Why the Australia-India Test series will be a turning point in Indian cricket history
So, finally, India have won the third Test match against Australia and now have an unbeatable lead of 2-1 in the Border-Gavaskar series. It has been a long wait for the Indian fans to see the Indian team to play with such emotions and temperament.
It has been a historic win for the Indian side in many ways. This has given the opportunity to Virat & Co. to give India it's first Test series win down under and thoroughly deserves it.
One year ago, every expert from the cricketing field was just discussing that 2018 will describe how the India team will play in the future. Yes, India has not been able to win series abroad till now in South Africa or England but the way in which they play cricket is just exciting to watch. The brand of cricket which Virat has introduced in the team is just amazing. Virat has just made sure that each player fights till the very last ball even if they have lost the series.
In the tour of South Africa last year, India was fighting hard in the first Test match but was unable to cross the line. They lost the second match comprehensively but what mattered the most was the character the India side showed in the third Test match. The grit and hunger that the India team side showed were just incredible. India did come close in the first Test match but was unable to put the final nail in the coffin.
In the tour of England earlier this year, England won the series 4-1 but many believed that the scorecard actually does not portray the real story of the series. Two times in the series, the first Test and in the fourth Test match, India had the chance to win both the matches but the lacklustre batting of the Indian side disappointed again.
This series made sure that it does not matter what the scoreline read, the Indian team will not give it away easily to any side in the world.
The Indians were finally able to reap the rewards of their hard work in the current Australian series. India won the first Test and third Test match comprehensively. This series showed us that India has current the best bowling attack in the world with Bumrah who can put any batsman in the world in trouble, Ishant who now is the sixth on the list of most wickets by an Indian bowler and undoubtedly at his peak of bowling career and Shami who probably is one of the best reverse swing bowler at the moment.
Not only this, with Bhuvneshwar and Umesh in the squad, Indians have the right back-up too. The one problem that Virat is facing for the last one year is the opening partnership. The Indian openers were being unable to give a platform to the Indian middle order but it looks like with Mayank, India have definitely found a good opening batsman and when Prithvi Shaw will be back it is going to be even better. India has two of world-class spinners in Ashwin and Jadeja. The middle order is one which every team might want in the world, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Rahane.
The reason why the West Indies in the '80s dominated the world cricket was that they had every base covered and the same goes with the great Australian side in the late '90s and 2000s. Now it looks like India do have the side which can win in any conditions across the world and across formats.
Now, Indian team knows how to finish Test matches which were missing for last one year. Let us hope that this India side becomes the greatest Indian side ever and do dominate across formats for the next many many years.