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After losing the first Test in Adelaide, followed by Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami’s absence ahead of the Boxing Day Test﷽, things were pretty difficult for India to bounce back in the 4-match Test series.
However, the Ajinkya Rahane and Co. held their nerves and did the impossible by handing an 8-wic🅠ket defeat to Australia in the second Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday.
The Day 4 began with Australia at 133/6, and th🦩e hosts added 67 more runs before being bundled out on 200.
In reply, India lost two wickets in the form of Mayank Agarwal (5) and Cheteshwar Pujara (3). But Shubman Gill (35 not out) and Rahane (27 not out) made sure the visitors lose no more wickets🔜. The duo took their side over the finish line.
With the victory at MCG, Rahane became the second Indian captain to win each of his first three Tests as captain after MS Dhoni.
Rahane as skipper:
- Beat Australia by 8 wickets, Dharamsala 2016/17
- Beat Afghanistan by innings & 262 runs, Bengaluru 2018
- Beat Australia by 8 wickets, Melbourne 2020/21 *
Here is how Twitter reacted:
What a win this is, absolutely amazing effort by the whole team. Couldn't be happier for the boys and specially Jinks who led the team to victory amazingly. Onwards and upwards from here 💪🇮🇳
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli)
Lot of positives from this win. Rahane led the side brilliantly, bowlers were relentless but the biggest positive is the performance of two debutants. Both of them were confident and🎉 not overawed by the big occasion. Strength of Indian cricket is their strong bench strength.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
The Player of the Match and the inaugural winner of the Mullagh Medal is India's captain Ajinkya Rahane!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)
Well done team India . Never underestimate✤ a wounded tiger ��
— DK (@DineshKarthik)
Rahane scoring the winning run for team India: how f💮itting! A historic win. A 𓆏great match to watch. 🇮🇳🇦🇺
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB)
The winning moment for India, captain aptly pཧlaying the winning shot & the entire Indian contingent including all🐽 coaches & reserve players in the dugout cheering on
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
1-1 with 2 to play! This should always be known as Rahane's match
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig)
Rahane’s the best captaincy performance I’ve seen in my tiꦚme watching Test cricket at the MCG. Superb on every day of the match.
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam)
Huge win for India. So impressed by the bounce back from Adelaide𒉰. The debutants Gill & Siraj. Rahane up a gear with the bat, and a🥀s a leader. 👏🏽👏🏽
1-1, we’re in for one hell of a series!
— Trent Copeland (@copes9)
Ten days after being dismissed for 36 in Adelaide, India win the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne by 8 wickets to level the series 1-1. It's the least they deserved after taking the honours on six of the seven days played.
— Andrew Wu (@wutube)
Huge congratulations to Indi♌a. 1-1 what a series we have! Brilliant and congrats to Gill and Siraj on wonderful debuts
— Isa Guha (@isaguha)
A really special win at the MCG.
Great Determination and great character. Rahane led from the fron,the bowlers were terrific and Gill is chill𒆙.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
India's Test Wins in Australia
1977 won by 222 runs, Melbourne
1978 won inngs & 2 runs, Sydney
1981 won by 59 runs, Melbourne
2003 won by 4 wickets, Adelaide
2008 won by 72 runs, Perth
2018 won by 31 runs, Adelaide
2018 won by 137 runs, Melbourne
2020 won by 8 wickets, Melbourne— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom)
Big day for Indian cricket.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
India winning the test at MCG against all odds.꧑💖😊
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
Most wins for India at an overseas venue
4 MCG, Melbourne (14 Tests)
3 Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain (13 Tests)
3 Sabina Park, Kingston (13 Tests)
3 SSC, Colombo (9 Tests)— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks)
Indians to win💦 each of their first three matches as captain in Tes🃏t cricket:
MS Dhoni (Won his first four)
AJINKYA RAHANEAjinkya Rahaneဣ is also the first Indian captain to score a Test century on Australian soil in winning cause!
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
Test wins at the MCG this century:
Australia – 15
India – 2
England – 1
South Africa – 1— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst)
2020 ends on a high for team Indi꧙a. Brilliant bo👍unce back despite missing key players. Hats off!
— cricBC (@cricBC)
And that’s it. Well played the entire team. Missing 5 players. Virat Ishant Rohiꦫt Shami Umesh.💝 This is a team sport and everyone rallied. the leadership group stepped up. Siraj and Gill great debuts. 1-1 all to play in 2021.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar)
No Virat. No Rohit. No Ishant. No Shami. Umesh injure💫d. And in the backdrop of that 36, thisꦡ will be as good a win as any.
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73)
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
India too good at the G 🏏👍
Great pitch produced 🎯
Aussies batsman didn’t raise the bat in either innings
India’s inclusions all contributed👏— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist)
Dravid in Adelaide 2003 – 233 & 72*
Rahane in Melbourne 2020 – 112 & 27*Both hit the winning run, What a coincidence.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Why MCG win is one of India’s finest Test wins
Came a♕fter Adelaide loss where India were bowled out for 36
No Kohli. Injuries to Shami,Ishant
Ra🐼ha𒐪ne led from the front with his captaincy & batting
Debutants Gill & Siraj were impressive
Ashwin-Jadeja were amazing
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
Coming from 36 all out. No Kohli, Rohit, Shami & Ishant for the Second Test. Defeating Aussies in their frontier. Well led . Take a bow Team India. A memorable TEST victory to s🥀ign off 2020
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani)
