Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday Dec 14, 2024
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Indian cricket fans light fireworks to celebrate the victory after India's team won the fourth test decider against Australia in Brisbane, at the sports complex in Ahmedabad, India - Reuters
REUTERS: India celebrated its cricket heroes on Wednesday with photos of Ajinkya Rahane’s “fearless” side dominating the front pages of the country’s newspapers after their 2-1 series victory in Australia.
Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant made 89* as the injury-ravaged tourists chased down 328 runs in the fourth test at the Gabba on Tuesday, becoming the first team to beat the Australians there since West Indies in 1988. The win completed a remarkable turnaround for India, who were bowled out for 36 as they lost the first test in Adelaide.
“No one believed they could. They did,” the Times of India said on its front page along with photos of the team’s post-match celebrations, while The Hindu hailed a “Fearless New India”.
India were without regular skipper and batting maestro Virat Kohli, who only played in the first test before returning home to be at the birth of his first child. They were also missing a host of fast bowlers and first-choice spin pair Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Heading into the Brisbane test, India’s bowling attack – Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, Thangarasu Natarajan and Washington Sundar – had played just four tests between them.
“The result was accomplished against a best-in-the-world Australian bowling attack by a bunch of brave-hearts, many of whom had come straight off the bench,” the Times of India said.
