Rishabh Pant inspires stunning India victory over Australia to clinch Test series for tourists

Rishabh Pant produced an unbeaten 89 as India pulled off an incredible comeback victory in Australia to win the Border-Gavaskar trophy with three overs and three wickets to spare on the last day of the series.

The tourists, inspired initially in their second innings by the resilient Cheteshwar Pujara, were hit by injuries throughout the series but their makeshift side’s fearless approach was enough to inflict Australia’s first defeat at the Gabba since 1988. 

Starting day five on four without loss, they had 98 overs to chase a daunting victory target of 328 or bat out three full sessions to salvage the draw required to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy via a drawn series.

No team had previously chased down a bigger total than 236-7 in the fourth innings to snatch victory at the Gabba. But India won by three wickets and their loft 329-7 now sets the record to displace Australia previous record from 1951.

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India had only won their first Test series on Australian soil in 2018-19, but they have now repeated the trick, this time 2-1, in consecutive series to leave the hosts shell-shocked.

Opener Shubman Gill posted 91, Pujara stood tall despite 11 hits in his 211-ball 56, but India’s hero Pant revelled in his side’s historic victory, telling BT Sport: “This is the biggest thing in life right now. I’m happy for all the team and the fans.

“It’s been a dream series after not playing the first Test match. Management backs me that I’m a match-winner, that’s the only thing I keep thinking, I want to win matches for India and I’m happy for that today.”

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While Australia captain Tim Paine admitted his side had been second best: “Absolutely disappointed, no doubt about that, we came here to win the game and win the series.Key moments, we were left wanting, we were completely outplayed and they deserve their series win.

“There’s lots of things we can look back on. What’s done is done. We’ve got a big series coming up in South Africa, there are some areas we need to improve, no doubt about that.

“We wanted to set India over 300, India turned up today, put their bodies on the line, took it in the head, arms and chest, they kept soldiering on.

“India outplayed us for the majority of the series and deserved their victory.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan described it as “the greatest Test Series win of all time” on Twitter, adding: “Well done India you have just shown the way for England to get back those Ashes back later in the year.”

While Stuart Broad also congratulated India: “Test cricket’s heart is beating strongly! That was an extraordinary win India and a fantastic series to watch. Aussies not lost at The Gabba since 1988. Wow!”