India’s cricket team has clinched a 2-1 Test series victory over Australia, at home.
The fourth and final Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad ended in a draw on the final day. But the series win sees the Indians into the final of the ICC’s World Test Championship final.
Trailing India’s first innings of 571 by 88 runs, the Australians resumed their second innings on three without loss on the morning of day five.
And it was pretty obvious early on, on a flat track that the visitors will look to hang on for a draw.
Nighwatchman Matthew Kuhnemann was their first casualty, trapped leg before for eight.
Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head however, dug in their heels and remained resolute for the rest of the morning and the better part of the second session.
With virtually no movement for the bowlers, they easily amassed 139 runs for the second wicket, with Labuschagne notching up a fighting half-century.
Head looked set to score a century but was dismissed by a stunning delivery, becoming left arm spinner Axar Patel’s 50 Test scalp just before the break.
Labuschagne continued with Captain Steve Smith going to tea on 158 for two.
The pair added a further 17 runs to their total in the final session before Smith declared and the match was deemed a draw.
Having won the first two games in Nagpur and Delhi, the Indians retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-1 series victory.
“That was the most pleasing things of the series at different stages of the game different individuals put their hand up and that is what you want when you are playing such a grueling series you want everyone to come to the fore. A lot of the guys took the responsibility and bailed the team out of some tough situations that we were in and that is what test cricket is, hard fought cricket you don’t get anything easy and I though we showed a lot of character through the series,” says India captain Rohit Sharma.
India will again face-off with the Aussies in the Test Championship final at the Oval in London, starting on June the seventh.
