“One of the best series win I can ever remember” – Shane Warne
Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne tagged India’s 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory as the best series win ever recorded on Australian soil. After winning the second Test and memorably drawing the third one, India turned in a concerted performance to chase down 328 with three wickets remaining at the Gabba.
Penning his emotions on his official Twitter handle, Shane Warne lauded India’s mental strength for fashioning a comeback despite an injury-ravaged squad and the absence of their regular skipper and star batsman, Virat Kohli. Shane Warne further gave special mentions to head coach Ravi Shastri and stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane.
“Congrats to the Indian cricket team @BCCI. That’s one of the best series win I can ever remember on Aust soil & to do it after being bowled out for 36, plus a depleted squad – shows tremendous character, resilience, courage & belief. Just fantastic @RaviShastriOfc @ajinkyarahane88,” Shane Warne tweeted after the win.
Warne has always appreciated good cricket and spoken his mind. This time was no different. He was impressed with the visitors' grit not just because of their performance despite injuries, but also because of how they bounced back after the forgettable first Test.
“No global sport gives you what we just witnessed over the last 2 months” – Shane Warne
India scored their lowest-ever Test total in Adelaide. After it, they bid adieu to Virat Kohli and fast bowler Mohammad Shami. Kohli flew back to Mumbai to attend the birth of his first child. Shami went to the National Cricket Academy to get his fractured arm tended to.
The casualty list, however, continued to grow with each Test. India won the Melbourne Test by eight wickets but lost wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul and pacer Umesh Yadav to injuries. The visitors’ toughest Test came in Sydney when they eked out a come-from-behind draw with three injured players – two of them having played out the last 259 balls.
Naturally, Ravichandran Ashwin (back), Ravindra Jadeja (dislocated thumb), and Hanuma Vihari (hamstring) were ruled out of the fourth and final Test. India handed debuts to five players across the four-match Test series, and still finished on the winning side.
Shane Warne strongly wrote about his love for the longest format, adding Australia would not mind going down to better opponents. He, however, hinted at an extensive performance analysis pending for the Tim Paine-led side.
“Long live Test cricket! No global sport gives you what we just witnessed over the last 2 months. Absolutely love Test cricket. As for Aust – no disgrace in being beaten by a better side – but I’m sure there will be a huge debrief analysing strategy and tactics from the entire series,” Shane Warne, who is the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 708 scalps, tweeted a little later.
India have not only dislodged Australia off the top of the World Test Championship table, but they also became the first side to win at the Gabba since the West Indies in 1988. The Aussies have a lot to ponder, indeed.