The group of Australian players who stood proudly on the SCG turf with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Sunday afternoon had dreamed of dominating India for ten years.
Not since the summer of 2014-15, when Steve Smith plundered 769 runs at an average of 128.1, have Australia beaten India in a Test series at home or away.
Australia’s 3-1 triumph featured valuable contributions from batsmen and bowlers at important times.
A heavy defeat in the first Test in Perth didn’t derail their campaign, with Pat Cummins’ calm and mature group cricketers regrouping to win in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. A bit less rain in Brisbane and Australia could easily have won at the Gabba, too.
We take a look at the ten pivotal moments (in chronological order) that helped Australia regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia players celebrate their series win at the SCG.Credit: Getty Images
1. Starc’s first ball beauty
After a brutal 295-run loss in Perth, Australia had 10 days of soul-searching. Several former players criticised the squad, questioning some batsmen in the top order while suggesting there was disharmony in the ranks.
Then, with one beautiful delivery, Mitchell Starc changed the narrative.
Indian young gun Yashasvi Jaiswal had sledged Starc in Perth for bowling too slow. With his first delivery in Adelaide, Australia’s left-arm quick sent down a ball that crashed into Jaiswal’s pad. It looked to be sliding down leg side, but swung back and would have smashed leg stump. Jaiswal was gone for a golden duck.
It set the tone for the match, as Starc took 6-48 from 14.1 overs in the first innings to help Australia bowl India out for 180.
Mitchell Starc removes Yashasvi Jaiswal for a golden duck in Adelaide. Credit: Getty Images
2. Head’s hundred after McSweeney and Labuschagne survive under lights
Coming in at 3-103 in the first innings at Adelaide, with Australia still trailing by 77 runs, Head proceeded to make arguably the best century of the summer. His 140 off 141 was a masterclass in clean ball striking. India seemed bereft of ideas as Head consistently hit good balls for boundaries.
But his great innings might never have happened if he’d had to bat the night before. Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne making 38 and 20 respectively on the first night in Adelaide against a swinging pink ball laid an important platform for Head to hit his counter-attacking hundred the next day.
3. Boland gets Kohli in Adelaide
The second biggest concern out of Perth – other than Jasprit Bumrah being a nightmare to face – was Virat Kohli making a second innings century and playing himself into form.
To win the series, Australia needed to nullify Kohli. They came up with a clear plan: bowl outside his off stump and lure him into hitting cover drives. The cracks in Kohli’s game began to appear when Scott Boland found his edge, presenting an easy catch to Alex Carey.
It was a psychological win, which had flow-on effects. By the end of the fifth Test, Boland had taken Kohli’s wicket four times. All eight of Kohli’s dismissals in the series came when caught by fielders behind the wicket on the off side.
India’s Virat Kohli as he walks off Adelaide Oval. Credit: AP
4. The Smith-Head partnership in Brisbane
Australia didn’t have enough time to win the rain-affected Brisbane Test, but Steve Smith getting back in the runs was a victory of sorts and proved hugely significant.
Smith was scratchy early on but found a way through, thanks in part to Head’s fast scoring which took the pressure off. Smith (101) and Head (152) added 241 runs for the fourth wicket – the highest partnership of the series – to put Australia in a commanding position.
Travis Head celebrates his century in now familiar style with Steve Smith.Credit: Getty Images
5. Konstas stuns the cricket world
After dropping McSweeney, Selectors made the bold call to pick 19-year-old New South Welshman Sam Konstas for a debut on Boxing Day – and few could have predicted how it would play out.
After playing and missing multiple times, Konstas changed his approach by ramping Bumrah for several boundaries. The 19-year-old went on with it, making a spectacular 60 from 65 balls.
Importantly, Usman Khawaja (57), Labuschagne (72) and Smith (140) were all among the runs and put Australia in a strong position. Konstas’ crazy knock rattled India and proved to be a turning point in the series.
6. Smith scores his 34th Test century
It was the hundred that really put Australia in control. Smith backed up his century in Brisbane with another classy knock at the MCG, featuring 16 boundaries.
Only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), Joe Root (36) and Rahul Dravid (36) have hit more Test centuries.
Smith loves Melbourne – the MCG is his most successful Test venue in Australia.
7. Aussie lower order digs in at the MCG
India posted 369 in response to Australia’s 474, thanks to a superb century from No.8 Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Bumrah ripped through Australia in their second innings, leaving the home side in major trouble at 6-91. A loss would have been series over for Australia.
Labuschagne’s score of 70 was important, but the determination and resilience of Pat Cummins (41 off 90), Nathan Lyon (41 from 55) and Scott Boland (15 not out from 74) gave Australia enough runs to press for victory on the final day. It also took the match deeper than expected, which effectively took an Indian win out of the equation.
Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon at stumps after day four in Melbourne. Credit: Getty Images
8. Calm heads prevail
Throughout the fifth day of the fourth Test a draw was the most likely outcome, but Australia stuck at their task.
Needing seven wickets in the final session, Rishabh Pant was caught in the deep off Travis Head’s part-time off spin, sparking a collapse of 7-34 in just over 20 overs. Starc, Cummins, Boland and Lyon bowled beautifully and never panicked. Victory put Australia ahead in the series for the first time.
India never recovered. That one would have stung.
Australia players celebrate the match-sealing wicket at the MCG.Credit: Justin McManus
9. Boland the destroyer
On a spicy SCG pitch later described by Usman Khawaja as a “stinker”, Boland licked his lips.
India won the toss and batted – the tourists called correctly in four of five Tests – before Boland put in a tremendous shift to take 4-31 from 20 overs. He removed India’s three century-makers in this series – Jaiswal, Kohli and Reddy – as well as Pant.
Boland lived up to his reputation as a prolific taker of top-order scalps, claiming his maiden Test 10-wicket haul.
10. The Slug from Snug delivers
In late November, Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster helped his state to a Sheffield Shield win over NSW at the SCG by scoring 61 and 49, to go with match figures of 5-106.
Webster took the final wicket of Jackson Bird that day before taking a phone call from Australia’s head selector George Bailey in the SCG dressing rooms telling him he’d earned a call-up to the Test squad.
Just over five weeks later, Webster hit the winning runs for Australia on the same ground to bring up a famous series victory over India. He was the happiest bloke at the SCG and immediately given a tick of approval by Australian fans.
Webster, who has been playing first-class cricket for more than a decade, looked completely assured in his game, making scores of 57 and 39 not out on debut. His bowling (1-53 across both innings) and catching was impressive too. In a low-scoring contest, Webster was the difference.
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