India's Tour Of Australia: Sydney Test Abandoned, India Win First Ever Series Down Under

Virat Kohli thus became the first Indian as well as the first Asian captain to record a Test series win Down Under.

Updated on: 9 January 2019 2:29 pm

India scripted history by winning the first-ever Test series on Australian soil. India beat the Aussies 2-1 in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series after the fourth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground ended in a tame draw due to inclement weather.

Virat Kohli thus became the first Indian as well as the first Asian captain to record a Test win Down Under. India's wins came in the first and third Test matches at Adelaide and Melbourne, and were on course for a big win at Sydney. But bad light and rain spoilt India's chances.

India scored 622 for 7 in their first innings and then bowled out Australia for 300 before enforcing the follow-on. However persistent drizzle washed out day five thereby keeping the victory margin down to 2-1.

Coming into the fourth Test, India had an unassailable 2-1 series’ lead after winning the first Test in Adelaide by 31 runs and the third Test in Melbourne by 137 runs. Australia had won the second Test in Perth by 146 runs.

The morning began with similar murky clouds as seen throughout Sunday, and right at the supposed start of play at 10 am local time, rain arrived to prevent any possibility of cricket happening at the SCG.

The match was called off at 2.30 pm local time, with no possibility of further play.

On days one and two, Cheteshwar Pujara (193) and Rishabh Pant (159 not out) helped India to a grand first innings’ total of 622-7 declared.

Australia were reduced to 236-6 at stumps on day three when bad light had stopped play, and they were bowled out for 300 runs in their first innings on day four, when Kuldeep Yadav (5-99) picked his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Only 25.2 overs were possible on day four as Australia were at 6-0 following on in their second innings when play was called off due to bad light.

Cheteshwar Pujara won both the man of the match and man of the series awards. He scored 193 in the match and was the leading scorer with 521 runs, with the help three hundreds.

The two teams will no face off in a three-match ODI series.

(With PTI inputs)