10 Reasons for India's record-breaking win at Adelaide

6. The resolute efforts of the Indian middle-order in the second innings

Rahane's effort in the second innings was crucial for India's cause

Aided by the spirited performance of the Indian openers, the Indian captain Virat Kohli found his feet in the second innings when he played patient innings of 34 off 104 balls.

Kohli curbed his natural attacking instinct to play a composed inning. In the company of the first innings centurion Pujara, Kohli added 71 runs for the 3rd wicket which complemented the opening partnership.

However, the most significant contribution in the second innings came from Ajinkya Rahane with his match-winning innings of 71. It was Rahane’s partnership of 87 runs with Pujara in the first session of the fourth morning which took the game away from Australia.

Rahane, though not in the best of the form of late, was positive in his intent right from the beginning of his innings in nullifying the Lyon threat. He was so certain about using his feet in dominating Nathan Lyon.

Taking into consideration India’s inexplicable collapse in the second innings in which they lost their last 5 wickets for 25 runs, it was the Pujare-Rahane partnership which saved the match for India.

In a hindsight, it would be fair to say that the collapse, which happened after this match-winning partnership, was a blessing in disguise for India as it ruled out the possibility of Australia playing out for a draw. In the end, India had ample time to take all the 10 Australian wickets in the second innings.