IND vs AUS: After Gabba fortress is breached, here are instances when cricket grounds were conquered after long time

On January 19, 2021, a proud record was no more. When Rishabh Pant hit a boundary to the long-off fence off Josh Hazlewood, India had done the unthinkable for the first time in three decades. For the first time since 1988, Australia had lost a Test match at the Brisbane Cricket Ground or The Gabba. For three decades, this was Australian cricket's fortress and they had won 25 and drawn seven Tests in that remarkable period. The hostile atmosphere, the true nature of the pitch that offered pace and bounce was what made the Gabbatoir one of the most intimidating grounds to play in. Ever since the West Indies team last defeated Australia by nine wickets in 1988 at the Gabba, Australia had gone on to establish a supreme level of confidence. However, on the final day of the fourth and final Border Gavaskar Trophy, that fortress was now breached and now there are very few cricket grounds where teams can enjoy unprecedented dominance.

When the Gabba fortress fell, an era had ended. However, this is not the first time that a cricket fortress had been breached. There were other cricket grounds that were breached by the opposition in the most unlikely manners in the past. With the end of the Gabba dominance, here are other cricket grounds where teams had a proud record and they fell to the opposition in an unlikely manner. There are some surprises on the list and one team is prominent in all the occurrences.

Kensington Oval, Barbados (59 years)

The Kensington Oval ground in Barbados had been hosting cricket ever since 1930. In 1935, England defeated the West Indies in the Test match but from that point on, the West Indies established this cricket ground as the first major fortress. For 59 years, the West Indies did not lose a single game at the venue. The peak of their powers was in the 21-year reign of dominance which saw them decimate every opposition. The Kensington Oval was intimidating to say the least. A fast, pacy and bouncy pitch combined with hostile fans, it had all the makings of a cauldron. From 1973 till 1993, West Indies won 13 out of the 15 Tests and drew just two. The closest they came to defeat was against Pakistan in 1988 but they held on to win by two wickets. However, their 59-year reign ended when England defeated them by 208 runs in 1994. Since then, West Indies have lost Tests to South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka.

National Stadium, Karachi (45 years)

Pakistan also had one major fortress at their disposal and that was the National Stadium in Karachi. The venue started hosting cricket from 1955 and it became the venue that would be symbolic of the style of play Pakistan employed in that era. The matting wickets and later the clay wickets resulted in plenty of draws and few wins. Yet, for four decades, Pakistan never tasted defeat with their closest being the one-wicket win against Australia in 1994. However, in 2000 against England, a dramatic result ensued. Needing 176 runs to win in 44 overs, Pakistan indulged in blatant time-wasting tactics as darkness enveloped Karachi. In that darkness, England managed to win the match by six wickets and end their 45-year reign of dominance. Such was the aura of Karachi that even the mighty West Indies of the 80s could not beat Pakistan. After the loss to England, only South Africa has beaten Pakistan at this venue.

Basin Reserve, Wellington (88 years and counting)

One may be thinking that the Basin Reserve is a fortress for New Zealand. It is to a certain extent. But, the team that has dominated in Wellington is South Africa. Ever since they started playing New Zealand in 1932, South Africa has NEVER lost a Test in Wellington. Out of the seven Tests played between New Zealand and South Africa, the Proteas have won six and drawn one. This is a fortress with a different twist, for an overseas team is dominating the home team in their own venue.

Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi (33 years and counting)

If there is one current fortress for India in cricket, it is the Arun Jaitley stadium. For that matter, all venues in India are fortresses but the Arun Jaitley stadium is special for its longevity. Ever since losing to the West Indies in 1987, India have played 14 Tests at the venue and won 12, drawing just two games against Australia and Sri Lanka. Looking at the current form of the Indian cricket team, Arun Jaitley stadium will continue to remain a fortress.