After a crushing four-wicket win over hosts Australia, at Brisbane, Team India leapfrogged Aussies to reach the top of ICC World Test Championship points table. The 2-1 series victory now also means that Australia has slipped to the third position, which no one would have expected to happen, and are now behind New Zealand.
India on 🔝After the hard-fought win at The Gabba, India move to the No.1 spot in ICC World Test Championship standings 💥
Australia slip to No.3 👇#WTC21 pic.twitter.com/UrTLE4Rui0
— ICC (@ICC) January 19, 2021
As far as the points are concerned, India is on 71.7% points won, whereas Kiwis have 70, and Australia is on 69.2. England are currently at four.
In an epic performance by Team India, they beat hosts Australia in the Brisbane Test by four wickets, and pocketed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1. This performance has come in the face of adversities — after India kept on losing key players throughout the series, that forced them to field a second-rung team. India chased down a mammoth 328 — and breached Aussie fortress, the Gabba after 32 years.
IN PICS: India vs Australia: IN PICS - Rishabh Pant Takes India Home in Fortress Gabba
With over 324 runs needed at the start of day five — where a lot of rain was predicted, India could have gone for an easy option of a draw, after they lost opener Rohit Sharma early in the day. But they chose to go for the target, and in style. It all started with Shubman Gill taking the attack to the opposition bowlers, and slammed a 91, while Cheteshwar Pujara kept blocking everything at the other end. In one over of Mitchell Starc, the duo added 20 runs, against the run of play.
But just nine runs short of his maiden Test ton, he was caught brilliant by Steve Smith, off Nathan Lyon. Then came skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who showed the intent, right from the word go. He scored a quickfire 24, and the message to the Aussies was clear. One particular moment in the match could be termed as game-changing — one where Rahane stepped down the track and hit Lyon for a humongous six.
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