On this day India Beat Australia: On this day in 2018, India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a commanding 137-run victory in the third Test, making significant progress toward winning their first series on Australian soil in seven decades.
India has an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-match series and will keep the coveted trophy even if the series is tied in Sydney because they won the previous series at home in 2017.
Jasprit Bumrah (3/53) and Ishant Sharma (2/40) finished the formalities in what ended up being India’s 150th Test victory in just 27 balls on the fifth day afternoon. Australia was all out for 261 in 89.3 overs after losing the first session due to persistent rain, managing to add just three runs to their overnight total of 258 for 8.
On this day India Beat Australia: When team India won for the first time at the MCG?
When India defeated Greg Chappell’s team in the 1980–81 series, where the first Test match India won at the storied Melbourne Cricket Ground.
On a track that appeared to be placid, it was fitting that the legendary Kapil Dev, who had then played a major role by taking five wickets in defending a low total, was the hero while the young Bumrah was the hero with match figures of 9 for 86 after 37 years.
Pat Cummins (63), whose heroic performance in this Test came to an end when he edged to first slip, removed by Bumrah.
Rishabh Pant’s 20th dismissal of the series, the most by any Indian wicketkeeper.
On this day India Beat Australia: Indian fast bowlers on fire
The fact that Bumrah took 48 wickets in his first Test season, the most of any pace bowler, is a testament to the lethal pace trio he formed with the veteran Ishant Sharma and the cunning Mohammed Shami (2/71), who also contributed well.
The fearsome West Indies trio of Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, and Joel Garner set the previous record for the most away wickets taken in a calendar year with (130 wickets in away tours in 1984).
While the Indian trio broke the record with 134 (Bumrah 48, Ishant 40, and Shami 46).
It’s understandable why Captain Virat Kohli was happy and said their success was due to how well they complemented one another.
Player of the match – Jasprit Bumrah
Speedster Jasprit Bumrah surpassed South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada to become the player with the most wickets in international cricket in 2018, taking 78 this year after destroying 9 wickets in Melbourne.
The hosts startled by Bumrah’s career-best figures of 6/33 in 15.5 overs during the first Australia innings.
Bumrah’s efforts earned him the title of player of the match.
With the bowlers taking 257 wickets overall in 14 games, this also made it the most prosperous year for India in Test matches.
