Indian cricket team celebrates their series win over Australia after play was called off on Day 5 of fourth Test in Sydney. (Source: AP)After 72 years of visiting Australia and coming back without a win, Indian cricket team will finally return home triumphant. With rain pouring down at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the most part of Day 4 and Day 5 of the fourth Test, the contest was abandoned and the anti-climatic finish played into India’s hands to win the series 2-1. To be fair, the outcome could well have been 3-1 in the favour of the visitors having taken a 322 run lead in the first innings and put Australia in to follow on – a rarity for them at home.
India came into the third and final instalment of their away Test series journey that featured losses against South Africa (2-1) and England (4-1) with a shot at saving face and turned things around in glorious style. Cheteshwar Pujara, with 521 runs from 1258 balls, and Jasprit Bumrah with 21 wickets were the star performers for India in the series.
# India became the fifth team to win a Test series in Australia. England lead the list with 13 series wins, followed by West Indies (four times), South Africa (thrice) and their trans-Tasmanian rivals New Zealand (once).
# This is Virat Kohli’s fourth away Test series win having taken over from MS Dhoni four years ago. He started with 2-1 win in Sri Lanka in 2015 and followed it up with wins in West Indies (2016), Sri Lanka (2017) and now Australia (2018/19).
# This is India’s sixth series win in a ‘SENA’ (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) country. India beat New Zealand in 1967/68 and 2008/09; beat England in 1971, 1986 and 2007; and now Australia.
# India’s previous series results in Australia: Lost 0-4 in 1947, Lost 0-4 in 1967, Lost 2-3 in 1977, Draw 1-1 in 1981, Draw 0-0 in 1985, Lost 0-4 in 1991, Lost 0-3 in 1999, Draw 1-1 in 2003, Lost 1-2 in 2007, Lost 0-4 in 2011, Lost 0-2 in 2014 and now, win 2-1 in 2018/19.
# India’s 622 run score in the first innings was their first 600-plus score in a SENA country since 2009.
# After being dismissed for 300 runs and giving away a 322 run lead, Australia were asked to follow-on at home which hasn’t happened since England were the last team enforce it at SCG, in 1988. Australia had played 172 consecutive Tests at home without following-on before this SCG Test.
# Last time India enforced the follow on against Australia in their own backyard was in 1986 also in Sydney. The other two instances of India putting Australia in to bat again are from home series in 1979-80.
# Australia haven’t been asked to follow on since 2005. Last team to enforce it was England at Trent Bridge.
