India’s long wait to win a Test series in Australia ended on this day, January 7, in 2019 at the Sydney Cricket Ground when captain Virat Kohli’s team completed a 2-1 triumph in a four-Test series to retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT).
It could have ended 3-1 to India, but for the rain that washed out Day 5 of the Sydney Test to save the hosts after India had enforced the follow-on, which was a first for Australia since 1988.
India registered wins in the first Test at Adelaide (by 31 runs) and the third Test in Melbourne (by 137 runs). The visitors lost the second Test in Perth by 146 runs.
It was also the first time a team from Asia won a Test series on Australian soil.
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Cheteshwar Pujara was the star batter of India’s campaign with 521 runs, including three centuries. He consumed a mammoth 1258 balls to wear down the Australian pacers and ended with an average of 74.42. Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli were the next two on the list of series’ top run-getters with 350 and 282 runs, respectively. Both hit one century each.
Jasprit Bumrah topped the bowling charts with 21 wickets at an average of 17.00, with a best of 6 for 33. Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon also took 21 wickets to be the joint-leader among the wicket-takers.
India won the Test series in their subsequent tour of Australia as well in 2020-21, registering a 2-1 triumph. However, in the just concluded BGT, Australia managed to reclaim the trophy by winning the five-Test series 3-1.
The victorious campaign ended Australia’s 10-year wait to win the BGT and also booked them a place in the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June this year at Lord’s.
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