Even after rattling through India’s lower order to leave a chase of 162 – ensuring for the first time since 1990-91 that a men’s Test in Australia would not see a total of 200 – it was far from certain.
It has been an impressive response from Australia after their 295-run drubbing in Perth. There was significant rancour about the fallout from that defeat – and Cummins referenced some of the criticism they have received – but it was a loss of rare magnitude on home soil, against a team just beaten 3-0 by New Zealand on their turf, and it left Australia in need of a big response with little room for another bad day.
“Being a five-Test series, it helps [to allow time to fight back]. But as you saw with the Gabba, you do start thinking anything can happen,” Cummins said. “Then MCG goes down in the last hour, you feel like you might play really well and not have a series win to show for it. I think when you start a series behind, a lot of things get questioned, fairly and unfairly.
“But it shows a strength of the group to stay strong, know that we weren’t [at] our best, but we can be better, not get caught up in a lot of the external noise and clutter, and just focus on what makes us good players and a good team. That’s one of the most rewarding parts of this series win.”
Ultimately, Australia proved to be the better team since that first game, but the margins were tighter than 3-1 might suggest. Adelaide, with the weighting of the pink ball, was one-sided after Head’s hundred, and Brisbane never really got going because of the weather. Bumrah nearly turned the tables in Melbourne, and even after that one more session of careful batting would have ensured a draw and reaching Sydney at 1-1.
For India, winning without Bumrah being able to bowl would have been an astonishing effort, even on a surface so helpful to the fast bowlers. But in the end, there was no second Australia miracle for them to match the Gabba in 2020-21.
With the series locked at 1-1 after the Gabba, Australia’s selectors had a significant change of plans. They felt they had to try to counterpunch Bumrah, who still had the potential to be the defining figure. Konstas, a 19-year-old with 11 first-class matches, was called up in place of the unfortunate Nathan McSweeney. who had been asked to do a job he had not done before until a few weeks before the first Test.
“When you start a series behind, a lot of things get questioned, fairly and unfairly. But it shows a strength of the group to stay strong, know that we weren’t [at] our best, but we can be better”
Pat Cummins
But just as noteworthy as Konstas’ arrival was that of Webster, who was elevated to the side in place of Mitchell Marsh in Sydney. Few had done more at domestic level to make their case, and he impressed with every facet of his game. His first-innings 57 was one of just two half-centuries in the Test, he caught securely, and his brisk seam bowling was ideal on a very lively pitch. To cap it all, he was able to hit the winning runs.
“I didn’t think I would take too much part in the series,” Boland said at the presentation, having waited all last season for an opening that never came. He made sure to grasp this one with both hands, and did as much as anyone to ensure Cummins was able to lift the trophy.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
