India roar back with 8-wicket win, draw series level

India, chasing a target of 70 for victory in the 2nd Test at MCG, got there with 8 wickets in hand.

Australia built on their slender overnight lead in the morning session. Cameron Green (45) mounted a counter-attack but was dismissed with one hour left.

Australia were bowled out for 200 in the last over of the session, having put on a lead of 69. India lost the quick wickets of Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara but Ajinkya Rahane (27) and Shubman Gill (35) put on a confident show in the chase to take India home with 8 wickets in hand. India have thus drawn the series level at 1-1.
Missing star players, like their regular skipper Virat Kohli, and having suffered such a demoralizing defeat recently, India’s win at the MCG is being hailed as a ‘historic’ win.

Commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said on air the win was ‘historic’ because it had come after a similarly historic defeat.

Virat Kohli was one the first people to tweet his delight at the win.

Virender Sehwag was among those who said that Rahane led from the front in his role as deputy skipper.

“Rahane led the side brilliantly, bowlers were relentless but the biggest positive is the performance of two debutants,” tweeted VVS Laxman.

Talking about the historic win, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane said hailed the debutants Shubman Gill and Mohd Siraj,”Really proud of all the players. Played really well. Want to give credit to the debutants Siraj and Gill, the character they showed after the Adelaide loss was great to see. Character was important for us, especially after losing Umesh in the second innings.”