The morning after India’s heroics at Gabba, and the feeling still hasn’t sunk in. If I as a test cricket fan, can’t find words to describe the win and what India achieved just a few hours ago, can’t even imagine what and how each individual of the Indian contingent would be feeling at this point.
The greatest ever comeback in the 144 years old history of test cricket! Yup, the boys played well! 😀
Who would have thought that the series would have such dramatic turn of events. After the debacle at Adelaide, the pandits and the legends of the game had written us off.
“But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.” Rocky Balboa
That is how winning is done and that is how champions are made! And champions they are – to rise and shine after being down and out – take a bow, gentlemen!
We have often spoken about individual heroics in the past, but cricket is a team sport. There will not be a better example of a team effort that led to this exemplary performance. They played for each other, they played for the team, they took body blows for the team, they were elated at their partner’s success. Shardul’s reaction on Siraj’s 5th wicket in the final test showed how well the team had come together. Credit to the captain and the coach.
Rahane’s century that helped us forge the epic comeback at the MCG. Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur’s 123 run stand in the first innings of the final test that got us super close to their total which at one point seemed a distant possibility. Sundar looked rock solid with superb application. Thakur showed that he belonged there!
Ashwin did what he does best. Bowl to a plan, outsmart the batsmen. His ability with the bowl was on display during the series and the ability to articulate was evident on twitter (chuckles). The partnership with Vihari at the SCG was a gutsy and courageous one which denied them the win. Vihari may not have looked good on the scorecard, but he played for his team. He hung in there despite his injury. He showed the mettle and character that Rahane so proudly and so often spoke about during the series
Siraj never looked like he was on a debut series. We all know how good a bowler he is but his body language on the field and everything about him suggested that he is in for a long haul. And his gesture in one of the tour games when Cameron Green got hit on the head won million hearts.
It was Gill’s 91 in the second innings that laid the platform for Pant’s assault in the last hour. And I don’t think anyone of us has an iota of doubt regarding Pant’s match winning ability. But there is a difference in being aggressive and being reckless. Ravi Shastri rightly said that had he stayed for another hour or so at Sydney, we would well have had another score line. What was heartening to see and I think what earned us the win was his learning from the Sydney game. He said in the post-match presentation that he had to be disciplined in his shot selection. Irrespective of where he plays, if he can replicate this consistently and religiously every time he plays for India, teams will have a tough time countering him.
This was a series of the debutants. As a team we certainly played better cricket, but more importantly we were tougher than our opponents. We just refused to give up. When our backs were against the wall, someone or the other put up his hand and raised the bar. That is how winning is done. That is how champions are made!
