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Rediff.com  » Cricket » When India Created History In Australia

When India Created History In Australia

By Rediff Cricket
June 02, 2022 17:24 IST
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Ajinkya Rahane

IMAGE: Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Siraj and Hanuma Vihari at the trailer launch of the Web series Bandon Mein Tha Dum in Mumbai, June 1, 2022. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

The Indian team led by Ajinkya Rahane scripted one of the greatest comebacks in cricketing history when they came from behind to seal a famous series Test triumph in Australia last year.

India defeated Australia 2-1 in a closely fought four Test rubber winning in Melbourne and then breaching fortress Gabba in Brisbane after Australia had decimated the visitors in the first Test in Adelaide.

WATCH! Rahane on how India bounced back after 36 all out

All Videos: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff.com

 

To celebrate the famous triumph, film-maker Neeraj Pandey and Voot Select on Wednesday announced the Web series Bandon Mein Tha Dum, which will chronicle the Indian team's historic triumph.

 

Ravichandran Ashwin

IMAGE: Bandon Mein Tha Dum Director Neeraj Pandey with the Indian cricketers at the trailer launch in Mumbai. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Cheteshwar Pujara withstood a barrage of bouncers from the Australian pace bowlers and though he was struck on the body a few times on the final day at the Gabba, he never gave up to engineer a memorable fightback.

Pujara defied the Australian bowlers for more than five hours, scoring 56 from 211 balls, as he laid the foundation for the win.

The Saurashtra right-hander was also instrumental in helping India pull off a sensational draw in the third Test in Melbourne, with two half-centuries, as the visitors batted out the entire final day.

WATCH! I was in a lot of pain, but it was a sweet pain: Pujara

 

What was special about the triumph was the way the Indian cricketers bounced back after being bundled out for 36 -- India's lowest total in Test cricket -- in the day-night Test in Adelaide.

Captain Virat Kohli returned home after the first Test for the birth of his first child, while regulars Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah were not available at various points in the series. The Indians struggled to field a fit playing XI for the series-deciding fourth and final Test.

Led by Rishabh Pant's swashbuckling knock on the final day, India won an exhilarating three-wicket victory to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, also ending Australia's 32-year-old unbeaten run of victories at the Gabba.

The Gabba win meant India had won unprecedented back-to-back Test series victories Down Under.

Ravichandran Ashwin

IMAGE: Ajinkya Rahane led the triumphant Indian team in Australia. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

One of the most inspiring stories of the tour was fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who despite his father's sad demise, stayed back in Australia to fulfill his father's dream of seeing him play Test cricket for India.

After Mohammed Shami was injured in the first Test at Adelaide, Siraj made his debut for India in the Melbourne Test. Siraj, who had racial slurs hurled at him by some Australian spectators, made a key contribution in the Gabba Test and bagged his maiden five-wicket haul, to finish with 13 wickets in the series.

WATCH! I missed my dad when I wore the India cap at MCG: Siraj

 

Neeraj Pandey, who directed MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, has directed Bandon Mein Tha Dum, which will feature behind-the-scenes footage, candid stories from Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Siraj, Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari, the coaches and journalists who covered the India-Australia series.

WATCH! Victory in Melbourne Test was the turnaround: Ashwin

 

"The human stories in this cricketing fairy tale elevated the series beyond a cricketing audience and created huge euphoria across all segments of Indian society," says Pandey.

"The nation was gripped and it was therefore befitting for us to bring the story to the people of India of one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sports and cricket."

WATCH! I am feeling like an actor now: Ashwin

 

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