5 most heroic Indian Test performances at the MCG

#1. Kapil Dev completes Melbourne Miracle with a spell of 5/28

Kapil Dev

In 1977-78, The Packer series stripped Australia of its primary squad. Despite the absence, Australia secured a series win by 3-2. When India returned in 1981, all the accomplished Australian players had returned to the fold and India’s dream of winning a series down under remained distant. After losing the opening Test at Sydney, India held on to a draw at Adelaide.

India was asked to bat first in the third Test at the MCG and the batting lineup faltered against the fiery pace attack of Len Pascoe and Dennis Lillee. Only Gundappa Vishwanath stood tall and scored a gallant 114 which helped India reach the first inning total of 237. Australia then secured a grand lead of 182. India in reply notched up 324 and the hosts needed only 143 runs to win on the final day.

The Indian bowling attack was severely hampered. Kapil Dev, Dilip Doshi and Shivlal Yadav were unfit to bowl. Kapil Dev, however, promised to take the field the next day, despite the knee pain.

On a dose of pain-killing injections, Kapil got rid of courageous Alan Border and then ran through the Australian tail on the fifth day. The Australian team was all out for only 83 and India won the match by 59 runs. This remains India’s last Test win at the MCG.

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