#BoxingDayTest, India script history with an emphatic victory: Records broken
India have claimed an emphatic victory over Australia in the Boxing Day Test. With an 8-wicket win, the visitors have bounced back in the Border-Gavaskar series, squaring it up 1-1. Ajinkya Rahane, who led the side in place of Virat Kohli, maintained his 100 percent record as captain, as India won their third consecutive Test under him. Here are the records broken.
Batting first, Australia were off to a shaky start before they were bundled out for 195. Jasprit Bumrah scalped four wickets for India. In reply, India posted 326 with the help of a historic ton from skipper Rahane. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja too played a supportive knock. India chased down the 70-run target comfortably after Australia were bowled out on 200 in the second innings.
This is India's second-ever victory in the Boxing Day Test at MCG, also the second consecutive. On the previous tour Down Under, the Indians clinched their maiden victory in the Boxing Test here, which started from 1985 onwards. Ever since, India have lost five, drawn two and now won two, here. This takes the tally of India's overall win at the MCG to four.
This is only the second instance when India have won a Test Down Under while chasing. The only time time it happened before was back in 2003 when India produced a famous victory at the Adelaide Oval, riding on Rahul Dravid's marathon knocks.
Indian captain Rahane brought up a terrific ton on Day 2 of the MCG Test to put India on front. He slammed his 12th Test century, and second against Australia. Notably, both his centuries against the Aussies have come on Australian soil. This was his eighth career Test ton away from home. Overall, Rahane became the 12th Indian captain to score a Test century.
Rahane became only the second Indian to score two or more Test tons at MCG, having equaled the feat by Vinoo Mankad. He also became the second Indian cricketer to score a ton in his first match as captain in Australia, after Kohli (Adelaide, 2014).
Interestingly, not even one of Rahane's Test ton has resulted in a defeat. India have won every time when he has slammed a century (Won: 9, Drawn: 3, Lost: 0). Notably, four such victories have been registered away from home. Besides, Rahane's innings ended in an unfortunate manner in the first innings. He was run-out for the first time in his Test career.
Middle-order batsman Steve Smith was yet again unable to break the deadlock against India in the second Test. He was dismissed for 8 in the second innings after recording a duck in the first. This has become the second-lowest aggregate for Smith in a Test, wherein he has been dismissed twice. Notably, the lowest remains 2 and 1 vs England, Lord's, 2013.
Jasprit Bumrah is now the joint-highest wicket-taker among Indians at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, along with Anil Kumble. The former owns 15 scalps from two Tests, including the best match haul of 9/86. Bumrah's bowling figures at MCG are: 2/54, 4/56, 3/53, and 6/33.
It is interesting to note that off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has now dismissed the left-handed batsmen most number of times in Test history. Out of his 375 scalps, 192 are left-handers. The likes of Muttiah Muralitharan (191/800), James Anderson (186/600), Glenn McGrath (172/563), Shane Warne (172/708), Anil Kumble (167/619) follow Ashwin on the tally. Notably, Ashwin is the fourth-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket.
