On Dec 19: India 36 all out
On Jan 19: India win series. 2-1. Gabba Fortress breached.
13 years ago, India won on the same day at Perth. Fighting against the tide.Now, we’ve done it again. Fightback when all the odds are stacked against us.
Image Courtesy: Business Standard
This blog is all about the last and final test played at the Gabba in Brisbane written by me, Neha Shetty as a part of Episode 26 of my Podcast, Never on the Backfoot. A fearless India pulled off an improbable and exhilarating three-wicket win over Australia in the fourth Test to claim the series 2-1 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane.
India was down and beaten and the anticipation surrounding the squad
India started the game as underdogs following the loss of four players from the drawn third Test, which finished on Monday in Sydney. Pace spearhead Bumrah (abdomen), off-spinner Ashwin (back), batsman Hanuma Vihari (hamstring) and all-rounder Ravi Jadeja (broken thumb) were all ruled out. T Natarajan and Washington Sundar made their debuts while there were also recalls for batsman Mayank Agarwal and seam bowler Shardul Thakur. There were a lot of permutations possible of who would make the team but we clearly struck gold with the selection. By contrast, Australia only made one change, with Harris coming in for Will Pucovski, who injured his shoulder while fielding in Sydney.
Will Puckovski’s injury, Marcus Harris replacement
Will Puckovski was unfortunately injured and Marcus Harris, an unheralded star made his way through to the team. Although, both the innings he had average outings. India could not have asked for a better start to the day after Siraj dismissed David Warner in the first over, helped by a quite sensational catch by Rohit Sharma at second slip. Not long after, Thakur dismissed Marcus Harris with the first ball on his comeback to the Test side.
As we had seen in the series, India did a good job of not letting Australia dictate the tempo earlier even if Steve Smith and Labuschagne looked to be on their way to completing a hat-trick of century partnerships. Later in the second session, Washington ensured that wouldn’t be the case as he had a Test wicket to his name before conceding a Test run, getting Smith caught at mid-wicket in his fourth over after starting off with three maidens. At 87/3, it really did feel like India were on to something.
Labuchagne’s brilliant 100
Labuchangne has become a very dependable number 3 for Australia and after the fall of the wickets, and thus continued a phase of play where Australia pushed forward with Matthew Wade and Labuschagne. This time, the hosts seemed keen to establish dominance too. They were batting a few yards outside the crease, the bad balls were being put away with authority. Thakur, who kept striving for the full length because he was the Indian bowler extracting most swing, was particularly severely dealt with.
Natarajan’s performance
Then, it was Natarajan’s turn to provide the breakthroughs. In his short international career, the pacer from Tamil Nadu has developed the useful habit of delivering wickets for his captain when the going is tough. Like he did in his first ODI by ending India’s wait for a wicket in the first powerplay, like he did in the T20Is with crucial wickets, Natarajan returned to bowl a spell with the older ball to remove the well-set Wade and Labuschagne. Both the dismissals were a case of batsmen trying to be extra aggressive against a rookie, then getting deceived by the extra bounce he was able to extract.
Australia’s batting firing- middle and lower-middle order, the final score
What worked really well for Australia was the fact that their middle and lower-middle order had people scoring handy runs. Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine and cameos from Starc and Lyon ensured Australia had 369 on the board which was a competitive total.
Indian bowling -do note that entering this test, we didn’t have a single bowler who has 50 wickets, a completely inexperienced attack yet so impressive)
Credits have to be given to the Indian bowling that was really under a lot of pressure with so many debutants and newbies making their way into the squad. Siraj was like the leader of the pack and his excellence certainly rubbed off on Natarajan, Thakur and Sundar who had 3 scalps to their name. Each session, they were growing from strength to strength. It also becomes important to see the team gelling as a whole a case in pint being Bumrah giving advice to the bowlers at the boundary, and if someone’s had a bad over Rohit Sharma and Rahane would be there talking and comforting the bowlers especially Saini and Thakur. This was certainly an in-experienced bowling line up but so many positives to dwell on)
Indian batting
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were out to bat for India in this imperative 2nd innings. Rohit Sharma’s cracking start was delightful to see. He was middling the ball so well and for 73 balls but a poor stroke and his 44 run vigil at the crease came to an end. It was a disappointing dismissal and again we had a whole set of experts dissecting how it was an unnecessary shot and the need to have him persist for longer in the innings. Facing Nathan Lyon in the 20th over, after already having hit a four, Rohit came down the track and tried to take on the fielders in the deep. Because he knows, if he gets the timing right, fielders in the deep don’t matter. He did so in Sydney not long back, going from 47 to 51, off Lyon. It came off, then. At Gabba, batting on 44 with not long to go for tea, it did not come off. The instant reaction many had was, “why that shot and why now?”
That was Rohit Sharma, the Test batsman away from home, in a nutshell. Some may think that is a very specific subset to be talking about but it is the subset that everyone who has followed Rohit’s Test career wants him to succeed in. Next in the line was Shubman Gill who was dismissed for 7 off 15. With one boundary and some good running, it was expected that he would stay in for longer. But he too didn’t and with Pujara, Rahane, Agarwal and Pant getting dismissed not adding much to the scoreboard, there were fears if India could reach the 369 posted or even pose an imposing lead. Oh and lest I forget Rahane & Pujara have earned the unique distinction of playing all the 4 matches in the series.
This is impressive as they persisted throughout and even though they had ups and downs, but they become embodiments of persistence and strength. Also, dwelling into the fact if Mayank Agarwal is a better fit in the middle order is too early to gauge as this tour has been disastrous for him, so his position in the middle order replacing Vihari is just a temporary fix. So, too early to comment on that. Now the ship was revived for India by Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. Shardul Thakur, batting at No 8, scored 67 off 115, which included nine fours and two sixes, to help India fightback from a precarious position. Along with Washington Sundar (62 off 144), he helped add a brilliant 123-run partnership for the seventh wicket which kept India alive in the game and they ensured we still had a respectable position in the match. Washington Sundar also registered the highest individual score for a debutant batting at number seven in Australia. This valiant effort ensured India ended their 1st innings at 336 thus conceding a 33-run lead.
The Aussie attack’s consistency
Josh Hazlewood starred with the ball getting 5 crucial wickets giving almost nothing away to the Indians. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins with their 2 wickets were also good and Lyon with his wicket were good in restricting the Indians.
Australia’s 2nd innings
Steve Smith was the top scorer for Australia in their second essay as he scored 55 runs off 74 deliveries, with the help of seven boundaries. David Warner, Marcus Harris and Cameron Green also made notable contributions of 48, 38 and 37. Pat Cummins and skipper Tim Paine also made scores of 28 and 27. This ensured Australia put up 294 on the board. Aussies’ wagging tail has been a major advantage and when batting with Paine, they do manage to add on to India’s agony if allowed to persist.
For India, right-arm fast bowler Mohammed Siraj picked up his maiden five-wicket haul, conceding 73 runs in 19.5 overs. Shardul Thakur also picked four wickets for 61 while debutant off-spinner Washington Sundar scalped one.
India’s 2nd innings- review chasing 328
India now had to chase down 328 in the final Test to end Australia’s 32-year unbeaten run at the Gabba and seal a memorable, second straight series win Down Under. With everyone praying for at least a draw, how did India manage to pull of a win? Let’s delve into that.
India reached 4/0 in its chase on 328 in the extended final session on Monday before rain started pouring in and umpires were forced to call for early Stumps. Only 1.5 overs could be bowled in India’s second innings on Day Four as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 4 and 0 respectively. Shubman Gill played a delightful 91 only to be dismissed cheaply but credits to the young lad who has certainly made the world stand up and take notice of what a brilliant player he is.
Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane’s stay was not fruitful. Rishabh Pant led the chase with an unbeaten 89 as India overhauled the target with 18 balls to spare in a match that went down to the wire. The wicketkeeper-batsman balanced aggression with maturity to power what looked like an impossible win while Cheteshwar Pujara – who endured many painful blows on his body in his dogged 56-run knock – scripted another epic with his 211-ball knock.
Even debutant Washington Sundar dug in and partnered Pant’s late strikes. It was a fitting finale to a fascinating Tests series which started with the pink-ball Test in Adelaide where India were bowled out for 36 and ended with a fightback for the ages at Australia’s fortress in Brisbane. Dogged by regular injuries, India’s inexperienced side was guided by captain Ajinkya Rahane and coach Ravi Shastri to the incredible win. The Aussie bowling proved to be very mediocre in the 2nd innings of India with Pat Cummins being a different piece of commodity striking at regular intervals and bowling unbelievably well.
An inspiring fightback (let’s also keep in mind this is the best Aussie attack, Smith and everyone back and don’t say 2018 was a one-time thing, all those who wrote us off after 36/9)
This is not the new normal, let’s not get carried away. It’s important to be precise and identify this side as the one that has slowly been bound together by falling apart over the last three Tests, because the next India side will be fundamentally different in personnel and spirit – more of which later. India were, for much of this series, genuine underdogs, and everybody loves an underdog. That hasn’t been the case with India for a long time. “Can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash, tell you what… ooh, ooh” are words and calls Tim Paine surely regrets. Faith, courage, belief, grit, character, spirit – in the context of cricket at least, you have raised the bar for these words, which are often worn from overuse. Not only have you – and I do not use these words lightly – created the greatest moment in India’s Test history, you have provided a glorious hurrah to the most epic, the most layered, form of sport known to us.
Test cricket is life itself: not only is it a game of the highest skill, it is also a test of endurance and adaptability, patience and courage. There is the toil, ball after ball, session after session, day after day. You can glide on the waves only if you have the heart to weather the storms. There is heartbreak and there is redemption: Test cricket always gives you a second chance. How well India forged steel from the debris of Adelaide, numerically the lowest point of their Test history, with their captain and best batsman, and one of their strike bowlers gone. In the first Test against Australia, India was bundled out for 36 and there were many pundits who said the visiting team will face a 4-0 drubbing. But proving every critic wrong, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side registered famous victories in Melbourne and Brisbane. The side also recorded an epic draw in Sydney and at every step, the line-up overcame adversity.
Shoutout to the support staff and our net bowlers
The support staff has been the backbone and really have toiled so hard in the series. They’ve literally nursed so many injuries, helped in the management and have been so prompt. Ravi Shastri has been such a legend and his stint with R Sridhar and Bharat Arun and everyone has certainly been so important and crucial for India. The kind of planning and strategy with Bharat Arun revealing how Shastri had called him in July to devise a plan to counter the Aussies’ offside. This is perhaps one among the many stories that will come to the fore after this splendid display.
Special mention to Kartik Tyagi. Everyone did their effort, everyone contributed, it was not about one or two individuals. I just want to mention Kuldeep Yadav and Kartik Tyagi. Kuldeep, I know it was tough for you, you did not play a game here but your attitude was really good. Your time will come, just keep working hard. Kartik you were fantastic,” said Rahane while addressing the Indian team in a video posted on the official website of BCCI on Saturday.
Wonderful endorsement for Test cricket, renewing hope that the format has a lot to offer to the younger generation
The facts are that a four-match Test series between two evenly matched sides had gone to the wire late on the final afternoon, which is only good for the ongoing promotion of Test match cricket. “New” India had been well represented by cricketers who happily look their opponent in the eye for a long as the opponent looks in theirs. The 36 disaster in Adelaide had been immediately dealt with by Rahane, whose hundred a week later in Melbourne was a thing of beauty and great courage. The many injuries and absences gave an opportunity to a wide array of Indian talent that confirms the idea of India being able to put two good teams on the park, much as Australia were able to do in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Twitter threw its many handles behind Rahul Dravid, who has responsibility for the development of the best young cricketers in the land. One cannot think of a better man.
Credits to Kohli, the captain who built this core and we owe it to him
Virat Kohli tweeted, ‘WHAT A WIN!!! Yessssss. To everyone who doubted us after Adelaide, stand up and take notice. Exemplary performance but the grit and determination was the standout for us the whole way. Well done to all the boys and the management. Enjoy this historic feat lads. Cheers’. It indeed summed up what the victory meant and how we do owe a great deal to Kohli who has been instrumental in building the team, the core and instilling a never say never attitude. Rahane has been fantastic and he’s led the side from the front. The last time a visiting team came out triumphant from the Brisbane Cricket Ground was back in November 1988 when the mighty West Indian outfit under the leadership of Viv Richards thrashed Allan Border’s team by 9 wickets. This proves what a sweet win this is.
WTC, England series
The maiden cycle of the World Test Championship has entered its final stage after India beat Australia 2-1 in a dramatic Test series Down Under. At the moment, four teams – India, New Zealand, Australia and England – are in contention for the World Test Championship final to be played at the Mecca of Cricket – the Lord’s Cricket Ground. India’s scintillating series win against Australia Down Under propelled the team to the top spot in the World Test Championship; they have 430 points in their kitty and a PCT of 71.67%, which gives them some much-needed breathing space.
India will need to reach at least 505 points in the World Test Championship to confirm their qualification for the final without banking on the results of the series between South Africa and Australia. So, the golden question here is – by what margin will India need to beat England to earn the former a direct berth in the World Test Championship final? The answer is: beating England by a 4-0, 3-0, 3-1 or 2-0 will take India’s points tally to at least 505 points in the World Test Championship table and confirm their berth in the final.
Never on the Backfoot 