India vs Australia 2020/21- The Historic Triumph No One Expected!

Background – India vs Australia

For starters, no matter how much the cricketing world hypes up the ashes or India Pakistan rivalry, in the 21st century, by a mile the hottest rivalry has been India vs Australia. And especially when India has travelled Down Under. On so many previous occasions India showed the nerve and skill to beat Australia in Australia but could never cross the line of winning the test series.

Come the late 2010s, team India had been travelling overseas much better than the predecessors. With a pace attack that had become one of the best of their times, there were always lot of promise and hope of breaking new barriers. With this expectation, India’s tour started.

Even before the series started, India was plagued with injuries to its main players and this continued throughout the series. Every time India could feel that they had the desired XI, there was an injury and India was forced to play with backups of backups by the time the series drew to the close.

The Humiliation – 1st Test(Adelaide)

The first India vs Australia test was an anti climax. With all the promise and expectations, India started decently taking a lead in the first innings. But, what happened next is one of the most forgettable episodes in Indian cricket history.

India folded out for 36 all out in the 2nd innings and lost the test match comprehensively.

India recorded their lowest team total in Tests and the joint-fourth lowest overall. It was the first instance in Tests when all 11 batsmen, and extras, did not cross single-figures in an innings.

India: 244 all out and 36 all out.

Australia: 191 all out and 93/2

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The Comeback – 2nd Test(Melbourne)

The second test saw India’s fortunes reversed. With Kohli out of action, the stand in captain Ajinkya Rahane took charge and led from the front with a magnificent 112 & 27*. Shubhman Gill and Mohd. Siraj both made their debuts in this match and made a reasonable impact.

Indian bowling never let Australia get away and kept them in shackles resulting in a 8 wicket victory for India.

Australia: 195 all out and 200 all out

India: 326 all out and 70/2.

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The Grit and Determination – 3rd Test(Sydney)

Australia came back strongly in the 3rd test and posed challenges. Smith scored a 100 in the first innings, setting the tone for the match. But India held on. With 407 needing to win in 4 sessions, India had to fight to the teeth to save the match. What the match became known for is the Ashwin, Vihari fortitude of a partnership. Vihari (23 off 161) and Ravi Ashwin (39 off 128) batted for nearly four hours to avoid defeat.

Although their alliance was only 62 runs, Ashwin and Vihari battled for 256 deliveries, the fourth-longest partnership recorded for the sixth wicket in the fourth innings of a Test in a win or a draw. Both players faced equal number of deliveries, 128, and the vigil earned Ashwin the honour of being ranked fifth on the list of most balls faced by an India No. 7 in the fourth innings.

Paved way by Pujara who took uncountable body blows but refused to throw away his wicket. Ashwin and Vihari continued the same to save the test match on the 5th day. Rishabh pant played a blinder before that scoring 97 to ward of the Aussies.

Australia: 338 all out and 312/6 decl

India: 244 all out and 334/5

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The Historic Triumph – 4th Test(Brisbane)

With the series in the balance, we headed to The Gabbatoir. Australia had not lost at the Gabba in 32 years. If a ground was a fort for some team, it was the Gabba for the Aussies. Almost every match, India had to debut new players due to injuries. By the time we reached Gabba, there was a huge difference in the experience of players on both sides. Frankly, not many Indians thought India would do well.

Considering the injuries, fans were ready for just about anything by India and just hoped to give a good, spirited fight. But these young guns had different ideas and nothing to lose. What followed was a poetry that would be sung by Indians for generations to come and would haunt the Aussies for generations.

Australia started the game with the bat scoring 369. India replied with a fighting and close 336. Labuschagne hit a brilliant 100 followed by Josh Hazlewood picking up 5 wickets. There was not standout performance from India but everybody contributed a bit to stay in the fight.

In Australia’s second innings, the newly debuted Siraj, came to the fore and picked up a brilliant 5 wicket haul to stop the Aussies at 294 setting a target of 328 for India. Not an easy target by any means in the 4th innings. India started decently with young Gill taking up the challenge and making a pleasing 91 to get India into the game. It was still a long way to go. Few wickets fell quickly and it seemed India would fold.

Then came Rishabh Pant to light the arena and not just punch a hole but blow open the walls of the Gabba fort. With an onslaught and clarity of mind that is rarely seen, Pant, from that point on, single handedly bludgeoned through the target with 3 overs to spare. The scenes were like never seen before. Aussies were stunned beyond measure.

The Gabboatoir had fallen and striking the hammer was a young Indian wicketkeeper who would have made the likes of Gilchrist proud. These young guns stood up when it was needed. The backups of backups had created history to be remembered for a very long time.

Probably that is why they say that anything can happen in cricket and the young do not care about the past baggage. They just grab whatever is given to them without being intimidated by reputation.

A bunch of rookies and underdogs showed grit and character to pull off one of the most unlikely of heists especially after the debacle in the first test. This was the stuff movies are made on for the future generations to see.
It would be tough for these bunch of players to top this in their careers and the tale will be told to their grandkids.
Tim Paine wanted to meet Indians in the Gabba (the banter he had with Ashwin in Sydney) and the kids not only met him but did something which ended up with Tim not meeting them ever again anywhere.

In our opinion, this series win will stand very high in the list of greatest Indian wins of all time. Probably just after the World Cup wins that India had.

Australia: 369 all out and 294 allout

India: 336 all out and 329/7

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