
She is a part of ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport Initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Team Up program.
