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India pulled off one of the most sensational victories in the history of Test cricket to win an epic series with Australia.
Rishabh Pant’s brilliant 89, following on from opener Shubman Gill’s 91, guided India to their victory target of 328 and inflicted Australia’s first defeat at the Gabba since 1988.
With all outcomes possible on what proved to be a nip and tuck final day of an epic and often controversial series, India seized the initiative in the last session having battled hard all day.
Pant moved into one-day mode and was joined by first Washington Sundar, who made 22 before being bowled by Nathan Lyon, Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini, to get India home by three wickets amid nerve-shredding tension in Brisbane.
It meant India won the four-Test series 2-1 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy despite being ravaged by injury, confined by Covid-19 quarantine and without their captain Virat Kohli for the last three Tests.
Joy for India as they secured a thrilling three-wicket win over Australia to settle the series 2-1
Rishabh Pant is mobbed by his jubilant team-mates after a superb 89 to win the match
The Indian team parade their flag on a lap of honour at the Gabba after a win for the ages
Rishabh Pant was the hero of the hour for India and celebrates with his team-mates
Rishabh Pant hit a brilliant unbeaten 89 to win the fourth Test and the series for India
Washington Sundar plays a shot as India close in on their victory target on a thrilling last day
Left with 324 to win on the final day, India suffered an early setback when Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Pat Cummins for just seven.
But Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara dug in during a second wicket stand of 114 to give India’s supporters at the Gabba a sniff of victory.
As the day progressed and Australia’s much-vaunted pace bowling attack tired, Gill’s 91 had given India a platform for an unlikely win.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane came and went for 24, allowing Pant to join Pujara at the crease and put on 51 for the fourth wicket before Pujara fell to Cummins for 56.
Cummins did remain a threat to India’s chances of victory, taking four wickets in all during the innings.
Mayank Agarwal could contribute just nine but Pant ploughed on and when he was joined by Sundar, he clicked through the gears and started finding the boundary on a regular basis.
As Australia became ragged with their bowling as the tension mounted, Pant inched India closer and closer despite the dismissals of Sundar and then Thakur.
Victory was eventually secured with only 18 balls left in the match as Pant drove Josh Hazlewood for four to spark jubilant celebrations among the Indian side.
Waving the Indian flag, the players enjoyed a lap of honour at the Gabba in front of a crowd consisting predominantly of Indian supporters.
Australia wicketkeeper Tim Paine reaches out in vain as Rishabh Pant plays a shot
Frustration is etched on the face of Australian quick Pat Cummins as the runs ticked down
Pant waves his bat to the crowd at the Gabba after reaching his half-century on the fifth day
No team had scored more than 236-7 in the fourth innings to win a test match at the Gabba. India won by three wickets and, with a total of 329-7, now replaces Australia’s team of 1951 for that record.
After never winning a test series on Australian soil until 2018-19, India has now done it twice on consecutive tours Down Under.
It was a fittingly dramatic finale to a classic series that has ebbed and flowed between two of the best Test cricket teams in the world.
It started with India being thrashed in the first Test in Adelaide after the humiliation of being bowled out for just 36.
Josh Hazlewood picked up five wickets for just eight as Australia’s bowlers ripped through India in their second innings, teeing up an eight-wicket victory.
With their captain Virat Kohli returning home for the birth of his child, prospects of an Indian fightback at Melbourne were diminished.
But the tourists showed great heart to win the Boxing Day Test by eight wickets, with Jasprit Bumrah taking four wickets in Australia’s first innings and debutant Mohammed Siraj enjoying a star-is-born moment with three dismissals in the second.
Ajinkya Rahane’s 112 in the first innings ensured India always had the edge at the MCG and the series was all level.
A rain shower threatened to interrupt play but Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne celebrate taking the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara
Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon drives to grab the ball and prevent a run as Pujara watches on
Shubman Gill ducks a bouncer from Pat Cummins during his excellent 91 on the final day
Gill’s batting set the platform for India’s miraculous victory with Pant later finishing the job
The third Test at Sydney proved a controversial one that ended in a draw with India digging in despite a number of injuries to the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and Umesh Yadav leaving them depleted.
Two days of the game at the SCG were marred by alleged racial abuse from the stands, while Australia captain Tim Paine and Ravi Ashwin were involved in a heated sledging battle and Steve Smith became embroiled in a ‘scuffing’ row when he seemed to ruin Rishabh Pant’s guard mark.
Smith hit 131 in Australia’s first innings on their way to 338 and then bowled India out for 244.
Declaring on 312 for six in their second innings, Australia’s bowlers were unable to complete the job as Pant and others dug in impressively to earn a draw.
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