India won the four-match series 2-1 in Australia
A Virat Kohli led Team India scripted history when they broke a 71-year jinx by winning a Test series in Australia. A feat which has never been done before by any Asian team, India finally came out on top after and now have the ability to brag after their tours of South Africa and England went down south.
However, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar doesn't feel that India's win in Australia is their greatest triumph in history.
The Kohli led Team India won the four-match Test series 2-1 and could have made it 3-1, but it was rain who decided to play peekaboo in Sydney. The 2-1 series win does not entirely reflect their dominance, but India have managed to achieve a feat which the legends of the yesteryears could not.
The circumstances may have given India a substantial advantage as they were pipped to win the series as they were facing a depleted Aussie side.
With that being said, Manjrekar has rated India's greatest overseas Test series win, where he has placed India's win over Australia at No.4.
"We have to understand that this Australian batting lineup is the weakest. And before the series began, India had a good chance of winning. But because India weren't winning in South Africa and England despite having a good team there was that question mark. So, No.4. Although the quality of the Indian bowling attack was good. But India had a weakness too - going into the series their batting had a problem. And the series would have been a lot closer had Pujara, after India were 40 for 4 on Day 1 (at Adelaide) not got that hundred," Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.
Here's how Manjrekar rated India's biggest overseas wins
1) India in England in 1971 - 1-0 (3)
2) India in West Indies in 1970/71 - 1-0 (5)
3) India in England in 1986 - 2-0 (3)
4) India in Australia in 2018/19 - 2-1 (4)
5) India in Pakistan in 2003/04 - 2-1 (3)
The former cricketer explained why the Ajit Wadekar led Team India's win in England was the greatest ever feat. "Three-match series. India drew the first two. The opener was a close one - rain came and India had two wickets in hand and they had to get about 30 runs, they could have won that Test match or lost as well. But they competed well. Second Test match, they were a little lucky. And finally at Oval, that magic spell from Chandrashekar. They had to get about 170 runs. The pressure must have been immense. A David-Goliath situation and so it has to be No.1."
With the conclusion of the Test series, the Kohli led Team India will now focus on the road to the 2019 World Cup as they begin their journey with a three-match ODI series against Australia, which begins January 12.
