The final act turned out to be a literal damp squib, but the headline has been written: India have won a Test series in Australia.
After 71 years, and 11 prior series without any success, Virat Kohli’s side became the first Indian team to defeat Australia in a Test series Down Under.
No play was possible on Day 5 of the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with persistent showers in Sydney seeing day’s play called off at 2:30 pm local time, or 9:00 am IST.
India took the four-match series 2-1, on account of victories at Adelaide and Melbourne either side of a defeat at Perth.
Aside from an all-time high in Indian cricket, India also become the first visiting team from Asia to win a Test series against Australia in Australia.
A farcical day’s play on Sunday, 6 January, had taken the series finale to the brink of a stalemate. Only 25 overs were possible despite scattered spells of rain, with the light being a cause for concern.
In the little play that did transpire, Australia’s first innings had ended at a round 300 – handing India a 322-run lead, on the back of which they became the first visiting team to enforce a follow-on upon Australia since 1988.
India would have fancied their chances of taking all 10 second-innings wickets on the final day given the sapping spirits in the opposition camp, but the heavens didn’t close on the SCG at any point on Monday morning.
India become the first team outside of South Africa to have got the better of Australia in Australia this decade. Since losing the Ashes at home in 2010/11, Australia’s only series losses at home had been to the Proteas (in 2012/13 and 2016/17).
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)