Australia vs India 2018-19: 5 Records created during the Test series

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a name given to the Test series played between Australia and India, over the years has made a significant name for itself thus rated at par with the famous Ashes series (Australia-England Test series) in terms of competitiveness, aggression, fan attraction, and commitment.

It all started at the famous Eden Gardens in 2002 when India, forced to follow on by Aussies, went on to win the Test match on the back of VVS Laxman’s very special innings of 281 and from there on winning the series 2-1 against a very strong Australian line-up. Since then the Kangaroos have taken the series against India very seriously and the series itself has produced many memorable matches in the years to follow.

The current Border-Gavaskar Trophy of 2018-19 was no different. It started with Indians considered as favourites following a poor run of form for the Aussies in the year 2018 which was filled with controversies for them. After the ban imposed on the star players like Steve Smith and David Warner, following the “Sandpaper gate” saga, Paine, who was appointed the replacement skipper was unable to win a single Test before the series started and was in extreme pressure.

However, the 34-year-old gloveman was able to break his poor run of form captaining Australia by winning a Test match at Perth against India. But Kohli & Co. dominated the Test series right from the first match at the Adelaide Oval which they won by 31 runs. The visitors, after the loss in Perth in the second Test match, came back strongly winning the third Test at MCG quite convincingly and almost won the fourth Test at SCG had rain gods not intervened and washed off the Day 4 and Day 5 of the Test match.

Although the final reading of the series is 2-1 in favour of the visitors, India was in a position to even make it 3-1 but Australians were spared thanks to rain interruptions. In the midst of all this, the series will be remembered for the many records that were created and eclipsed. Let’s take a look at five records which were  made in the Border-Gavaskar trophy 2019:

1. Virat Kohli became the 1st visiting captain to win a Test in South Africa, England and Australia:

Kohli & Co. started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2018-19 with a win in the Adelaide Test by 31 runs. With that win captain Kohli achieved a rare feat which no other visiting captain has been able to achieve thus far, to win a Test match each in South Africa, England, and Australia. Winning in these three countries is always considered a formidable task for a visiting team especially from sub continents because of the movement and less familiarity with the pitches.

The 30-year-old, regarded as the best batsman of his era, prior to winning the Adelaide Test, won a Test match in Trent Bridge (England) by 2013 runs and a Test match in Johannesburg (South Africa) by 63 runs. Under Kohli in 2018, India had been a wonderful visiting team playing a tough competitive brand of cricket and thanks to this winning mentality, this team has put to rest India’s reputation as poor travellers.

2. Rishabh Pant taking 11 catches in a Test match:

India gloveman Rishabh Pant reached a milestone by catching Mitchell Starc off the bowling of Mohammed Shami in the first Test match at Adelaide Oval. The 21-year-old playing in only his sixth Test matched the record of most catches taken currently held by England’s Jack Russell and South Africa’s AB de Villiers by snaring 11 catches behind the stumps.

Russell achieved the feat against South Africa in 1995 and de Villiers matched the achievement against Pakistan in 2013. The Roorkee born wicketkeeper also eclipsed Indian record of 10 catches in a game held by Wriddhiman Saha against South Africa earlier in 2018. Although Pant had a poor series behind the stumps dropping sitters, the milestone would definitely boost his confidence for the future endeavours.

3. Jasprit Bumrah became 1st Indian pacer to take a 9-wicket haul in a Test match:

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah demolished the hosts in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG by recording his career-best figures of 6 for 33. He also took three wickets in the second innings of the same match ending with a match haul of 9 wickets for 86 runs, thus becoming the first Indian pacer to take a 9-wicket haul in a Test match against Australia.

The lanky fast bowler termed as “Genious” by former Australian captain Michael Clarke played a significant role in India’s win over Australia in MCG by 137 runs. It was there that the visitors took an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series. Bumrah deceived the batsmen with his exceptional line and length as well as express pace, thus becoming the first subcontinent based bowler to register five-wicket hauls in Australia, England, and South Africa in the same year.

4. Australia forced to follow-on on home soil for the first time in 31 years:

Australia, in the fourth Test at SCG, were bowled out for 300 runs in reply to India’s thumping first innings score of 622/7 declared thus falling well short of the 423 runs needed to avoid following on. This prompted skipper Kohli to force the follow-on on the hosts by asking them to bat and with that, he became the first skipper to do so to the hosts in their backyard for the first time in 31 years.

England was the last team to enforce a follow-on onto Australia in the 1988 Sydney Test, which the hosts managed to draw thanks to gutsy innings of David Boon who scored 184 not out off 431 balls in the second innings. India also had a chance to enforce a follow-on on Australia in MCG Test match, however, they decided not to do it owing to injury concerns to their fast bowlers. But luckily Virat got the chance to do it again in the SCG Test match and he chose to create history this time.

5. India’s first series win in Australia:

Rain washed out the last two days of the fourth Test between India and Australia at the SCG defying hosts a difficult chance to equalize the series. The SCG Test match was abandoned which meant Virat Kohli & Co. won the four-match series 2-1 and hence created history by becoming the first Indian team to return victorious from Down Under.

Although the current Aussie team is the weakest India has ever faced but still no one can ever count Australia out while playing at their home turf. On the other hand, Team India displayed exceptional cricket skills winning fair and square in all the departments. They played aggressive cricket throughout the year and maintained the winning mindset which paid them well.

The last time India came close to winning a series Down Under was in 2008 but the umpiring blunders defied them of a possible win in the Sydney Test which ended with the visitors losing the match. But this time around, Kohli made sure all the stones are turned the right way and nothing could deny his team a win in Australia.

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