On This Day, 7 Years Ago: Virat Kohli’s India scripted history as the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia | Cricket News

Cheteshwar Pujara is forced to dance with his teammates after the 2-1 series win at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 07, 2019. (Getty Images)

On this day, seven years ago, India created history by becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series against Australia in Australia. It was a truly stunning tour Down Under for the Virat Kohli-led Indian side as they went on to win both the Test and ODI series after drawing the T20I series.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The historic victory came after a 71-year wait for India, who first toured Australia in 1947–48. The scoreline at the end of the four-match series read 2-1 in favour of the visitors. In fact, it could have been an emphatic 3-1 if not for rain washing out most of the final two days of the fourth match in Sydney, such was India’s dominance in the contest.

Nonetheless, Team India set plenty of records in that historic series, which started with a 31-run victory in Adelaide in the first Test. Australia bounced back with an emphatic 146-run win in the second Test in Perth to level the series 1-1.India replied to that thrashing with one of their own, registering a 137-run victory in Melbourne to take a decisive 2-1 lead before the series moved to the SCG.India dominated the series finale in Sydney, posting a mammoth 622 for 7 declared after batting first, then bowling out Australia for 300 and enforcing the follow-on. It was the first follow-on at home for Australia since 1988. But rain somehow saved the hosts from defeat in Sydney.

The main architects of the historic series win Down Under for India were Cheteshwar Pujara with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball, along with contributions from other members of the team. Pujara was the top-scorer with 521 runs at an average of 74.42 in seven innings and deservedly won the Player of the Series award. Bumrah was the joint-leading wicket-taker of the series with Nathan Lyon, picking up 21 wickets at a stunning average of 17 in eight innings.Overall, India’s batters had a brilliant series, with the top three run-getters all being Indians. Apart from Pujara, young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant had a breakthrough series, scoring 350 runs at an average of 58.33, including 159 not out in the final Test. Captain Kohli also contributed 282 runs, more than Australia’s top run-getter of the series, Marcus Harris (258).Among bowlers, Bumrah’s new-ball partner Mohammed Shami claimed 16 wickets at 26.18. The Indian pace duo outperformed their Australian counterparts on their own turf, giving the visitors a decisive edge in the series.The famed Australian trio of Pat Cummins (14), Josh Hazlewood (13) and Mitchell Starc (13) followed in the list of wicket-takers, with India’s Ishant Sharma also chipping in with 11 wickets in three matches.Australia had a chance to level the series when they arrived in Sydney for the finale, with India leading 2-1. But it was not to be.

Player of the Series Cheteshwar Pujara (Getty Images)

Here’s how the final match of the historic series panned out at the SCG:On January 3, Kohli won the toss and decided to put runs on the board first. The decision looked to have backfired when India lost opener KL Rahul in the second over to Hazlewood for 9. But it proved to be just a small hurdle before the Indian batters took control of the situation.Mayank Agarwal and No.3 batter Pujara then scored their fifties and added 116 runs for the second wicket to shake off the initial hiccup. Agarwal missed out on a well-deserved hundred when he fell for 77 off 112 balls to Lyon.The wicket did not bring further success for Australia as Pujara held one end firm and continued stitching partnerships. He added 54 with Kohli (23), followed by 48 with Ajinkya Rahane (18). Pujara brought up his hundred and took India to 303/4 at stumps on Day 1, batting on 130 not out, with Hanuma Vihari (39*) for company.When India lost Vihari for 42 the next day, he had already added 101 runs for the fifth wicket with Pujara. India’s No.3 did not stop there, adding another substantial 89-run partnership with Pant before falling for a majestic 193 off 373 balls. India were 418/6 when Pujara departed.Australia were still coming to terms with Pujara’s knock when the floodgates suddenly opened and runs began to flow freely from the bats of Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. Their stunning 204-run stand ended all hopes of a series-levelling win for the hosts on Day 2 itself.Pant remained unbeaten on 159 off 189 balls when India declared at 622/7 following the fall of Jadeja’s wicket. Jadeja departed after smashing 81 off just 114 balls.Australia ended the second day at 24/0, but knew they had a mountain to climb even to salvage a draw, let alone win the match.Harris and Usman Khawaja gave the hosts a solid start, adding 72 before the latter was dismissed for 27 by Kuldeep Yadav. Harris then added 56 with Marnus Labuschagne before falling for 79 to Jadeja. Australia lost four more wickets before rain and bad light ended the third day early, with the hosts at 236/6.The fourth day also began with rain in Sydney, washing out the first session. After a delayed start, India bundled out Australia for 300 in their first innings and enforced the follow-on. It was Australia’s first follow-on at home in 31 years. They were 6 without loss when rain returned and washed out the third session as well.The fifth day — January 7, 2019 — also began with more rain, much to the relief of the hosts. After lunch was taken without a ball being bowled, officials finally decided to call off the match during the second session.Rain, however, did not dampen the Indian celebrations as they clinched their first-ever Test series win in Australia. More importantly, they went on to replicate the feat on their next assignment Down Under as well.