Former England captain Michael Vaughan lauded India for their memorable Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 victory in Australia. The Indian cricket team had stunned Australia with a thumping win in Brisbane, breaching their fortress at the Gabba to seal the series by 2-1.
India were not a full-strengthed side ahead of the Gabba Test match, having lost their key players due to injury. The series was leveled at 1-1 and Australia, being the host and a terrific record in Brisbane, were expected to take the trophy.
But the team led by Ajinkya Rahane kept fighting and eventually chased down 328 runs in 97 overs of the fourth innings to register a memorable victory. Speaking to India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was also part of the series, Vaughan admitted that it's best Test series victory.
ALSO READ: "Pant scares his own team, imagine the effect on opposition," Siraj recalls Gabba Test win
“I like to see the Aussies get a little bit back. And you gave it back by hanging around all day and then to get that draw and then to go to the Gabba – the Aussies don’t lose in Brisbane – and for you guys to beat them with the chase on the last day, I do think it’s the best Test series victory," Vaughan said on DRS with Ashwin.
“With everything that you had to put up with, all the turmoil, to win that last game in Brisbane where Australia just don’t lose and for Rishabh (Pant) to play the way that he did, it was special. Very, very special, that series victory. Any team that beats Australia, they’re always a good team for me to watch," he added.
Earlier in the series, India were bowled out for 36 runs in the second innings of the Adelaide Test. To come back from there and win the series, Vaughan acknowledged that not many have the capability to bounce back from such a situation.
“I kind of threw the bait out there last year when you guys were bowled out cheaply in Adelaide. Then all of a sudden you bounced back incredibly well to win that series. From a position of difficulty, Virat going home, and then obviously Ajinkya in the captaincy, 1-0 down in Australia. Not many teams have come back from that kind of position," Vaughan said.
“That for me, in the last 10 or 15 years, is the greatest Test series victory that I’ve seen because of the turmoil with all players coming and going. It was obviously COVID times; there were injuries; Siraj was unearthed and produced a bit of magic. You hung in there. and had a bit of banter with Tim Paine in Sydney, enjoyed that," he further added.
(With Inputs from 'DRS with Ash' )
