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The Indian cricket team defeated Australia by eight wickets in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to level the four-match series 1-1.

After restricting Australia's second innings to just 200 runs in the extended opening session of Day 4, Indian debutant Shubman Gill (35) and stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane (27) chased down the 70-run target in 15.5 overs to record a win for the ages.

Leader Rahane guides India to series-levelling victory

The India cricket team scripted a historic win under skipper Ajinkya Rahane whose inspirational first-innings knock of 112 - helped the visitors take a healthy 131-run lead - backed up by an assuring and unbeaten 27 runs in the second innings as India levelled the series 1-1.

The captain’s innings helped Rahane become the first recipient of the prestigious Mullagh Medal after he was adjudged the Player of the match in the Boxing Day Test

The medal is named after Johnny Mullagh, the first aboriginal cricketer to have been inducted into the Australian cricket Hall of Fame. Cricket Australia had earlier announced that the best player of the Melbourne Test match will receive the Mullagh Medal.

Interestingly, this was Rahane’s 12th Test hundred, which made him the 10th visiting captain with a century at the iconic MCG. The 32-year-old also became just the second Indian captain to be on the list after legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

 

Visiting captains scoring century at MCG

Player 

     Runs

Innings Start Date
Arthur Shrewsbury (ENG) 105* 2 21 March 1885
Andrew Stoddart (ENG) 173 3 29 December 1894
Peter May (ENG) 113 1 31 December 1958
Hanif Mohammad (PAK) 104 1 04 December 1964
Mike Denness (ENG)  188 2 08 February 1975
Clive Lloyd (WI) 102 3 26 December 1975
Alec Stewart (ENG) 107 1 26 December 1998
Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 116 2 26 December 1999
Mohammad Yousuf (PAK) 111 1 26 December 2004
Ajinkya Rahane (IND) 100* 2 26 December 2020

Mohammed Siraj impresses on Test debut

Pacer Mohammed Siraj became the first debutant for India in seven years to pick five wickets in a Test match. He finished the second Test match at the MCG with a haul of five wickets for 77 runs in 36.3 overs. This is the fifth-best figures for an Indian fast bowler on debut Test overseas.

Best match figures on Test debut for Indian pacer outside India
Player Overs Runs Wickets  Opposition Ground Start Date
Syed Abid Ali 33.0 116 7 v Australia Adelaide 23 December 1967
Praveen Kumar 34.0 80 6 v West Indies Kingston 20 June 2011
Venkatesh Prasad 42.0 121 6 v England Birmingham 06 June 1996
Mohammad Nissar 44.0 135 6 v England Lord's 25 June 1932
Mohammed Siraj 36.3 77 5 v Australia Melbourne 26 December 2020

India’s eight Test victory on Australian soil

Team India's eight-wicket win in the second Test at the MCG was only the eighth time in 50 Test matches that they have beaten Australia Down Under. Half of these wins -- four--have come at the MCG. India have previously won one in Perth (2008), one in Sydney (1978) and two in Adelaide (2003 and 2018).

India's win in Australia
Margin Bat Ground Start Date
222 runs 1st Melbourne 30 December 1977
Innings and 2 runs 2nd Sydney 07 January 1978
59 runs 1st  Melbourne 07 February 1981
4 wickets 2nd Adelaide 12 December 2003
72 runs 1st Perth 16 January 2008
31 runs 1st Adelaide 06 December 2018
137 runs 1st Melbourne 26 December 2018
8 wickets 2nd Melbourne 26 December 2020

Additionally, with the historic win, Melbourne Cricket Ground now becomes India’s most successful overseas venue in the longest format of the game.

On the other hand, Australia captain Tim Paine became the fastest wicket-keeper to reach 150 dismissals in Test cricket. The Australian skipper achieved the feat in just 33 Test matches, breaking the record of South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, who had registered 150 dismissals in 34 matches.

Furthermore, pacer Mitchell Starc became the fifth-fastest Australian bowler to take 250 wickets in the longest format. The left-arm fast bowler took 59 Test matches to reach the milestone with Australia legend Dennis Lillee topping the chart having claimed 250 wickets in just 48 games.

Feature image courtesy: WILLIAM WEST / AFP




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