India scripted a historic comeback after the Adelaide Test to script a 2-1 series win in four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India outclassed Australia their fortress – Brisbane to register back-to-back Test series win Down Under. An inexperienced Team India under Ajinkya Rahane bounced back brilliantly after the massive drubbing in Adelaide, where the Asian giants registered their lowest ever score in Test cricket history- 36. Regular captain Virat Kohli left Team India after the Adelaide clash and returned to his home for the birth of his first child. Rahane took over the responsibility for him and impressed everyone with his captaincy skills.
On Day 5 of the Brisbane Test, India started from 4/0 in the chase of 328 with experienced Rohit Sharma and young Shubman Gill in the middle. Rohit departed early on just 8 but Shubman was ready to shine for Team India. The 21-year-old played a magnificent 91 run knock on his third Test against a fierce Australia bowling attack while chasing a massive target on Day 5, to show his character and hunger to score runs on the big stage.
Shubman laid the foundation of India’s historic win, while Rishabh Pant put the final stamp on it with a match-winning unbeaten 89-run knock. Pant was fantastic throughout as he paced his innings according to the situation and didn’t play many loose shots. The southpaw faced 138 balls in which he slammed 9 fours and a six to power India to a 3-wicket win with 3 overs to spare.
The 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy became historic in many ways as several records were broken with India’s memorable win.
1. India ended Australia’s historic 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba, Brisbane from 1989 to 2020. The hosts were unbeaten in the 31 matches during the time spell.
2. The 328-run chase was India’s third-highest successful run chases. The top on the list is 406-run chase against West Indies in Port of Spain in 1975/76. While India also chased down a massive target of 387 against England in Chennai during 2008/09 Test series.
3. This is the fifth time when India managed to clinch a Test series after losing the first Test. Australia beat the Virat Kohli and Co. in Adelaide by 8 wickets where the visitors registered their lowest ever score in Test cricket history- 36 in the second innings of the clash.
4. After resuming their innings from 4/0 India scored 325 runs on the Day 5, which is the third-highest runs scored on the final day to win a Test.
5. During the massive chase, Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his slowest ever fifty in Test cricket history. He took 196 balls to reach the 50-run mark.
6. Rishabh Pant overtakes MS Dhoni to become the fastest wicketkeeper-batsman from India to score 1000 runs. Dhoni took 32 innings to score 1,000 runs in Tests while Pant has taken just 27 innings to do that.
7. Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc conceded 20 runs in the 46th over which is his most expensive over in Test cricket career.