Unforgettable moments from the India-Australia Test series 

#1 Pujara’s 100 at the Adelaide.

Pujara scored a magnificent ton

On the first day of the series as India batted first after winning the toss and the trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood steamed in with the new cherry in hand, we all felt that sense of deja vu - of having seen this happen over and over again, right in front of our eyes. A feeling that transcended generations of Indian fans.

It felt like a repeat of the familiar script as India crumbled to 41/4. But then India’s new wall stood up. And en-route his way to a brilliant hundred, he formed a few very vital partnerships. First with Rohit Sharma, and then with Rishabh Pant and Ravi Ashwin. Pujara stood at the crease determined to not let history repeat itself.

And it was not just the defence that we so often associate with him that was impressive, it was also the array of shorts that he unfurled once he started batting with the long tail. A relatively unknown facet of Pujara’s batting, the shots he played took the Aussies by surprise before he finally fell for a commendable 123(246) followed by an equally important 71(204) in the 2nd innings that laid the foundation for India to go 1-0 up in the series.

The innings was significant in not just the fact that it allowed India to win the first Test match, but also it provided the Indian team and its fans that this team is unlike the earlier ones. The initial collapse meant nothing and that they could come back and win the match from any situation. The innings in many ways was a stepping stone for India’s victory in the series later on.