After hearing that India won the 2018-19 series because Australia had two main players - Steve Smith and David Warner - missing, to now seeing people being shut down due to an injured-marred side winning the 2020-21 series, Team India achieved a lot.
India played with 20 members of the squad in the series after regular captain Virat Kohli was on paternity leave and the likes of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and KL Rahul – all suffered various injuries.
The side still managed to breach the Gabba fortress and Indian coach Ravi Shastri could not have been more proud of his boys. The former cricketer post the match said that the Indian side wasn't built overnight and he made sure to speak about Kohli's contribution as skipper as well as praise Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy.
"The boys have performed so well that I am lost for words. The character of this team is amazing especially after the 36 all out at Adelaide. This team wasn't built overnight. Virat has been with us despite not being here. His intensity rubbed on to everyone else. Rahane might look calm but he is a strong man from inside. A tough character," Shastri said.
The coach also spoke about Rishabh Pant who turned the match in the no time. The young wicketkeeper-batsman hit an unbeaten 89 runs off 138 balls to help India register a historic win.
"We play Pant abroad because he is a match-winner. When he doesn't keep well, people criticize him. But he can help you win matches like these. Had he stuck around for some time in Sydney, he could have won us that game as well. He has been brilliant and that's why we back him," Shastri added.
Not just Pant, Washington Sundar, T Natrajan, who were net bowlers and got a chance due to the amount of injury were hailed by the coach. Shastri said, "Washington Sundar was a net bowler, Natarajan was a net bowler. But they have played so well. Sundar batted as if he had already played 20 Tests. Same with Shardul who has played a lot of first-class cricket but did well at the top level.
"This is a big series win. I don't think the cricketing world will forget this. Some of us were in a lockdown for some 6 months whereas cricket had started in some other part of the world. To come here and play the way we have despite having our main bowlers injured, is phenomenal. The players know when they cross the boundary line, they are playing for India," he concluded.
