Pant secures improbable series win
CRICKET
BRISBANE: Rishabh Pant unleashed a twenty20style batting assault to fire India to an incredible threewicket win in the fourth test decider yesterday as Ajinkya Rahane’s injuryravaged tourists humbled Australia with a 21 series triumph.
Wicketkeeperbatsman Pant swung for the fences in an extraordinary 89 in 138 balls as India galloped to a record 328run chase at the Gabba, becoming the first team since the West Indies in 1988 to beat Australia at their Brisbane stronghold.
It was also the highest successful chase in a Gabba test since Australia’s 236 for seven in 1951.
With regular captain Virat Kohli back home, and deploying an attack of raw recruits in Queensland, India mowed down 145 runs after tea to claim the win when Pant smashed Josh Hazlewood to the longoff fence for four with 18 balls to spare.
‘‘This is one of the biggest moments of my life now, and I’m happy that all the support staff and all my teammates supported me even when I wasn’t playing,’’ lefthander Pant said after being named Man of the Match.
‘‘It’s been a dream series.
‘‘It was a fifthday pitch and the ball was turning a bit. I thought I have to be disciplined with my shot selection.’’
Pant’s stellar innings was only one of a slew of heroic efforts by the Indian side, with opener Subman Gill (91) and a battered Cheteshwar Pujara (56) helping it mow down the total with defiant halfcenturies.
India retained the Border
Gavaskar Trophy, two years after beating Australia in the 201819 series Down Under.
This victory, however, was a greater achievement by far, as in the previous series, Australia was deprived of top batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner due to a balltampering scandal.
The jubilant scenes at the Gabba were a far cry from the Adelaide opener, when India was bowled out for 36 and suffered a thrashing in three days.
Yet it rallied superbly to win in Melbourne and held Australia to a brave draw in the third test in Sydney.
Australia battled hard to claim late wickets on day five in Brisbane, but questions will be asked about Tim Paine’s captaincy, with the home side proving incapable of bowling India out on the fifth day for a second successive test.
‘‘Absolutely disappointed,’’
Paine said.
‘‘We came here to win the test and the series. It’s been a bit of a trend that we were found wanting in the key moments and completely outplayed by a tough Indian side that fully deserves the win.’’
Australia paceman Pat Cummins was named Player of the Series in a losing cause after taking 21 wickets.
‘‘Good hard day of test cricket today. I thought Rishabh and the whole Indian side played fantastically, took the game on and deserved the win,’’ he said.
‘‘I would have liked the cracks to play a few more tricks, but it was a pretty good wicket.’’