2nd Test win – AUS v IND 1977/78, Sydney
India defeats Australia by an innings and 2 runs
With a morale-boosting 222-run win in the bag, the Indian team came to Sydney for the fourth Test of the series, still, with the possibility of a series loss looming over their heads, the Indian team upped the level of their game.
This time, Australia decided to bat first after winning the toss and the decision proved to be a disastrous one, as Chandrasekhar’s 4/30 and Bedi’s 3/49 routed Australia for 131 runs, with captain Bob Simpson making the highest score of 38 runs.
India knew that they had to put runs on the board to pressurize the Australians and took their own time to make 396/8d. Vishwanath made 79, Ghavri made 64, while Gavaskar, Chauhan, and Kirmani scored 40 odd runs to help India’s cause. Thomson was again the pick of Australian bowling picking four wickets.
Though Gary Cosier made 68 and Peter Toohey made 85 at no.5, the guile and skill of Erapalli Prasanna (4/51) and two wickets each from Chandrasekhar, Bedi and Ghavri proved to be too much for Australia, as they fell short by 2 runs to make India bat again and India won the match by an innings and 2 runs.
This was the first and till now only time, that India has won back to back Test matches against Australia in Australia.
