The Indian cricket team won four away Tests in 2021, which is the same as they had achieved in 2018 but with significantly poor results.
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The Indian cricket team has enjoyed spectacular success in 2021. Under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, India has scaled heights in bilateral series which is on par with the dominant West Indies and Australian teams in previous decades. Although there was a low point when they lost the ICC World Test Championship final to New Zealand, India has managed to finally win consistently in SENA countries. Barring New Zealand, India has achieved success in Australia on two consecutive tours. Against England, they are on the cusp of breaking their 14-year wait for a series win. Now, against South Africa, they are one win away from completing ‘Mission World Domination’.
The year 2021 is remarkable considering the fact that the depth of Indian cricket team talent came out on full display. This talent was not overawed by the conditions and by the occasion. Instead, they just put their heads down and ensured India never went down. The year began with India pulling off a great escape by drawing the Sydney Test. But, the crowning glory would come at Brisbane. Against the odds, they managed to create history. The efforts in Brisbane were taken over in their tour to England where their jinx is almost about to end. Here is a look back at the four memorable overseas wins for India in 2021.
It was perhaps one of the greatest wins in the history of India, on par with perhaps the 1983 and 2011 World Cup titles. India had beaten Australia in the previous tour of 2018/19. But, for many nations, Brisbane remained the ultimate fortress for Australia. In 1988, West Indies had beaten Australia at the Gabba. 31 years on, the Gabba has been the venue for Australia’s start to their domination.
Read | Indian cricket ends glorious 2021 with fortress breaches at Centurion and Brisbane
The series was a see-saw. India was bowled out for 36 in Adelaide. But, in a spectacular turnaround, India won the Melbourne Test in grand style. A draw in Sydney, which was gritty and spectacular, saw India head to Brisbane on an even keel. Throughout the tour, injuries mounted. Mohammed Shami was out after Adelaide. Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin were all out after Sydney. Virat Kohli had left Australia to be present for the birth of his child. India were reduced to a ‘B’ team. Australia, on the other hand, had their full-strength squad.
But, on the big occasion, India’s debutants stood up and taught Australia a lesson. Marnus Labuschagne’s century helped Australia to 369. But, India’s young bowling unit, worth only seven Tests, held firm. At 186/6, the game looked to be up for India. But, Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar both hit fifties and shared a stand of 123. The knock proved to be crucial for India as they trailed by just 23 runs. Mohammed Siraj 5/73 and backed by Shardul Thakur’s 4/61, India were set a target of 328.
Shubman Gill tore into the Australian attack to smash 91. Cheteshwar Pujara ground out the Australian bowlers for a fifty. But, it was Rishabh Pant’s audacious 89 that gave India glory. When he punched Josh Hazlewood to the long off fence, Pant had ensured India had breached the Australian fortress of Brisbane after three decades. India won the series and in 2021, they had a headline moment for generations.
The visitors had won only twice at the Home of Cricket in the last 89 years. Heading into the match, they were confident of pulling off a major win. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul gave India a fine start, with Rohit hammering 83. KL Rahul got his name on the honors board with a century. But, James Anderson’s 5/62 bowled India out for 364. Joe Root showed his class and hit a superb 180 to boost England. Mohammed Siraj, though, had other ideas as his 4/94 restricted England’s lead to just 27 runs.
In the second innings, the Indian cricket team was in trouble at 55/3. But, Ajinkya Rahane hit a crucial 61 and shared a stand of 100 with Cheteshwar Pujara. But, once the duo went, India was in trouble at 209/8. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami then hurt England badly. Fired up by the earlier exchange of words between Bumrah, Anderson and Jos Buttler, the tailenders stung England badly. Shami hit a fifty and shared a stand of 89 with Bumrah who hit 34. England was set a target of 272 runs.
Bumrah and Siraj bowled with fire and venom on the final day. England simply had no answers. Siraj took 4/32 and Bumrah finished with 3/33 as the hosts spectacularly collapsed in two sessions. India won by 151 runs and ensured they left Lord’s high on confidence.
It was yet again a stirring comeback of epic proportions. India was bowled out for 191 with Chris Woakes taking 4/55. Unlike Lord’s, India could not restrict England as the hosts took a 99-run lead. Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, and Moeen Ali all chipped in with crucial knocks. In the second innings, the game changed spectacularly.
Rohit Sharma finally ended his wait for an overseas ton with a blazing 127. Cheteshwar Pujara hit a gritty 61 but the game was taken away from England by the stand of 100 between Shardul Thakur and Rishabh Pant. Both hit fifties as India went past 400. India set England a target of 368 but the force was now with Kohli’s team. Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns started well with a 100-run partnership. But, once that was broken, the floodgates opened up.
Bumrah cleaned up Pope and Bairstow with excellent yorkers to wreck England. Thakur got the big wickets of Root and Burns to break England’s resistance. Umesh Yadav ran through the tail and on the final day, India won by 157 runs to ensure they would not lose a series in England for the first time after 14 years.
No Asian nation had ever won a match in Centurion, South Africa’s fortress. But, just as India had done in Brisbane, Kohli’s team decided to take down Centurion as well. KL Rahul led the charge with a fantastic century on day 1 of the Test. That set the stage for India to dictate terms. Despite a collapse of 7/55, India never panicked. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah put in a magnificent bowling performance. Shami took his sixth five-wicket haul and reached 200 wickets.
Armed with a lead of 130 runs after bowling South Africa out, India did not fare any better in the second innings. Rishabh Pant was the top scorer with 34 as India set South Africa a target of 305 on a difficult wicket. Shami and Bumrah were once again to the fore. Bumrah blew the game wide open by getting two wickets in the last over of day four. When he trapped South Africa skipper Dean Elgar for 77, the game was up. Siraj’s wicket of Quinton de Kock ensured India secured a famous 113-run win.
India became the first Asian nation to win a Test in Centurion. Thus, the year ended as it began. A win that breached the fortress of the opposition.
