OPINION: Test cricket is more than just alive and kicking

The win broke a 33-year winning streak for Australia at the Gabba and handed India back-to-back test series’ wins Down Under, in a series that had it all from on-field jabs to off-field drama as the visitors were decimated by injuries while the hosts fought their own existential battles.

The first test at the Adelaide Oval threatened to put the Indians on a path to a four-nil drubbing after they were bowled out for a beyond embarrassing 36 in their second innings after they had put themselves into a good position.

That eight wicket win for the hosts under the lights in the south of Australia could well have papered over some significant cracks in their line-up.

Their opening pair was in a shambles and ultimately their captain, who did a good job in trying to restore Australian cricket following Sandpaper Gate, was not necessarily the man they needed anymore.

With the departure of captain and talisman Virat Kohli the writing seemed to be on the wall for India. In stepped the Kohli antithesis in Ajinkya Rahane who took over the reins and the side seemed to disseminate calm with a sense of confidence.

Rahane led his side with a man-of-the-match performance on arguably the biggest test stage, the Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. His first innings 112 helped set up a significant eight wicket win for India and levelled the series.

The Indians also debuted one of the world’s proposed wonder kids Shubman Gill for the first time in the series at the MCG and the 21 year-old showed the millions of cricket fans on the sub-continent and those around the world that he is cut out for test cricket.

To Sydney the sides went and so started the Great Indian Bowler Breakdown of 2021. Umesh Yadav was the first bowler to succumb, when he was ruled out of the third test.

A test that went down to the wire and produced some enthralling test cricket all the way through. The Indian side were required to bat out the final day to secure a draw with just eight wickets in hand they finished five wickets down and went to the East Coast one-all.

“I can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash.” This comment to the injured Ravi Ashwin during the third test from Tim Paine had consequences that spread far further than the Australian test skipper would have wanted.

This quip was followed by a barrage of chirps and sledges that the Australian captain subsequently apologised for after India held off the much-vaunted Aussie bowling attack to head into a series decider.

The Bowler Breakdown of 2021 then continued for the visitors who lost Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja and star-seamer Jasprit Bumrah for the final showdown.

In their places India selected a bowling attack that had just four test matches between them with Mohammed Siraj the most experienced with two tests under his belt.

Couple that inexperience with a 3 decade long unbeaten run for Australia and maybe throw in the fact that a team from Asia had never won at the Gabba and you wouldn’t have been scolded for placing your house on a home win.

369 from Australia played 336 from India in their first dig so the game was close heading into their second innings.

With that slight lead Australia then pressed to put themselves in a position where they couldn’t lose the match. Ultimately a Steve Smith half century helped them to 294 all out; setting India a more than tricky 328 runs to win in the final innings.

Not only had the test series that started 42 days earlier come down to the final innings, it was destined to come down to the final hour of the final afternoon where all three results were a significant possibility.

When the pressure valve continued to turn test cricket's newest, slightly more unorthodox hero came to the fore.

Rishabh Pant’s 89 not out was the difference, but it wasn’t only a difference from a result perspective, it showed that test cricket has evolved into a game that uses T20 cricket far more than you might think.

100 runs off 20 overs on the final afternoon with six wickets in hand in the past would have been a precarious situation for the chasing side and many teams would have erred on the side of safety.

Not India and especially not Pant who blasted nine fours and six and despite wickets falling around him continued to show no fear of the situation. It was more than just a breath of fresh air – it was a turning point for the red ball game.

Another test series has come and gone but this one will live on in the memory. Test cricket needs the dull series for you to appreciate these and if another person says test cricket is dying, kindly escort them out of the building.