India vs Australia Brisbane Test: Key stats from the momentous victory

The Indian cricket team, on Tuesday, became the first side in 32 years to beat Australia at the Gabba, as they won the fourth and the final Test of the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy by three wickets to clinch the series 2-1. 

Ajinkya Rahane’s men rode at the back of stellar innings by Shubhman Gill (91) and Rishabh Pant (89*), as the Australian bowlers failed to make any sort of impact against a relatively inexperienced India side. India needed 328 runs in 97 overs on the final day with everyone expecting the visitors to go for a draw. But, contrary to popular assumption, the Indian batting contingent turned the tides, especially in the final 10 overs of the day, to pick up a stunning victory.

A historic Test at the Gabba in Brisbane produced several moments of magic, and thus, it is bound to churn interesting statistics. Here we look at a few of them:

India’s victories in Australia

A victory at the Gabba means Indian have registered victories in all five Australian venues where they have played 2 or more Tests. Their record is as follows:

• 4 wins at Melbourne Cricket Ground
• 2 wins at Adelaide
• 1 win at Sydney Cricket Ground
• 1 win at WACA Perth
• 1 win at Brisbane

Back to back series wins for India in Australia have made them only the fourth visiting team to achieve the feat. Furthermore, the 325 runs that India scored on Day 5 is the third-most runs scored by any team on the final day to win the Test. At this particular venue, the Gabba, 328 is now the highest successful chase.

Mohammed Siraj - One of India’s brightest stars

After Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj had an underwhelming outing in Sydney Test, the 26-year-old drilled through the Australian batting line-up to pick up his maiden five-wicket haul. Siraj has played only the third Test of his career and is already the fifth Indian bowler - and first since 2003 - to pick five wickets in Brisbane.

His contribution made India the first team to take 20 wickets of Australia in Brisbane since 2008 after New Zealand. Furthermore, this is only the third time that India has bowled out Australia in both the innings of a Test match in Brisbane after 1977 and 1968.

Siraj finished the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy with 13 wickets, most by any Indian bowler in the series.

The underrated returns of Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur

Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur played a match-defining partnership of 123 for the seventh wicket to take India from 186/6 to 309/7 while they were reducing a lead of 369 runs in the first innings. While Sundar scored 62, Thakur accumulated 67.

Sundar picked four wickets in the final Test and made a half-century as well, which made him only the fifth visiting cricketer to score a fifty and take four or more wickets on his Test debut in Australia - a first on this list since 1924. The 21-year-old was particularly devastating against Nathan Lyon, whom he hit for seven boundaries and one six. Furthermore, he’s only the fifth Indian to score fifty on debut Test at 7th position.

As for Thakur, he smashed the majority of his runs (29) against Pat Cummins who is the leading wicket-taker of the series. He became the eighth Indian to score a fifty at the 8th position in Australia. Thakur was equally brilliant with the ball, picking seven wickets - the most by any Indian pacer at Brisbane in a Test. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP /David Kapernick