One For The Ages — India’s Historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy Win
An incredible real-life story of grit, determination and teamwork
19th December 2020, Adelaide — Wounded
I remember this day fairly well.
I was travelling to my native place and though I had no access to the television, I knew I could keep checking the score from time-to-time.
The reason for my keen interest was because India had gained a lead of 53 runs in the first test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020–21.
India was on the front foot and with some good batting, could well have got an imposing lead and hence put Australia on the back foot.
But what transpired was shocking!
India was shot out for just 36 in their second innings, leaving Australia to score a meagre target of just 90 runs to win the test match, which they did quite comfortably.
With Virat Kohli, the Indian captain and a key player for the side set to leave after this test for the birth of his first child, no one could imagine India making a comeback in the series after an embarrassing defeat.
It did not take long for the critics to unleash.
It was up to the Indian team to show that they are not ones to be walked upon.
The pressure was well and truly on!
29th December 2020, Melbourne — Rising from the Dead
After the embarrassment in Adelaide(venue of the first test), India made many changes to their side, 4 to be precise.
Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj made their international debuts and the pressure was on them to perform with the team in dire straits.
Ajinkya Rahane was given the duty of captaining the side. The pressure was well and truly on him to perform, which he did!
Leading from the front, the Indian captain scored a masterful 112 in the first innings, helping India get a healthy lead of 135 runs, courtesy some excellent bowling and field setting by the Indians.
India did not require much to win — 65 runs.
The hero of India’s first innings, Rahane and the debutant Gill were calm and composed and guided India to an ecstatic 8 wicket win!
Who would have thought! After the hammering in Adelaide, no one would have given this Indian team, that too without their mainstay, Virat Kohli, a chance to win a test match.
It was a memorable win for a team hurt by an injury and without their best player.
But the series was not done.
Level at 1–1 and on we go to Sydney.
11th January 2021, Sydney — Grit and Determination
After the heroics at Melbourne, we now move on to Sydney.
India were forced to make a couple of changes to the winning combination, owing to injuries
Another debutant, Navdeep Saini came into the side along with the experienced Rohit Sharma.
Australia amassed a total of 338 in their first innings, courtesy a century by Steve Smith, their batting mainstay.
In reply, India were bowled out for 244, courtesy a maiden 50 for Shubman Gill and a 50 for Cheteshwar Pujara. But the point was — they were once again on the back foot.
Australia declared their second innings with an overall lead of 406 runs, leaving India 407 runs to win and a day and a half to survive.
Time for some new heroes to rise
Rishabh Pant, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin were the heroes this time around.
Pant scored a blazing 97 and was dismissed on the cusp of a well deserved century. Pujara was dismissed soon after and Australia could sense a victory.
Vihari and Ashwin were at the crease. They had to survive nearly 45 overs to draw the test.
Against all odds, they survived, registering a famous draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The draw felt more like a win and one could sense that this series was well and truly going India’s way now.
Just one more test. Win or draw it and you retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
19th January 2021, Brisbane — Rewriting the History Books
After an enthralling series, it was down to the finale, at The Gabba, Brisbane.
This ground was considered to be Australia’s fortress in Test cricket, with no team able to beat them here in the last 32 years! But you never know, this could be the match which changes it all!
An Indian Team high on confidence were once again forced to make some changes to the team, with three inexperienced players, Washington Sundar, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur making their way into the side. Sundar and Natarajan were making their debuts and Thakur was just one test old.
A full strength Australian squad against an Indian team depleted of resources due to injuries. Not a fair contest, huh?
Australia once again won the toss and chose to bat, posting a score of 369, with the help of Marnus Labuschagne who scored a century.
India in reply were in deep trouble at 186/6 with all their main batsmen gone. It was now the turn for some new heroes to rise. Sundar, on debut and Thakur stitched together a memborable partnership of 123 for the 7th wicket and hence allowing India to score 336 in their first innings.
Australia, with a lead of 33 runs were bowled out for 294 with Mohammed Siraj securing his maiden 5-wicket haul.
328 runs to win and 100 overs to play — Anyone’s game at that point.
India did not start well, with Rohit Sharma getting dismissed early. India’s new young star, Gill scored a vital 91 but missed out on a well deserved maiden century.
Rahane was dismissed cheaply and it looked like the floodgates had opened for Australia but it was not to be. Pant, the next batsman in along with Pujara defied the Aussies with some excellent batting. Pujara was as solid as a rock and Pant was looking really comfortable at the crease.
The twist came when Pujara was dismissed after an excellent partnership with Pant and many would have thought that the game was gone.
A lot relied on Pant now and boy did he deliver.
Pant pulled out all the shots from the book and with the support of Agarwal, Sundar and Thakur sealed a famous test victory for India.
India had beaten Australia at their fortress, becoming the first team in 32 years to do so. Not only that, they also secured a memorable series win.
This series win will be special and will be etched in the hearts of Indian fans forever. It also shows that determination, confidence, hardwork, resilience, defiance, team work and sportsmanship will always win and in the end, the Indian team plagued by injuries and without their mainstay showed the world exactly that, even when the odds were stacked against them.
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