Cheteshwar Pujara’s scintillating numbers and an all-round effort from the fast bowlers helped India script a historic Test series victory when they toured Australia in 2018/19. Virat Kohli became the first Asian captain to win a series Down Under after beating the hosts 2-1.
Pujara scored a whopping 194 runs across two innings as India began emphatically, winning the first Test at the Adelaide Oval by 31 runs. It was a close contest, but the Indian bowlers managed to dismiss the nagging tail just in time to take a 1-0 lead.
Australia, however, made a roaring comeback to win the Perth Test by 146 runs. Virat Kohli’s 123 in the first innings had put India in the driver’s seat, but a complete performance from the Aussie bowlers made sure India were bundled out for 140 in the fourth innings.
The Boxing Day Test eventually proved to be the decider as Cheteshwar Pujara (106) scored yet another magical hundred in the first innings before Jasprit Bumrah (6 for 33) wiped out the hosts for a paltry 151 to hand India a 292-run first innings lead.
The match was virtually over by then before the Indian bowlers rose to the occasion in the fourth innings to dismiss Australia for 261 and seal a 137-run victory, and take a 2-1 lead in the series.
India bossed the fourth and final Test in Sydney too as Cheteshwar Pujara (193) scored his third hundred of the tour and helped India put on a mammoth 622 for 7 declared in the first innings. It would have been a 3-1 series win, had it not rained so much after Australia were asked to follow on.
Complete schedule of India’s tour of Australia 2020/21
1st ODI: November 27 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (D/N) – 9:10 AM
2nd ODI: November 29 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (D/N) – 9:10 AM
3rd ODI: December 2 – Manuka Oval, Canberra (D/N) – 9:10 AM
1st T20I: December 4 – Manuka Oval, Canberra (Night) – 1:40 PM
2nd T20I: December 6 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Night) – 1:40 PM
1st Practice match: December 6-8 – Drummoyne Oval, Sydney – 5:00 AM
3rd T20I: December 8 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Night) – 1:40 PM
2nd Practice match: December 11-13 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (D/N) – 9:30 AM
1st Test: December 17-21 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (D/N) – 9:30 AM
2nd Test: December 26-30 – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne – 5:00 AM
3rd Test: January 7-11 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney – 5:00 AM
4th Test: January 15-19 – The Gabba, Brisbane – 5:30 AM
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