India win Test series 2-1 after Australia force draw in Ahmedabad
The two sides will meet again in the World Test Championship final at the Oval in June
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Your support makes all the difference.Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne struck half-centuries on Monday to help Australia draw the fourth and final test against India, as the home side retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-1 series victory in Ahmedabad.
India took a 91-run first innings lead on Sunday to put themselves in an unbeatable position heading into the final day of the only test in the series that lasted the full five days.
Australia made 175-2 batting resolutely to frustrate India, who have held the trophy since 2016-17.
Head made 90 and forged a 139-run stand with Labuschagne, who made 63 not out, before players from both sides shook hands at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
India also confirmed their place in the World Test Championship final against Australia in June following Sri Lanka’s two-wicket loss to New Zealand in Christchurch earlier in the day.
The Blackcaps conjured up a remarkable victory for the second time in two weeks by chasing down a target of 285 runs on the final ball of the rain-shortened final day to beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in the first test in Christchurch on Monday.
The dramatic win, which came on the back of the one-run victory over England after following on in Wellington, put the hosts 1-0 up in the two-match series and ended Sri Lanka’s hopes of playing in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Kane Williamson played the leading role by notching up his 27th test century in a beautifully controlled innings of 121 not out after the first four and a half hours of play at Hagley Oval had been washed out by rain.
The winning run came when the former captain and the injured Neil Wagner ran a bye, Williamson securing the victory by diving full length to get his bat down in the crease before a direct hit broke the stumps.
The Black Caps went into the final day on 28-1 needing 257 more runs for victory and after the rain finally cleared were allowed 52 overs in one extended session to achieve the task.
First-innings centurion Daryl Mitchell contributed 81 to a stand of 142 with Williamson for the fourth wicket that put victory within grasp but there were plenty of nervous moments before the win was finally secured with eight wickets down.
“As along as we had someone like Kane at the crease, the guys were very trusting in what he was going to do,” said New Zealand captain Tim Southee.
“He’s just a world class player and I think world class players are able to perform in different conditions and different situations. Seeing him so calm in the middle kept us all calm on the sidelines.”
Reuters
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