On Top Down Under — After Seven Decades Of Agony

Having already retained the Border - Gavaskar Trophy, India claims its first series in Australia after the final day of the fourth Test is washed out

- S. Dinakar

Their spirit shone bright on a murky day; much like hea­dlights on an unlit highway.

This Indian team had been tactically slick, fought with commitment and passion, and accomplished what no Indian team had managed to achieve in 71 years.

India had nally, after all these years of wait, agony and near misses, triumphed in a Test series in Australia. Indian cricket had broken through a monumental bar­rier.

A persistent drizzle and bad light meant the fifth day’s play was called off at 2.30 p.m. local time at the SCG on Monday; Australia, following on 322 behind and six without loss in its second innings, was not forced to save the fourth Test.

India had retained the Border­Gavaskar Trophy with a 2­1 verdict in the four­ Test series. Down under, the Indians had kept their date with history.

Aggression pays off

In its relentlessly aggressive skipper Virat Kohli, obsessed with away Test victories, and coach Ravi Shastri, the side had two men who had in­ stilled belief in the team to play winning cricket on pitches with more pace and bounce.