Rain spoiled the fifth day of the Sydney test, depriving Kohli’s team of a likely win. But it could not prevent Kohli from writing the history of winning the first ever test series in Australia.
Kohli led India to win the Domain Test series 2-1. A feat, that India achieved after 12 encounters since 1948 Down Under.
Aussies, before them, had a tough job of chasing 300 runs for the fifth day, but before they were out on the field for the struggle the rain god had already occupied the stage and refused to leave any scope for any other’s play. At last, the final day’s proceeding was stopped, writing a neutral result on the record. Though the fact is that Kohli’s team had dominated the actions in the four days.
They scored 622 runs with a scintillating 193 runs from Pujara and 159 from Panth, before neutralizing the hosts at 300. Australia was asked to follow on.
A 3-1 scorecard would have represented the correct complexion of the competition.
In batting five centuries came from the India Batsmen, three alone from Pujara and one each from Kohli and Pant, while it is none from the Aussies. Indians made four partnership centuries but the home side made one.
In bowling too Indians outperformed their Australian counterpart. The three top pacers -Bumrha, Sammi, Ishant, of India registered a combined average of 21.69. But the Aussie pace trio- Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood had it 30.90.
Yet the 2-1 win for India is historic. After 71 years India could beat Australia in their home soil for the first time in 12 mutual test encounters. They had managed to save the series in 1985-86 and 2003-04.
Captain Virat Kohli had termed it as his biggest achievement.
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