India without more than half of their first-choice players defeated Australia at the Gabba, their fortress, and sealed the series by 2-1
It doesn't happen often that a visiting team defeats you in a Test series on your home soil, without their whole first-choice bowling attack (Brisbane), without their regular skipper and main batsman. And, if anyone would have even imagined in their dreams that, this Indian side would achieve something like that against a full-strength Australian side, after their regular skipper Virat Kohli departed that too after a colossal loss at the Adelaide Oval, he/she might have been made fun of.
But the resolve and determination of the players, who turned out as warriors in the last three Tests, stood taller than their skills as the sheer tenacity of this side broke the 32-year old record of the Australian side at their fortress Gabba. By the virtue of this win, India topped the World Test Championship (WTC) table leapfrogging Australia. India, surpassed the Aussies not just in that table, they also trumped them in the ICC Test rankings as they now reached No 2 spot.
But, it wasn't an easy win, by any means. One, two, three, four.... 7 players were injured during the series, India played with 20 players, five players were playing for the first time in this format, that too against and in Australia. It was a special, special win. Here are some of the key moments, that triggered India overshadowing the Aussies:
1. Ashwin's four-fer with the pink ball
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India were bowled out for 244 in the first innings of the first Test at Adelaide Oval, Jasprit Bumrah sent the Australian openers back but India needed a bowling spell from someone to stand up and be answerale. And, who better than someone who can send the then World's No 1 and Australia's star batsman Steve Smith. A straighter delivery, that didn't turn and a simple catch to Ajinkya Rahane and India had got the big fish.
But Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been criticised in the past for his below-par performances on away tours, kept chipping at Australian wickets and hit them one by one, wicket by wicket. Ashwin broke the Aussie middle-order's back as he dismissed Travis Head and Cameron Green in quick succession as he ended with four wickets, which helped India dismissing Australia for just 191. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
2. Bumrah stars on Boxing Day
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Bereft of skipper Virat Kohli, lost pacer Mohammed Shami to a hand injury, lost the toss - India needed some magic with the ball to even have a chance against Australia at MCG. Bumrah started off the innings for India with a bang as he dimissed out-of-form Joe Burns in the fifth over. After which he kept coming back and gave a breakthrough whenever team required from him. Bumrah ended up with four wickets as he took wickets of Travis Head, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon as well to finish with figures of 4/56. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
3. Oh captain, My Captain! Rahane stands up for his team with a ton
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Got his skipper run-out, failed with the bat in the second innings of the first Test, was given the captaincy, lost the toss, Ajinkya Rahane had too many things on his mind, and a lot to prove on the field. How do you answer all that? Let your bat talk, as simple as that. At 64-3, after losing the openers and the ever dependable Cheteshwar Pujara, India were in a spot of bother.
Rahane was dropped twice, Australian pacers were breathing fire and then a partnership started to develop. Rahane found an able ally in Ravindra Jadeja and they marched on. Rahane mixed caution with aggression and completed a well-compiled hundred to be on the MCG honours board again. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
4. P(ujara) & P(ant) - The Yin and Yang of SCG fightback
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India were chasing a massive 409 runs in the fourth innings and were up against the odds. Australian bowling attack kept coming and Cheteshwar Pujara kept blocking. The stubbornness of Pujara was met with the aggression of Rishabh Pant from the otehr end. Rishabh Pant came in Pujara was batting on 22, he scored his fifty, Pujara was on 28. While they were getting smashed at one end, they were made tired at the other. The duo stitched a 148-run partnership to stage a comeback and a half by the visitors on the final day of the SCG Test. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
5. A tweaked back and one good hamstring combined to blunt the Aussie bowlers
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They were abused, they were hurt, they were bruised, they were battered, but they were determined. They believed, that they could pull that off. A man with a crooked back, who was not able to sit the previous nigh, another who had tore his hamstring earlier on the day, combined to perform a miraculous three hours of hard-fought Test cricket to keep the Aussie bowlers at bay. After losing Pujara and Pant in quick succession, India were in a spot of bother again and Hanuma Vihari's hamstring injury meant India couldn't go for the win.
So, what Vihari and Ashwin instead do was stand and gridn out, tire out the bowlers and SCG saw two warriors in front of them. The duo stitched a 256-ball partnership and they brought India home, drawing the game and saving the Test match. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
6. A debutant and a 10-ball Test old forge a match-winning partnership
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At 186/6, India was down and out against the Australian bowlers, who were on top after dismissing India's top and middle order, however, they didn't know what hit them after. A 21-year old debutant, who last played a first-class game in 2017 and a 10-ball Test old player, who was called up due to rising injury count in the team, came out of the syllabus for the hosts as they forged a 123-run partnership that lifted India up, put them in survival mode and put them in the string position, bit by bit, session by session. Shardul Thakur smashed, thumped, while Washington Sundar blocked, played cautiously and took India out of troubled waters and took India's score within touching distance of the Australians. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
7. Debutant to the leader of the pack - Siraj gets maiden fifer
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With 54 runs ahead, on the morning of Day 4 India needed a brilliant bowling spell from one of their bowlers to set them up for a chaseable fourth innings total. It was time for Mohammed Siraj on Monday. Siraj sent back the first innings' centurion Marnus Labuschagne first and then Matthew Wade in the same over. Steve Smith's fifty kept them in the hunt but he and the crack helped them to get Smith out. It was a big wicket, but Siraj didn't stop.
He took Starc and Hazlewood's wickets as well to finish with his maiden five-for and figures of 5/73. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
8. Aggression, Caution and Responsible aggression from Gill, Pujara and Pant
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India required 324 runs on the final day of the Test match, final day of the series, final day of the Australian tour. Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the first fifteen minutes of the morning. India needed to pass the first session, without any more hiccups. Pujara, as usual, had a sedate start, Gill was trying to be positive. Gill stormed his way to a well-made fifty. Pujara kept blocking on the other end. Gill smashed and almost completed his maiden century. He got out on 91, India lost skipper Rahane soon after.
Pujara found Pant again. This time Pant was also a little cautious, but he played his shots whenever he got the ball to play at. He was looking to drive more than loft and Pujara's solidarity helped him gain confidence. Pujara got out after completing a fifty, his thrid slowest. Pant kept going on, he was a man on a mission today. He missed a few shots, mistimed some but knew what he was doing and remained unbeaten on 89 to get India through to a massive victory against Australia breaching their 'Gabbatoire'. (Image: BCCI/Twitter/Getty Australia)
