India completed a memorable win over Australia in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series and retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The win, India's first at the MCG after a gap of 37 years, had its share of drama after the morning session's play was washed out.
However, on resumption of play the Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma took the remaining two Australian wickets in quick time and ensured the visitors earned a thoroughly deserving win.
Near-perfect Test
It was a near-perfect Test for Team India. Captain Virat Kohli won a crucial toss and the makeshift opening pair of debutant Mayank Agarwal (76) and Hanuma Vihari blunted the new ball.
The 40-run stand set the platform for India's huge first innings total of 443/7 declared.
Vihari, who was forced to open the innings after the regular opening pair of Murali Vijay and K L Rahul came a cropper in the preceding Test at Perth, may have scored only eight but the rookie consumed 66 balls and made sure the Australians did not enjoy an early breakthrough.
Agarwal was quite brilliant in his maiden Test outing and his attack on Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon upset the home side's plans.
Cheteshwar Pujara (106) and Kohli (82) wore down the Australian attack to submission and Rohit Sharma came with a fine unbeaten 63 as the Indians took charge of the match.
This was also a Test in which Kohli made all the correct moves. He was bold enough to declare late on the second day and Bumrah's burst on the third day when the Gujarat pacer returned career-best figures of 6/33 helped India bundle out Australia for 151.
Kohli wisely chose not to enforce the follow-on for he wanted his bowlers to be fresh and also reasoned the drop-in pitch would deteriorate further.
With forecast of rain in the final two days, Kohli declared for the second time in the match and set Australia a daunting target of 399.
The pace trio of Bumrah, Ishant and Mohammed Shami along with Ravindra Jadeja never let the Australians off the hook.
Pat Cummins, who claimed 6/72 in the Indian second innings, showed exemplary fighting skills to take the match into the fifth day. But it was too steep a chase for him and the Aussies as India won by 137 runs.
No time to relax
India need to be on their toes in the final Test in Sydney to become the first Asian side to win a Test series on Australian soil. There is very little recovery time as the series decider begins on Thursday. But more than that, Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri have to be careful about the team combination.
India may be tempted to play two spinners in Sydney, but the conventional wisdom is to go in with a lone specialist tweaker. Playing two spinners is a big gamble, especially if India are forced to bowl first. Ideally, it should be a toss-up between Jadeja and a fit-again R Ashwin.
Jadeja did his reputation no harm by picking up five wickets in Melbourne, but Ashwin's value with the bat may get him the nod.
Prior to this, India had never carried a lead into the final Test of a series Down Under. It's important for them to play their cards smartly in Sydney.
