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Singing, dancing and waving massive flags, India’s cricket fans were in party mode as their team achieved a milestone — their first-ever Test series win in Australia.

The two nations are fierce cricketing rivals and India, the number one Test side, came to Australia looking to create history after seven decades of trying.

The self-described 12th man of the team, the vocal Indian fans were a constant presence at the four Tests, eager to witness what seemed like an impossible task in the past become a reality.

“I am very happy now that the time has come that after 71 years ‘Team India’ is going to win this Test trophy,” renowned India fan Sudhir Chaudhary told AFP in Hindi via a translator outside the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Chaudhary — whose upper body and face is painted with the Indian tricolours of saffron, white and green and the name of his patron and favourite player, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar — embodies the passion of the supporters.

Cricket is hugely popular in India and getting on top of Australia on home soil has been a key goal after 11 previous attempts.

Chaudhary, 37, has followed the Indian cricket team for almost two decades, and made sure he was a visible presence at the SCG as he waved a national flag and blew a conch.

Other faithful fans also travelled from far and wide to Australia to cheer on their star cricketers.

Long periods of rain at the Tests in Sydney and Melbourne did not deter them, with their singing and drumming bringing energy to the dismal sessions.

“It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster,” British-based Rakesh Patel, the founder of the supporters group Bharat Army, told AFP.

“After two very tough series (against South Africa and England), we’re finally going to win a series away from home.

“Some of these guys here have travelled from all over the world to be here, to see India beat Australia for the first time.”

With India sewing up the series 2-1 after drawing the rain-sodden final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground and securing victories in Adelaide and Melbourne, the fans were planning a big bash.

“Our plan is to celebrate with the team. We are the 12th man of ‘Team India’, so we’ll be celebrating with them, and then the party will go on,” Rajul Sharma, who heads up the Australian branch of Bharat Army, told AFP.

Feature picture courtesy: AFP

Virat Kohli’s dominant India reinforced their status as the world’s number one team by winning a historic first-ever series in Australia on Monday after play in the final Sydney Test was abandoned due to rain.

Australia were still 316 in arrears when the match was called off as a draw, leaving India with a 2-1 triumph after wins in Adelaide and Melbourne. Australia won in Perth.

It is the first time they have managed the feat since they began touring Australia in 1947-48.

India had ripped through the Australian tail in Sydney on a shortened day four, when bad light and rain allowed only around 100 minutes of play, bowling the hosts out for 300 in reply to their own ominous 622 for seven declared.

Australia then suffered the indignity of being forced to follow on at home for the first time in 30 years as Kohli twisted the knife.

Only four overs of their second innings were possible, with Marcus Harris not out two and Usman Khawaja unbeaten on four before the match was called off.

“I want to say I’ve never been more proud of being part of a team, than this one right here,” said Kohli.

“The boys make the captain look good. By far, this is my biggest achievement. It’s at the top of the pile.”

Australia skipper Tim Paine paid tribute to India.

“Have to tip our hat to India, we know how tough it is to win in Australia so congrats to Virat and (coach) Ravi (Shastri) because it’s a huge achievement,” he said.

“Disappointed, definitely over the last two Tests. We had our chances in Adelaide, in Perth I thought we played some good cricket, but in Melbourne and Sydney, we’ve been outplayed.”

‘Focus the attack’ 

India got the series off to the best possible start by winning the tight opening Test in Adelaide by 31 runs on the fifth day — their first Test win in Australia for a decade.

The victory was built on Pujara’s first innings 123 and his second innings 71, while wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant took a world record-equalling 11 catches.

Australia bounced back in Perth to level the series, winning by 146 runs.

It was a huge relief for the home side, having not won a Test since the ball-tampering “sandpapergate” scandal that rocked international cricket last March.

But another Pujara century in Melbourne set the visitors up for a big first innings total and when Australia capitulated in reply to 151 all out, the scene was set for India to take a stranglehold on the series coming into Sydney.

Aside from man-of-the-series Pujara, a big part of their their success in Australia has been executing their bowling plans to deprive the Australian batsmen of playing their shots.

India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun said the successful strategy stemmed from mistakes made last year in Tests against South Africa and England.   

“I thought those two tours were a great experience for us and that has helped us immensely to come and do well in Australia,” he said.

“We said that to be successful in Australia, we need to make sure that we need to take the cut and the pull out of the Australian batsmen and then focus the attack on our strengths, so that’s exactly what we did.”

While virtually all of Australia’s leading batsmen got starts, none converted them into a big innings, underscoring how much they miss the banned Steve Smith and David Warner.

Harris’ 79 in Sydney was the highest any of their batsmen managed the entire series, making it the hosts’ first four-Test home series without scoring a century in their history.

Feature picture courtesy: AFP

A ruthless India took a stranglehold on the final Test in Sydney Sunday as they forced Australia to follow on at home for the first time in 30 years, leaving the hosts facing a full day’s batting to cling on for a draw.

Play started almost four hours late due to rain, with the home team resuming on 236 for six after lunch in reply to India’s thumping first innings 622 for seven declared.

But needing a win to level the four-match series, Australia crumbled to 300 all out, compounding the misery after some soft dismissals by the top order on Saturday as they stare down the barrel of defeat.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli sent them straight back into bat — the first time Australia have been asked to follow on at home since Mike Gatting’s England did the same in 1988, also in Sydney.

Marcus Harris, not out two, and Usman Khawaja, unbeaten on four, survived four overs before tea was taken early for bad light. They didn’t come back with play abandoned for the day.

Middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb said it would be “huge” if Australia could bat out the final day and salvage a draw.

“We’ve got a really, really good chance to shift some momentum back into our camp, not just for the upcoming one-dayers (against India), but there’s the World Cup also and the Ashes,” he said.

“This momentum can start tomorrow. We know as a batting group that we can take some confidence if we can last out the day and show the country, the world, that we’re not far off clicking and being a really, really good team.”

India’s spinners had picked up five of the six wickets on Saturday, but under overcast skies when play finally began on day four Kohli took the new ball straight away and threw it to his quicks.

It immediately paid dividends with Pat Cummins, who scored a gutsy 63 in the Melbourne Test, lasting just three balls, clean bowled by Mohammed Shami without adding to his overnight 25.

The recalled Handscomb began with purpose, confidently stroking two boundaries to move to 37 before swiping at a Jasprit Bumrah delivery and dragging it onto his stumps.

That brought Nathan Lyon to the crease but he only lasted five balls, out lbw to a full toss from Kuldeep Yadav.

Hanuma Vihari dropped a sitter when Josh Hazlewood was on nought, and it proved costly with the tailender putting on 42 with Mitchell Starc for the last wicket before he fell to Yadav, who was the pick of the bowlers with 5-99 — his second career five-wicket haul.

– Effort counts –

India lead the four-Test series 2-1 and only need a draw to clinch a first-ever series win Down Under, with Kohli’s men on the cusp of doing something no Indian team has managed since they began touring Australia in 1947-48.

Bowling coach Bharat Arun said India’s key motivation throughout the series was simply to get in front and stay there.

“The onus of this particular group is putting the team in front. Irrespective of what situation we are in, we say we are going out there to put our best foot forward and play our best cricket,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the effort is what counts.”

It would be a deserved accomplishment to win the series with their batsmen — spearheaded by stoic number three Cheteshwar Pujara — a class above, and their bowlers brutally exposing Australia’s weaknesses.

So far in Sydney, none of Australia’s batsmen have managed to put together the marathon innings needed, with Khawaja, Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine all out in the first innings to poor shots.

Harris’ breezy 79 — remarkably the highest score by an Australian the entire series — was the exception.

Unless someone gets a hundred in their final knock, it will be the hosts’ first century-less four-Test home series in their history.

 

Feature picture courtesy: AFP

Persistent light rain prevented any play in the morning session at the Sydney Cricket Ground Sunday with Australia struggling on 236 for six in the fourth and final Test against India.

A huge storm rolled in late Saturday, forcing play to finish half an hour early, and the overcast skies lingered into Sunday. Lunch on day four was taken without a ball being bowled.

Peter Handscomb was not out 28 and Pat Cummins was on 25.

India declared their first innings on 622 for seven.

The visitors lead 2-1 after victories in Adelaide and Melbourne and are fast closing in on a historic first-ever series win since they began touring Australia in 1947-48

 

Feature picture courtesy: AFP