India have retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy with ease at the MCG, claiming a 137-run victory on the fifty day of the third Test after rain provided more resistance than many of Australia’s batsmen.
Virat Kohli & Co. now hold a 2-1 series lead and are perfectly placed to complete a breakthrough series win at the SCG, where the final Test starts on Thursday.
India have lost all 11 previous Test series they’ve played in Australia, a barren stretch dating back to when they were crushed by Don Bradman’s side in 1948.
But the visitors, having exposed Australia’s batting woes in clinical fashion throughout the Boxing Day Test, will be full of confidence after wrapping up the last two wickets on Sunday morning.
Here are some of the best tweets:
Incredible effort by #TeamIndia to take a 2-1 lead, especially @Jaspritbumrah93 who has played an instrumental role in this win. He has gone from strength to strength in all formats of the game. Definitely one of the best in the world today. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/vweoHd0nEE
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 30, 2018
Memorable win for #TeamIndia at the MCG. Great team effort and now we have an opportunity to create history at Sydney. Congratulations to each and every member of the team and to our domestic cricket where our cricketers enhance their skills. pic.twitter.com/osU6HHCSQl
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 30, 2018
37 years 10 months ago was the last time India won a test at the MCG, none of the players from either sides were born. This win is one to savour & cherish for a long time and a perfect end to 2018 for Team India. Each player can be very proud of their contribution to this win👍
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/MitchJohnson398/status/1079219890156843008
Brilliant team performance. Well done India 👏🏻👏🏻 #AusvInd
— Ajit Agarkar (@imAagarkar) December 30, 2018
What an unbelievably amazing 18 months it has been as a bowling unit. @Jaspritbumrah93 is such a gem to Indian cricket. He has been Ably aided by Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Ashwin and Jadeja. Without doubt this is BEST we have had in a very long time. #AUSvIND
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) December 30, 2018
Can there be a better way to end 2018? I Guess not. Congratulations Team India for the Historic win and a great finish to the year. @Jaspritbumrah93 you are special 👌 #AUSvIND
— Siddharthh Kaul (@iamsidkaul) December 30, 2018
Very convincing win from 🇮🇳 congratulations. For 🇦🇺 @patcummins30 was the standout 🏏
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) December 30, 2018
Not an easy place to come and win and every test win here needs to be cherished like there is no tomorrow. Special mention to @imVkohli @cheteshwar1 and our very own Malcom M @Jaspritbumrah93 👏 pic.twitter.com/jIB8oJ0eMG
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 30, 2018
2,3,3,2. Second inngs wickets once again shared between four Indian bowlers. Sign of a very good bowling attack.
FAB FOUR in the bowling now!
👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏#AUSvsIND— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 30, 2018
Rubber retained. Can @imVkohli and Co become the first India side to win a series in Australia? I believe they will. Best bowling attack in the world, and batsmen — not just Kohli — looking in good nick. Difficult to thwart.
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 30, 2018
Done it 😊🙌🤗👏 #AusvInd #7cricket
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 30, 2018
Nice that there’s still appreciation & room in the game for the “quiet achiever”;Jasprit Bumrah’s not far off becoming the “gold standard”. Pujara proving that those who critique his scoring rate don’t quite grasp his significance to an evolving India batting lineup.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) December 30, 2018
Congratulations @BCCI Very good win … and am glad they won !!!
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) December 30, 2018
Congratulations Team India. What a splendid performance.@ bcci @StarSportsIndia
— RAMESH POWAR (@imrameshpowar) December 30, 2018
Many congratulations for a fabulous win ,Team India. @RaviShastriOfc @BCCI
— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) December 30, 2018
Most away Test wins as captain for India
11 – Saurav Ganguly (in 28 Tests)
11 – Virat Kohli (in 24 Tests)#AusvInd#AusvsInd— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 30, 2018
Bowling out opposition most times in a calendar year in Test cricket:
26 – Australia in 2005 (30 inns)
25 – South Africa in 2008 (28 inns)
25 – INDIA in 2018 (27 inns)#AUSvIND— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) December 30, 2018
Asian sides winning more than one Test in a series in Australia:
India (2) in 1977-78
India (2) in 2018-19#AUSvIND #AUSvsIND— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) December 30, 2018
Most wins for India outside Asia in a calendar year in Tests:
4 – 2018*
3 – 1968#AUSvIND— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) December 30, 2018
