India has scored a famous victory in the Test series against Australia, chasing down 328 on the last day of the final game at the Gabba to win the series 2-1 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
A draw would have been enough to retain the trophy for India, after their historic series victory in 2018/19, but the impressive side went all out and charged home, scoring 51 off the last five overs to win.
Explosive wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who was not picked for the first game, hit the winning runs as he completed a match-winning 89.
Late hitting from Pant and debutant Washington Sundar (22 off 29) saw the depleted tourists home, ending Australia’s unbeaten streak at the ground, which lasted more than 32 years.
As evidence of the spare-parts nature of this team, the win was set up by 91 from rookie opener Shubman Gill, who also was not picked for the series opener and was playing in just his third Test, and veteran Cheteshwar Pujara, who held off the Australian attack with a masterful 56 off 211.
It marks the third straight series win against Australia for India, and two in a row on Australian soil.
The day started with a clear objective for Australia — 10 wickets to win the match. A fast start was imperative, and it took only a few overs for Australia to find the first breakthrough when Pat Cummins found the edge of Rohit Sharma’s bat to deliver Tim Paine a simple catch.
But if the hosts thought that first wicket would lead to an avalanche, they were sorely mistaken. Joining Gill at the crease was Pujara, and together the Indian pair set out to defy Australia for the rest of the session.
Pujara was resolute in defence, while Gill played the role of the cautious aggressor. The latter played some fantastic shots, most notably when he uppercut Mitchell Starc for six over third man in the last over of the session.
The solid but steady start brought India into the game, and they carried on in the same vein after lunch. Pujara copped a barrage of short balls and wore several of them on the body — and took a few more on the helmet — but refused to give his wicket away.
Meanwhile Gill continued his attack, and after taking Starc for 20 in one particularly poor over for the out of form quick, the young opener was on track for a first Test century.
His fine innings would fall just short of the milestone though, ended by an edge to Steve Smith at first slip off a relatively straight Nathan Lyon delivery.
That brought Ajinkya Rahane to the crease, and the captain looked to keep India’s momentum going with some assertive strokeplay and aggressive running between wickets.
He raced to 24, but was undone by a Cummins short ball which kept a little low. Rahane’s attempt at a ramp over the slips resulted in nothing more than a simple catch to Paine.
India rolled the dice and brought Pant to the crease early — a clear sign of intent — and he and a battered and bruised Pujara saw India to tea with Australia still needing seven wickets, and India 145 runs for victory.
It wouldn’t have taken long after the tea break for Australia to start getting the flashbacks from Sydney, as Pant and Pujara kept them at bay for over after over.
Australia lacked urgency, and its tactics were questionable for a team that needed to win the match, but India too looked to be taking its time and not chasing the win with the same purpose it had earlier in the day.
The last hope for the Aussies was the new ball, and in the hands of Cummins, it needed only two balls to provide another twist — Pujara was finally given out lbw, and a batsman’s review showed the ball was clipping the very top of the leg bail.
As the match headed into it’s last hour, Australia thought they had Mayank Agarwal caught behind and lost a review when DRS showed no edge, but disappointment quickly turned to elation for Cummins and Australia when Agarwal drove the next ball to Matthew Wade at cover.
Needing 63 to win off 13 overs, Pant was joined at the crease by debutant Sundar, fresh off a half-century in the first innings, and both boosted the run rate.
Sundar fell with the team needing just 10 runs to win, and Shardul Thakur followed suit with three runs left, but nothing could stop Pant and India’s charge to victory.
See how the day unfolded in our live blog.
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Australia vs India: Fourth Test at the Gabba
By Dean Bilton
That’s all, folks!
Well that was something, wasn’t it? A day to remember, at the end of a series I think we’ll be talking about for many a year to come. And let’s not forget given everything else going on, we’re probably lucky we even got this series away at all. Good thing we did, hey?
I’m going to sign off the blog here, but there will be plenty more coverage on this incredible result to come. Thank you to everyone who has hopped on board during our cricket blogs during this series, be it for a quick check of the score or for a lengthy conversation during a rain delay. It’s always so much more fun watching the cricket with all of you, especially when the cricket is that good.
Until next time, from me, Jon, Dan and Simon, have a good one.
By Dean Bilton
Ajinkya Rahane speaks
It clearly means a lot. I don’t know how to describe this but I’m extremely proud of the boys.
We just wanted to get close, because we knew Rishabh and Mayank could do it later on.
Taking 20 wickets was the key, which is why we picked five bowlers. All credit to the bowlers, the way they handled the pressure was really good.
After Adelaide we didn’t discuss anything. We just wanted to play our game and show good character. We just wanted to express ourselves as a team. That was the key to the win for us.
Honestly it was hard work hearing Rahane over the top of the Indian fans in the Gabba, who are understandably going bonkers. Rahane signs off by thanking those fans, and by presenting Nathan Lyon with a signed jersey to commemorate his 100th Test match. Now that’s a cricket team right there.
By Dean Bilton
Tim Paine speaks
I’m completely disappointed. In the end we were completely outplayed by a better side in this series.
India turned up today and put their bodies on the line, they kept soldiering on. Full credit to them.
We’ll look back at this, but we have to look forward too because we’ve got a big series against South Africa coming up.
Our bowlers threw everything at them, tried their hearts out, but things didn’t go our way.
By Dean Bilton
Pat Cummins is man of the series
We were discussing this earlier, and there really was no clear stand out for this award, but four wickets today probably swung it in Pat’s favour late.
He really was fantastic across all four Tests. This Australian team has 99 problems, but Pat Cummins definitely isn’t one.
By Dean Bilton
Rishabh Pant is the man of the match
Well deserved. It’s insane to me that he wasn’t picked in Adelaide. He is a special cricketer, one whose rough times you simply have to take because you will eventually get days like today.
By Dean Bilton
So the Indians are currently enjoying a richly-deserved lap of honour. I’m not sure Rishabh Pant has stopped smiling since the ball left his bat that last time.
The Aussies, on the hand, are ashen faced. At some point the conversation will turn to them, and frankly, there ought to be recriminations for Australia after this series. Today especially, Australia was depserately poor.
But that stuff can wait. Right now it’s India’s time. We’ll have presentations very soon, but for now it’s all celebration.
By Dean Bilton
Audience comment by Mandy
Congratulations India! Amazing match. Amazing series. They played so well. They deserve the series win.<br>Gutted for the Aussies, but so impressed with the Indians attitude to the game all series.
Audience comment by Gari
The spirit and skill of the Indian team is unbelivable
Audience comment by Steve
Well done India amazing effort! One for the ages
Audience comment by Old timer
The best thing about that historic test match is that it was a most deserved win. And a deserved series win. Magic stuff !
By Daniel Colasimone
Fabulous Test match
📻
Jim Maxwell calls it:
“This has been a fabulous Test match!
“Even though they looked like they were going to explode with wickets at the end, they hung on.
“Pant was the hero.
“Congratulations to India, who’ve won this game thrillingly, by three wickets.”
By Dean Bilton
I REPEAT, INDIA WINS THE TEST BY THREE WICKETS! INDIA WINS THE SERIES 2-1!
Scenes of unrestrained joy on the Gabba, as Rishabh Pant is overcome by emotion and the weight of his achievements today. The Indian players embrace, a team now united by this accomplishment and immortalised in Test cricket history as one of the most remarkable the game has seen.
Truthfully, has there been a better series victory in Test cricket? A more unlikely one? The obstacles this Indian has overcome to pull this off, it just beggars belief. From the shame of Adelaide, to losing their talisman, to injury after injury after injury, all to arrive at the one place no touring team is supposed to be able to win, chasing a total no team at said ground has EVER chased down to win. And yet they won. With style and grace and skill and so much courage.
This is quite special.
By Dean Bilton
4 overs to go – Josh Hazlewood bowling – 10 to win
Surely Pant will just look to do this casually now? Does he even know how to do that?
HE’S HIT IT FOR FOUR! HOW?!? What a shot from Rishabh Pant! He was falling over, lost his balance completely, but STILL managed to get a pull shot away. What’s more, he absolutely creamed it. Away for four, he ends up on his back, he’s one shot away.
IN THE AIR! SURELY OUT?!? No! There’s no fielder at cover! Pant tried to end it with a six, and could so easily have been out. Five to win.
Shardul gets one on his hip, and tucks it easily down to fine leg… for two! Great running again by India, they’ve been wonderful between the wickets all day. Three to get!
SHARDUL IS OUT! CAUGHT AT MIDWICKET! SURELY NOT?!?!?
A leading edge! Straight up in the air! Straight to Nathan Lyon! Three wickets or three runs, what comes first?
The big question is if the batsmen crossed while that ball was in the air… the answer is yes. So Pant is on strike and Navdeep Saini is protected.
Two balls left in the over.
Miles down the leg side, but not a wide in Test cricket! Clever from Hazlewood. Can he bowl one more dot?
RISHABH PANT HITS A FOUR! INDIA WIN THE TEST BY THREE WICKETS! INDIA WIN THE SERIES 2-1!
By Dean Bilton
5 overs to go – Nathan Lyon bowling – 15 to win
Pant charges and smacks one through the off side… just a single. Honestly, Pant doesn’t even need to play shots as expansive as that. The field is SO spread, just take ones and twos and start celebrating.
Smacked out to deep point again by Washington. One more.
Swept by Rishabh Pant! There’s acres of space out on the on side, so he casually gets through for three. TEN RUNS TO WIN.
BOWLED HIM! WASHINGTON IS BOWLED REVERSE SWEEPING!
Well I’ve not got a single clue why he did that. It’s just taken a tiny bit of his glove on its way to the off stump too. He has done his job wonderfully here, and deserved to be out there at the end. I doubt it will make much difference to the outcome, but it’s a shame for Washington Sundar.
NOW they’ve brought some fielders in around the bat! In the nick of time.
Shardul Thakur defends the last ball of the over. Four to bowl, 10 to win.
By Daniel Colasimone
India’s momentum unstoppable
📻
Stuart Clark:
“I don’t know how the Australians can stop this energy.”
Jim Maxwell:
“They certainly need to get one or both of these batsmen out. Because they’re on song.
“They seem to have enormous self belief.”
“We are watching potentially one of the greatest Indian victories of all time.
“There’s no doubt about it.
“The roar of the crowd suggest there are quite a few Indians here.”
By Dean Bilton
6 overs to go – Josh Hazlewood bowling – 24 to win
Josh Hazlewood thrown the ball. Can he do anything to stop this Indian charge?
Pant drops and runs a quick single to cover… AND THERE’S AN OVERTHROW! Make that two for Pant. They can walk this in with singles now.
Turned away to fine leg by Pant… and he gets back for two more! Field completely spread by Australia, as it has been for all of Pant’s innings.
Now just a single to square leg from Pant. 19 to win. Unbelievable.
FOUR LEG BYES! Washington has somehow kicked one OVER the slips cordon for four! I don’t know how he did it, but it doesn’t matter now!
Hazlewood ends the over by screaming one past Washington’s outside edge. No nick though, so another successful over for India ends.
By Dean Bilton
7 overs to go – Nathan Lyon bowling – 39 to win
Pant on strike.
RAMPED! FOUR! IT’S PARTY TIME! What a shot from Rishabh Pant! Falling to his knees, he’s flicked one over where leg slip would have been and earns another four!
What a result this will be for India.
FOUR MORE! The most brutal sweep shot you’ll ever see! India is that close!
Now driven out to deep point for a single. 31 from 39 needed.
FOUR BYES! It’s hit a crack, spun the other way and gone straight through the keeper for another boundary. It’s almost over!
Two more for Washington out to deep cover! 15 from the over, and India is about to pull off one of the greatest Test series victories in the history of the sport.
By Dean Bilton
8 overs to go – Pat Cummins bowling – 50 to win
50 runs, 48 balls.
Short ball, Pant ducks out of the way.
Single to Pant down to fine leg. They creep ever closer. But one way or another, looks like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be staying in India.
IN THE AIR! But mid off is deep! Way too deep! It lands a metre or two in front of him!
For two straight days now, I haven’t been able to get my head around the concept that Australia would be at all worried about losing this game.
SIX RUNS! HUUUUUUUUUUUGE! Washington Sundar steps inside a bouncer and hooks Cummins DEEP over fine leg for six runs!
FOUR RUNS! Slashed over the gully for another boundary! Washington getting the job done!
10 runs off the last two balls, and it’s now 39 runs off 42 balls. India should do this!
