India defeats Australia by eight wickets to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
INDIA have cruised to an eight-wicket victory in Dharamsala - but the result should take nothing away from the role the Aussies played in a great series
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INDIA has taken out one of the most memorable Border Gavaskar series on record after the home side cruised to a triumphant deciding victory in Dharamsala.
The emphatic eight-wicket win sealed before lunch on day four was a cruel way for Australia to end a campaign where they’ve battled to the death in every match.
Even when India was only 60 runs from the finish line, Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell threatened one more dramatic twist to the tail.
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Cummins nicked off Murali Vijay and Maxwell executed a deadly run-out of Cheteshwar Pujara in one thrilling over, but in the end the measly target of 106 Australia set India was just too small to contain.
Resuming with only 87 needed, opener Lokesh Rahul (52 not out) did what he’s done all series and led from the front to bury Australia.
Fittingly, Rahul hit the winning runs to bring up his sixth half century of the series before launching into raucous celebrations.
Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane was also there at the end to finish unbeaten on 38.
After what’s been a hostile and at times bitter series, both teams came together at the close, with Steve Smith’s respect for Rahane clear, and handshakes all-round for chief villain Virat Kohli.
In the end Smith’s men were left to rue the brutal fact that they had this Trophy at their mercy, only to blow it with two batting collapses in Dharamsala.
Smith praised both his own and India’s victorious team in the post-match media conference.
“It was a magnificent series and one of the best I’ve been a part of,” said Smith.
“We played some great cricket through this series had our opportunities at times but credit to India, they’re a fantastic team and if you give them a sniff they’re going to take it.
“It’s a fantastic learning curve. For Australians coming to India it’s one of the hardest places to tour and the way the boys were able to adapt and challenge India in these conditions (was great).
“It was just about doing them for a little bit longer. I’m really proud of the way the boys have competed.
“The way we’ve been able to compete in this series is most pleasing.
“A lot of people wrote us off before we got here and thought it would be a 4-0 whitewash. We’ve been able to compete with a quality Indian line-up.
“We’ve learnt a lot out of this series as a young side and we will take plenty out of this and it should hold us in good stead.”
Asked where the series was lost, Smith lamented Monday’s collapse.
“I think that middle session where we lost 5-70, when you do that you’re going to put yourself behind the eight ball more often than not,” he said.
“Credit to India they bowled particularly well. Umesh Yadav was fantastic, he’s been great all series as well as the spinners. They did a great job.
Smith was captured by video cameras appearing to mouth “f***ing cheat” at Murali Vijay after the Indian slip claimed a grounded catch on day three. But the Australian captain apologised for his actions.
“I’ve been pretty intense through this series and wanted to do well for my team and lead from the front,” said Smith.
“I’ve been in my own bubble and I’ve let my emotions bubble over sometimes … so I apologise for that.”
Ravi Jadeja was named man of the match and man of the series for taking 25 wickets and scoring some game-changing half centuries.
Jadeja appeared to declare Matthew Wade’s sledging drove him to success in the final Test.
Their 13-year drought on Indian soil will sustain another four years at least.
The middle session on day one — when Australia went from 1-144 to 6-208 — and again the middle session on day three when they capitulated to lose five wickets was where the series was lost.
Otherwise there was nothing between these two teams and even a target of 200 for India to chase batting last would have made for a thrilling conclusion.
India captain Rahane relished the chance to captain the side in Kohli’s absence and made the most of it.
As soon as India got within sight of the victory target yesterday, Rahane swung for the fences slaughtering Cummins for back-to-back sixes.
Critics felt the loss of Kohli would prove devastating for India.
Instead it seemed to liberate them, with his replacement, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav taking four-wickets in the first innings that could be looked back upon as match-winning.
A brilliant 63 which featured four boundaries and four sixes by Indian tail ender Ravi Jadeja — India’s first innings top score — was just as decisive.
Australia pushed the No. 1 team in the world — that had not lost a match in 20 games leading into this series — right to the limit.
At stages India were panicked and clueless.
The only flogging handed out all series was Australia’s three-day smack down of India in the first Test in Pune, otherwise the matches were all evenly matched.
SCORES
Australia 300 (S Smith 111, M Wade 57; K Yadav 4-68) and 137 (G Maxwell 45, M Wade 25no; U Yadav 3-29, R Jadeja 3-24, R Ashwin 3-29); India 332 (R Jadeja 63, L Rahul 60; P Cummins 3-94, N Lyon 5-92) and 2-106 (L Rahul 51no, A Rahane 38no).
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