Australia has beaten India by 48 runs in the rescheduled first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the four match series.
However, in a time where twenty and fifty over matches are far more frequent, Test cricket has proven a winner once again.
The match was the first Test played by Australia since the tragic and devastating death of Phillip Hughes. As a result, emotions ran high and a number of truly amazing performances where seen.
Both David Warner and Virat Kohli scored centuries in each innings. For Warner, it was the second time this calendar year, for Kohli these twin hundreds occurred on his captaincy debut.
Steve Smith also made an unbeaten 162 in the first innings, solidifying his credentials in the Australian team, while an unbeaten 52 in the second innings ensured he wouldn’t be dismissed in the match.
Michael Clarke’s first innings hundred was one of the more remarkable and courageous efforts in recent memory. Clarke retired hurt on 60 after straining his back playing an innocuous Ishant Sharma short ball. He returned at the start of Day 2 to assist in setting Australia’s massive first innings total.
Each Australian milestone was greeted with emotion and heaviness. Warner raced to his 50, and later reached the magical score of 63. Both Warner and Smith pointed their bats skywards once they reached that score, while Michael Clarke paid a quiet respect after he reached 37, completing his great mate’s hundred.
The most enduring image, however, came at the completion of Smith’s century. Smith ran over to the large ‘408′ that was painted on to the ground, tapped his bat and raised it to the heavens.
The batting ensured that the cricket was a joy to watch, and not once did the match stagnate. The run rate stayed close to four for each of the innings, helped by periods of explosive batting, including 25 being taken from one over by Mitchell Marsh.
The match was also embossed by a stunning performance by Nathan Lyon, who final delivered a fourth innings performance to bowl his team to victory. Lyon took 12 wickets for the match, and again silenced his critics with strong turn and bounce on a wicket that offered assistance through the rough from the footmarks of Ishant Sharma.
Pressure was on the Australians to deliver a good start to an emotional Test series, and credit must be paid to the Indians, who did not falter with the bat as some predicted they might. Their bowling left a lot to be desired, however.
Individual performances highlighted a truly great Test match, which was completed in a manner that proved Test cricket will forever be the superior format of cricket.
Having declared their innings at 5/290, Australia set India a difficult target of 364. However India batted brilliantly to only be two wickets down at tea, with Kohli and Murali Vijay combining for a 185 run partnership.
Halfway through the final session, Australia needed an unlikely eight wickets, while India had put themselves into a position to unbelievably win the game.
With the game in the balance, Nathan Lyon stood tall, and capped a brilliant Test match played in a fair spirit.
The past two and a half weeks have been clouded in darkness, and for many cricket fans (myself included) the events surrounding Phillip Hughes have been unbelievable and chilling to the bone.
When a searing Mitchell Johnson bouncer struck Virat Kohli on the helmet, the entire Australian team rushed to ensure he was fully okay. Johnson himself was visibly shaken by the incident. This was a far cry from the Ashes played in Australia last year.
Perhaps most importantly, the game of cricket as a whole shone. Brilliantly brave centuries, match-winning bowling spells, fluctuating fortunes and a result that was in the balance into the final hour, made this Test match one to remember.
Phillip Hughes would have been proud.
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