India sweat for famous victory in cliffhanger
Visitors halt 10-year barren run in Australia
ADELAIDE: India won their first Test on Australian soil in a decade yesterday, bowling out the home side in a nail-biting finale to clinch the opening match and raise hopes of their first ever series victory Down Under.
The victory was built on Cheteshwar Pujara’s first innings 123 and his second innings 71, while wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant t ook a world record-equalling 11 catches.
“It was priceless from Pujara, we were down and out at lunch on day one. His grit and determination brought us back in it,” said India captain Virat Kohli.
India, after setting an improbable target of 323, finally dismissed Australia to win by 31 runs on day five at Adelaide Oval.
Australia, attempting what would have been a record chase at the ground, gallantly battled to 291 before Josh Hazlewood became the last man to fall to Ravichandran Ashwin, who finished with 3-92. Shaun Marsh made 62 and Tim Paine 41.
It was a huge breakthrough for Kohli’s men, who went 1-0 up with three Tests to go after becoming the first Indian team to win the opening match of a Test series in Australia. Pant took the plaudits after matching the record of 11 catches in a Test held by England’s Jack Russell and South Africa’s AB de Villiers.
India’s last Test success in Australia was at the WACA Ground in Perth in 2008, and the previous one in Adelaide was in 2003. They have now won just six times in Australia in more than 70 years.
But with the home team missing banned batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner, Kohli and his team sensed ahead of the tour that this could be their opportunity to make history by winning the series.
They now take the momentum into the second Test in Perth starting on Friday, with Melbourne and Sydney to follow.
“The odds were stacked against them. They fought really well but we executed our plans well and got that last wicket which we were intending to get,” said Kohli.
“I’m super-proud of the bowlers, to have four bowlers and take 20 wickets is a great achievement and something that we
haven’t done in the past. It shows us that if the batsmen step up regularly, we will be gunning for a win in every Test match.”
Paine, who fell to a rash shot after lunch, said the defeat was “shattering” but he was proud of the way the team took it to the wire. “We thought we could win, no doubt about that. We saw how the pitch is playing and told ourselves we are going to dig deep, but unfortunately, myself, Travis [Head] and Shaun couldn’t bat long as long as we should have.”
Australia resumed the final day needing another 219 for victory with four wickets down, but lost their last two specialist batsmen before lunch, shifting the odds heavily in India’s favour.