The Saga that will define the courage Indians display on the field when it comes to challenges being thrown on them. Brisbane, one of the Australian fortresses undefeated since 1988 for a period of exactly 32 years, was stormed by Indian men. They dominated the entire 5th day of the Gabba test. An incredible and ecstatic win that was much awaited.Fans around the world were delighted by the Indian win on foreign soil. First of all it’s a stereotype in every young mind that Indians don’t perform well on foreign soil.It was proven wrong by the Indian test men in 2018-19 when they won the test series in Australia after a long span of 71 years.
Though the Australians refused to accept as they were without the services of Smith and Warner. Extraordinary players different in their very own approach. But this time they had not that excuse but were actually favorites to win the series predicted 4-0 by different legends at different points of time. At first it looked like they were right because India were at its low on totalling a score of just 36.Now the frame was different, people thought India will be dusted to ground in the remaining part of the series as Australia shall easily win the very conquered Indians. Now the Boxing day test began in Melbourne. It was no Virat as he was on Paternity leave and had left Australia. The most crucial point came when Shami was injured by a blow from Pat cummins. It looked like everything is lost now and that India would perform quite nervously. India had 4 replacements on that day.
Jadeja an all rounder in place of Virat, debutant Mohd Siraj in place of Shami and Juvenile debutante Gill instead of Prithvi Shaw and junior Pant as a wicketkeeper batsman instead of Saha. Bowlers performed brilliantly and got out Australia for a score of 191, the Indian first innings took a lead of whatever runs, thanks to the likes of a centurion skipper Rahane and a half centurion Sir Jadeja. But things did not go in India’s favour and they had already lost an experienced Umesh on their side. They did not lose hope and started garnering courage. They knew they had to only win the Smith and his protege Labuschagne. Once they did that every chance was that they would win as things don’t happen as it were in the First test.
The bowlers did their very best and a fruitful debut for Young Siraj was already anticipated.It was a turn of Batsmen to take a different stage and win the target of less than 90 in a much easier way. Gill performed brilliantly with Rahane and won a match for their nation. It was a solid finish of the heinous year that was grippled by the Pandemic. There were a bit of pros and cons. Mayank’s heavy backlift was on par controversy but a moment to cherish as Rohit was to enter the mighty Indian side after finishing his 15 day quarantine in an exhausted room.
It was after a long period Rohit was playing an International match after being ruled out of the ODI and T20 series on an issue of Hamstring concerns. But an already proven opener on Indian soil had the pressure of performing on foreign soil as well + Umesh scans that left the Indians again losing hope. Now on the 3rd test at SCG a pink test Saini was to debut for India and mighty Warner was back in the Australian dressing room giving them a little sigh of relief for their opening standout partnership. Both nations were narrowly looking to surpass each other. Australia dominated with the Bat and Smith scored a mammoth century +81 standout performance in the second innings. His protege Labuschagne too delivered. India were bowled out for 244 in their first innings giving opposition the lead of around 90 runs. In the second innings Australian declared their innings for 312/6. India on the fourth day were asked to bat closely around 131 overs which looked impossible in a logical sense.
India lost Rohit as an opener but he delivered quite well as both Hitman and Gill looked like settled standout partners for India to open in Tests.Now Pujara after a sluggish innings in the first innings had to do something to save India the tests. Pujara was researched by the Australians and did let him score many runs unlike the 2018-19. Rahane had been dismissed by Lyon earlier. It was a sheer brilliance of Rahane to send Pant down the line and that was held as a tactical move by many experts. Pant went on to play a fearless innings looking to score boundaries of every ball. Pujara and Pant were like a dance of fire and ice. But Pant was obstructed by Lyon who had an abundance of experience playing his 99th test match. He took Pant’s wicket and splitted the partnership between two.
Now defensible Pujara took the role of Pant and was hitting boundaries that surprised everyone out there. His quick single although left Vihari injured and shattered the dream of winning the Pink test. He himself was out on an unplayable delivery by Josh Hazlewood who celebrated in a way as if he had climbed Mount Everest in a record time.Ashwin was on his way, I think he himself would not have known that he was going to play a thinkable knock over there. Vihari, Ashwin who was bruised, battered and abused saved the test match for India. They just did it and it was the greatest save for INDIA in terms of what emotions were at that time. Indians around the world were filled with emotions and countless stories were to reckon on the media on that very day. Hanuma batted with one leg and Ashwin just took blows to help India to win the Test series in Australia without ever counting what consequences they will have to suffer in their career.Now with Bumrah being ruled out and Ashwin too it was a India A team who were to face Australia in their well guarded fortresses at Gabba. Paine, almost sure of the win, had spoken to Ashwin that he would see him in Gabba.
Ashwin too responded to him by saying that if he came to India it would be his last series. With Ashwin,Bumrah and Vihari left out it seemed impossible to take India to their greatest win at Gabba. But tagline reads expect the unexpected from this team. India were giving tough fight, session by session in opposition Australia was just doing that. Siraj, Washington, Shardul and an injured Saini who were to lead the Pace battery just hammered blows at the Australian fortresses. Labuschagne had got a much awaited century and Smith who was looking good was trapped in a cage set by debutante Sundar. Australia in the second innings were tapped by juvenile Siraj although looked quite strong as India had to either draw or win the game at any cost. A draw would have seemed like an actual win but the boys not only managed to win with mature knocks of Gill and finishing score of Pant but also Pujara who displayed a warrior like savior in the field. Sundar and Shardul just managed to frustrate Australians when India was already down for 186/6.
It looked like both had played 30 to 40 tests but it was only 1st of Washi and 2nd of Shardul. Finally the Indian flag hung around one of the unbreached fortresses at Gabba. The haughtiness which Australians displayed on the field was put down to dust by fearless Indians. It goes with #Mission Gaba Conquered..
