India have become the first side since the West Indies in 1988 to win a Test against Australia at the Gabba, a Rishabh Pant masterclass guiding them to a famous victory and retention of the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Pant finished unbeaten on 89 off 138 balls and hit the winning runs off Josh Hazlewood even as India lost a number of late wickets which threatened to derail their celebrations.
Washington Sundar, who put on 53 with Pant for the sixth wicket, attempted a reverse-sweep off Nathan Lyon with only ten runs to get, only to glove the ball onto his stumps and give the spinner his 399th Test wicket.
Shardul Thankur, after top-scoring for the tourists in the first innings, added to the tension when he was caught off Hazlewood with three to get, but after crossing before the catch Pant was able to drive a yorker down the ground for a series and match-winning boundary two balls later.
Pant himself had been given a life, Tim Paine missing a stumping chance in the half-hour following tea, but while his usual brand of attacking batsmanship brought with it some risk, that was the only clear opportunity Australia had to take his wicket.
The wicketkeeper-batsman took time to get himself set after tea, before opening up in the final hour alongside Washington to calmly and methodically work their way to the target.
Rishabh Pant. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Coming into the final session of the series all three results were still on the cards, India needing 145 runs from 37 overs and Australia needing seven wickets.
It was a better position than the hosts might have hoped for an hour or so earlier. While they started the day well with Pat Cummins removing Rohit Sharma for seven, Cheteshwar Pujara joined Shubman Gill and the duo put on 114 for the second wicket.
It was a partnership of two distinct approaches, Pujara batting in his usual dogged, determined manner while Gill scored far more freely, taking a particular liking to the wayward Mitchell Starc.
The 21-year-old cruised to his half-century and a maiden Test hundred looked all but certain, only for Lyon to drift a ball into Steve Smith’s hands via the outside edge when Gill was on 91.
While Pujara continued to blunt the attack, taking a number of fearsome blows to the body from Cummins and Hazlewood in the process, captain Ajinkya Rahane came out still looking to win the match.
The skipper went at better than a run a ball for his 24 and looked entirely comfortable before trying to cut Cummins when the ball was too close for the shot, giving Paine a simple catch behind the stumps.
In a further sign of India’s matchwinning intent, Pant was promoted up to number five ahead of Mayank Agarwal.
It took some seventeen overs of the final session and the introduction of the new ball for Australia to find their next breakthrough, Cummins getting one to nip back with the second delivery with the new rock to trap Pujara in front.
Agarwal didn’t last too long in an uncomfortable stay at the crease, caught at cover the over after the final drinks break, but Washington was able to partner with Pant to great effect and dash any hopes of a last-ditch win for Australia.
Cummins was outstanding in a losing effort for Australia, finishing with 4-55 from his 24 overs, but he lacked support from the rest of the attack, with Lyon bowling too straight early in the day and Starc providing little to no control, conceding 75 runs from his 16 overs, including 20 in a single one.
Pant was unsurprisingly awarded man of the match for his last-innings knock, while Cummins was handed player of the series, having taken 21 wickets at an average of just over 20 across the four Tests.
India 336 (Shardul 67, Washington 62; Hazlewood 5/57) & 7/329 (Gill 91, Pant 89*; Cummins 4/55) def Australia 369 (Labuschagne 108, Paine 50; Natarajan 3/78) & 294 (Smith 55, Warner 48; Siraj 5-73) by three wickets
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
ODIs yes. SA also prepare limited over pitches for run fests in those formats.. But Test Cricket revert to type.. Average innings score at The Wanderers in Tests something like 240 thats over a period of 25 years or so.. Yet the same pitch prepared in an ODI against Aus accumulated close to 900 runs in one day in the famous 435 match.. India have never won a Test series in South Africa….
Rob
Guest
Renshaw has opened his entire life until Bryce Street ( young opener) was brought into the Queensland team. He’s forgotten how to open! Warner averaged 10 from 10 bats. He got picked on his record in home conditions? Renshaw averages 60 and Warner 63 in Tests at home? That’s how Warner gets selected. Do you dismiss Warner’s 335 not out like you dismiss Renshaw’s scores? His series against NZ was saved from a 111 not out in the last game. Outside of 1 score Warner is not consistently preforming.
Micko
Roar Rookie
It might take a while but he'll get there.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I don’t think it was right to dump on Punter either
maverick
Roar Rookie
I didn't say Australia can' win. I was replying to someone who said the saffers bowling unit are Not that strong.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
The big bash is killing our test development but is an immovable train on revenues via tv and sales . Shield being rebuilt , dedicated annual spin dev camp on the subcontinent and dedicated county comp commitments and a months lead up of Australia A and lead up. in uk would be three pillars to raising our test pool, experience and standards
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Dwayne. Agreed on the selectors mate . If starc was averaging a too high 38 at scg or pattinson as low as 16 at.mcg the selector ineptitude started back then , on top of neser being such a good bowler at his home deck at gabba . Golden opps missed. Stagnant and static seleftor.mentality after two bowlers our best two who are top two on planet got us off the hook at adelaide after a first innings loss at adelaide . It was all there with same quartet and results bowling in 2018/19. Really dissapointing to lose the series on the basis we didn’t select properly and all the data and practicality had been demonstrated last series and over long term averages and what we saw and did not rememdy from test to test and with knowledge that for example starc and lyon struggle on av mcg.and scg
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Dunno I think the jury is out on that TT…. So Many opinions.. But surely there can be little doubt that The IPL has served Indian Cricket well, having a positive effect filtering thru all formats.. Fielding standards have for example gone into the stratosphere thanks to T20.. Also the ability to stay calm under pressure maybe another..
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Renshaw has been batting in the middle order and has had 2 not out's out of 5 innings, highest score of 168* so his 4 other innings he averaged 36. Not in any way a compelling case for selection.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
I think Lyon might have much better figures if he'd had a competent wicketkeeper. I think Paine missed about 3 catches and 2 stumpings off him maybe more, and a lot of byes. There were also several catches dropped off him in the field. Also Blocker burned him badly on 2 LBWs where Pujara was not playing a shot.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Dunno Micko.. When I first saw him here he looked pretty organized.. Not flash but knew where his off stump was... That's important for an opener.. Scored some runs.. Not plenty but neither did Steve Smith that series.. Just to amuse myself I watched YouTube highlights in his debut match against England.. Was all class.. That doesn't just go away.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yeah I see some of that. Some on board saying ‘it come down to the wire on last day’ however, the poor batting been a trend for a few seasons, those lengthy time not being able to pass 200. Makes it pretty tough to defend with even greatest bowlers from any country/era time after time, set fields too time after time, dropping catches. I don’t know the next bowler in-line on form or fit, but it didn’t seem management would consider anyone. To me it sad, not the loss, it that I don’t feel this a one off.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
batting is of course a big problem dwayne , as was selectors inability to rotate and not pick inform batsman let alone uninjured players . However Two series loss to india under paine and a drawn ashes with key decision making being terrible on field when the pressure is on several times means it's time for paine to step down as captain . He was interim captain opportunistically and we need to be careful not to hold on to an ageing player that won't let.go where there are multiple failures and poor tactical decisions or lack of them. Yesterday was much like.headingly and or scg . Decision making and fields were very poor at times and it keeps.happening
Andy
Roar Rookie
This has been a great match and a great series. Rishab Pant had a great Australian tour yet again and his batting definitely makes up for his shoddy keeping. I wonder whether they could just have him in there as a specialist batsman and have Saha as the keeper? Anyway, India have shown that they are the best side in the world beating a full strength Australian team on home soil. Even without kohli their batting lineup is the best in the world and their bowling is no slouch either. They obviously have great depth as even their second string bowling lineup can perform decently against a full strength Aussie batting lineup. The batting and bowling this match was disappointing. A batting lineup consisting of Steve Smith, David Warner, and Marnus Labuschagne should have completely dominated this inexperienced Indian bowling attack on a decent batting pitch. They should’ve made 500+ in that first innings, not been bowled out for 369 and then 294. Marcus Harris showed again that he was not up to test standard, a rusty David Warner couldn’t capitalize on his starts, Cameron green and Tim Paine made starts and didn’t go on, and Steve Smith had an uncharacteristically sloppy dismissal in the first innings. Matthew wade threw his wicket away with a rash shot again and will probably be dropped. The best bowling attack in the world found it tough to take wickets and when they were on the back foot the just seemed flat. Lyon bowled pretty well and Cummins and Hazlewood also bowled decently (although below their normal standard), but coupled with Starc’s bad bowling, it was not good enough. Overall very disappointing, but a win for test cricket.
bowledover
Roar Rookie
He needs more support
Rohan
Roar Rookie
India thinks white ball cricket is beneficial. Question? Would India have won the series with the more “red ball” oriented team they started with in Adelaide? Or did they find the winning formula with a mostly more versatile and talented lineup of players, who are accustomed to high pressure clinches and backed them up with long form specialists, (Pujara, Rahane)? Pant – Red ball innings. = 90 (27 test) – White Ball innings = 195 (133 T20) International White Ball Matches 44 Tests 16 Gill – Red ball innings. = 50 (6 test) – White Ball innings = 108 (48 T20) International White Ball Matches 3 Tests 3 Sharma – Red ball innings. = 204 (57 test) – White Ball innings = 952 (427 T20) Sundar – Red ball innings. = 21 (2 test) – White Ball innings = 91 (64 T20) International White ball matches =21, Tests 1 Thakur -Red ball innings. = 88 (3 test) – White Ball innings = 75 (31 T20) International White ball matches =29, Tests 2 Jadeja Red ball innings. = 224 (73 test) – White Ball innings = 470 (200 T20) – International White ball matches = 213, Tests 51 And not to forget this guy…not here for it I know, but the formula sticks. Kholi Red ball innings. = 342 (147 test) – White Ball innings = 880 (363 T20) – International White ball matches = 337 – Tests 87 I was very interested in some names on Lara’s Under 23 BBL list the other night T Sanga, X Bartlett, J Phillipe, several others. He sees the future of the game is in skills development, so do India. Langer thinks its about being a good bloke, but what does that mean?
Ross
Roar Rookie
Your point about the bowling plans is spot on. We know that Cummins and Hazlewood can land it on a handkerchief, so they are deliberately bowling back of a length most of the time and taking bowled and LBW out of the equation. 'Top of off' seems to be the bottom of their target, not the middle of it.
Jeremy Breen
Roar Rookie
Cummins 14 @ 25, Hazelwood 11 @ 25 without the Adelaide test. Still commendable. Less said about Lyon and Starc's figures the better.
Ross
Roar Rookie
Green didn't show he deserved more overs. He had no consistency of line or length, and subsequently put no pressure on the batters. It must have been a relief to face him after Cummins and Hazlewood. Starc didn't get the results, but is capable of bowling an unplayable ball. Green looked as threatening as Matthew Wade when he bowled, just 20ks quicker.
Ross
Roar Rookie
You know that was because the Premier of WA wouldn't let them in right?