This Gabba win helped India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against all odds, and this will definitely go down as one of the greatest Test series win ever recorded in cricketing history.
Before the start of the four-match series against Australia, regular skipper Virat Kohli famously remarked “my personality is a representation of new India where we want to take up challenges and move forward with optimism”, but immediately after, the team was bundled out for 36 and Kohli and boys had to suffer a humiliating loss at Adelaide. This loss forced most of the pundits to predict that the visitors will go down 4-0 Down Under.
The headlines after the Gabba epic 📰#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/xMjj0lRRo2
— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2021
However, Kohli’s quote can be understood better now that the series has been played out and it gives a whole new context to what he meant. How many would have won a series after being annihilated and not having their main batsman in the line-up? Kohli departed from Australia after being granted paternity leave, but Ajinkya Rahane, a silent assassin, carried the baton ahead and under his leadership, this Indian team showed what resolve and grit are all about.
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Team India’s heroics was lauded on social media by all walks of life. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi also congratulated the Indian cricket team for the spectacular win.
“The Indian Team’s performance at Brisbane where Australia has never lost a match for 30 years; the strength and the grace with which each of you faced difficult conditions of quarantine and racial abuse and the fighting spirit you displayed has won you the admiration and respect of the whole country and has brought us joy and hope and indeed, a shot in the arm that we sorely need at this particularly difficult time,” the letter reads.
“Like millions of Indians, I am jubilant and so very proud at your magnificent,. heroic & historic victory at Brisbane.”
Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s message to Team India. pic.twitter.com/3Uw2By2IFW
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 20, 2021
ICC Test Rankings
India wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant and England skipper Joe Root have made considerable gains in the latest ICC men’s Test player rankings.
🙌 Pant attains career-best rankings
📈 Root returns to top five with his highest rating pointsTop performers from the first #SLvENG Test and final #AUSvIND Test make significant gains in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Player Rankings!
Details 👇
— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2021
He has attained a career-best 13th position to become the top-ranked wicketkeeper in the batting rankings. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock is the next wicketkeeper in the list in 15th position. Root, a formerly top-ranked batsman, has returned to the top five with his highest rating points tally (738) in two years after scoring a first-innings 228 to help England win the first Test against Sri Lanka by seven wickets.
↗️ Labuschagne moves to No.3
↗️ Root enters top five
↗️ Pujara moves up one spot to No.7The latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Player Rankings for batting are out!
Full rankings: https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/49DbXmXznS
— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2021
Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the last three Tests against Australia due to his paternity leave, has gone down one place in the list of ICC Test batsmen rankings.
After the conclusion of the first #SLvENG Test and the Gabba clash, bowlers sizzle in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Player Rankings!
Full rankings: https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/kFhr7oltIQ
— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2021
↗️ Labuschagne moves to No.3
↗️ Root enters top five
↗️ Pujara moves up one spot to No.7The latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Player Rankings for batting are out!
Full rankings: https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/49DbXmXznS
— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2021
Cheteshwar Pujara also gained one place to reach the seventh position while Ajinkya Rahane slipped down two places to ninth after a poor Gabba Test. Kane Williamson and Steven Smith are the first and second-ranked Test batsman respectively.