Flashback: India’s first Test win in Australia

India first toured Australia in 1947 and was beaten comprehensively by the Donald Bradman-led team by 0-4.

Their first Test victory in Australia was a wait of almost 30 years, in 1977. Under Bishan Singh Bedi’s leadership, the team fought against the Australian team led by Bob Simpsons. This was before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was introduced in 1996.

Australia was leading the five-match Test series by 2-0 after winning the first two Tests in Brisbane and Perth respectively. India made a resounding comeback in the third Test played at Melbourne Cricket Ground. They won the toss and elected to bat first.

On the back of Mohinder Amaranth’s 72, Gundappa Vishwanath’s 59 runs, and small contributions from the lower order, India posted 256 runs in the first innings. But India’s spinning maestro, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar orchestrated an Australian collapse as he picked six wickets and was well complemented by Karsan Ghavri and Bishan Bedi, who picked two wickets each. Australia ended their innings at 213 runs and India generated a lead of 43 runs.

Sunil Gavaskar led the batting attack in the second innings and scored a brilliant 118 off 285 laced with 12 boundaries. The innings was well supported by Viswanath and Amarnath as they pitched in with 54 and 41 respectively.

In return it was again the Mysore-born cricketer, Chandrashekhar who planned a heist in Melbourne He claimed a six-fer in the second innings too as Bedi came up with four scalps.

Chasing a stiff target of 387 runs, Gary Cosier was the highest run-scorer for Australia with 34 runs, followed by Wayne Clark’s 33 runs.

India won the game by a humongous margin of 222 runs and managed to level the series 2-2 with another win in Sydney before succumbing in Adelaide.