A clinical India on Tuesday regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, beating Australia by eight wickets in the deciding fourth Test here to clinch one of the most controversial and hard-fought bilateral contests in recent times.
It was India's seventh Test series win in a row — continuing the dominance that started in 2015 with Sri lanka, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, England and Bangladesh being annihilated.
Needing 87 runs on the fourth day to reach a modest victory target of 106, opener lokesh Rahul (51 not out) dominated from the start with a flurry of boundaries and finished with six half-centuries in the series.
The match ended in just three days and a session, a reflection of India's distinct upperhand in the 2-1 triumph.
There were some hiccups when Murali Vijay (8) and Cheteshwar Pujara (0) were out in quick succession but stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane (38 off 27 balls) came in with the intent of hammering the bowlers into submission.
Rahane and Rahul added 60 runs for a third wicket partnership which took the team to victory in 23.5 overs.
Fittingly, Rahul finished the match with a hard-run three and celebrated wildly. Regular skipper Virat Kohli, who sat out of the contest due to a shoulder injury, and the rest of the Indian team gave Rahul a standing ovation.
In fact, Rahul ran in towards the Australian dressing room before taking off his helmet and letting out a wild war cry — an indication of how intensely the series had been fought.
But putting aside the hostilities that started with the infamous 'Brain Fade' of rival captain Steve Smith, the two teams shook hands at the end of an aggressively-fought series.
Rahul's innings of 76 balls had nine fours while Rahane hit four boundaries and two huge sixes of Pat Cummins.
It brought the curtains down on a very productive home season in which India won 10 out of the 13 Test matches with two draws and the only defeat coming on a Pune dust-bowl against Smith's side.
The victory was even more special as skipper and team's premier batsman Kohli was unavailable in the deciding contest.
A reticent Rahane, completely different in character from Kohli, marshalled his resources well in what could be termed as the best out of the 13 Test wins.
More so because the conditions were more Australian than Indian and the home team punted on rookie Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, risking a batsman less in the playing XI.
The day started with a Rahul back cut off Josh Hazlewood followed by a square cut. A swept boundary off Steve O'Keefe set the tone for the day and an imperious pull shot off Hazlewood showed why Rahul is rated so highly.
Once India were 46 for 2, Rahane came in and showed uncharacteristic aggression, taking on the bowlers from word go.
Cummins was pulled and then slashed over the cover region for a couple of sixes, leaving the entire Australian team stunned.
A paddle sweep off lyon by Rahane was a delicate one after the brutal assault he unleashed on the speed merchant.
It was probably the most competitive series that India played at home in recent years with not an inch given by the visitors.
Hefty cash award
The BCCI on Tuesday announced a cash award of Rs 50 lakh each for the Indian cricket team, which defeated Australia 2-1 in a hard-fought and controversy-ridden Test series.
The Board also congratulated the team for retaining the No1 position in the ICC Test rankings.
The award for the players will be on a pro-rata basis which means money to given to the cricketers would depend on the number of matches they have played in the series.
So, players, who featured in all the four matches against Australia, will get Rs 50 lakh each.
According to a BCCI release, head coach Anil Kumble will get Rs 25 lakh and other members of the support staff will be given Rs 15 lakh each.
India retains ICC Test C’ship mace
Dharamsala: India on Tuesday retained the ICC Test Championship mace and also won a cash award of $one million for holding on to the top position in the Test Team rankings on the annual April 1 cut-off date.
Captain Virat Kohli received the mace and cheque from Sunil Gavaskar at a ceremony after the fourth and final Test against Australia, in which Ajinkya Rahane led the side as Kohli could not play due to a shoulder injury. India had entered the series against Australia needing to win at least one Test to retain possession of the prestigious mace, which it had reclaimed following the Indore Test against New Zealand in October 2016, ICC said in a statement.
The second and third places in the rankings will be decided after the ongoing Hamilton Test between South Africa and New Zealand. If South Africa wins or draws the Test, it will be assured of second place but a loss will see Australia finish ahead of it in second place.
The side to finish second will get $500,000 while the side finishing third will receive $200,000. The fourth-placed team, which is England, will get $100,000.
"We are absolutely delighted to have topped the ICC Test rankings. The longest format of the game really tests a team's character and I'm proud that we have proved ourselves to be the best," Kohli said.
Ashwin receives Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy
Dharamsala: India's off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday received Garfield Sobers Trophy for being named the ICC Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.
"It has been a great honour to be named by the ICC for two top awards and it is dreamlike to actually receive them here," said Ashwin, who had finished 2015 as the number-one ranked Test bowler in the world, a position he twice reclaimed in 2016.
"What has been greatly satisfying for me is that I have helped the team do well during this period. We have a great unit that has done well across formats. Being on top of the Test table, in particular, is an accomplishment we are all proud of.”
During the voting period, which ran from September 14, 2015 to September 20, 2016, the 30-year-old from Chennai played eight Tests in which he took 48 wickets and scored 336 runs. Ashwin also claimed 27 wickets in 19 T20Is.