Rohit Sharma may still be under quarantine in Sydney, but the experienced batsman was absolutely delighted with India's superb fightback and win in Melbourne in the Boxing Day Test against Australia.
India overcame the debacle of '36 all out' in Adelaide and also the loss of their multiple first-choice picks, including skipper Virat Kohli, to register one of the country's finest Test wins abroad at MCG.
"Fantastic win for the Team India at the MCG. Character and composure shown throughout the game was excellent to watch," tweeted Rohit as the Test was brought to close by Indian batsmen on Tuesday (December 29).
India needed 70 runs to win in the second innings, which they did quite comfortably with debutant opener Shubman Gill (35*) and stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane (27*) seeing the side through.
Rahane struck among his best Test knocks in the first innings where his gritty display resulted in a match-defining 112, helping India post a total of 326 and overhauling the Australians' score by 131 runs.
The Indian bowling attack was once again brilliant, dismissing the Aussies twice inside four days for modest totals of 195 and 200 in conditions that only got better for batting as the Test match progressed.
Jasprit Bumrah (4/56 & 2/54) played the leader of the attack with distinction in absence of Ishant Sharma, while premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (3/35 & 2/71) only enhanced his reputation.
Pacer Mohammed Siraj (2/40 & 3/37) also impressed one and all on his debut and reflected the robust nature of the Indian first-class system with his swift transition to the Test match game.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja strengthened his claim of a regular place within the top 7 via a crucial half-century (57) in the first innings, either side of which he chipped in with important breakthroughs delivering spells of 1/15 & 2/28.
The Indian team will be boosted by the return of Rohit for the next Test starting January 7. The right-hand batsman could well replace currently struggling opener Mayank Agarwal in the playing XI and partner at the top alongside Gill.
