India reclaim Border-Gavaskar trophy

Australia's Project India, so diligent in the planning and so close to realising its bold aspiration, will be recorded in history's ledger as failed after India completed the series win so many expected but which came with unforeseen and prolonged resistance.

A contest that has contained more than its requisite share of fluctuations, flare-ups and acts of individual brilliance came to an almost anti-climactic close 38 minutes before lunch on the fourth day.

When India reached their 106-run target to secure an eight-wicket win in the fourth and final Test, a 2-1 victory in the series and the Border Gavaskar Trophy to display in the BCCI's inauspicious offices at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium for at least the next two years.

By clawing their way back from a 333-run hiding in the opening Test at Pune, and routinely finding a way back from tricky positions in the subsequent matches, India proved beyond question their claims to the world's number one Test match ranking.

And deservedly pocket the accompanying $US1 million pay cheque from the ICC that was Australia's bounty just nine months earlier, as the home team's players now enter an even more lucrative assignment – the upcoming Indian Premier League.

That preparation looked to have been brought forward when acting skipper Ajinkya Rahane, clearly intent on icing the Test before the lunch break, launched consecutive sixes from the bowling of coddled quick turned workhorse, Pat Cummins.

Image Id: E6F38B1D3B6D47B5BB88137F53151DCE Image Caption: KL Rahul hits out on the final day // BCCI

The second of those being a distinctly T20 heave over extra cover as Rahane cleared his front leg and brought the Dharamsala crowd – drawn in droves to the conclusion of the mountain centre's inaugural Test – to the brink of euphoria.

For the Australians, the final result came with a tamarind aftertaste having claimed such a comprehensive early advantage at Pune, set the pace at Bengaluru a week later and battled bravely to stay alive on the final day at Ranchi.

But presented with an unexpectedly pacy pitch for the final encounter which also saw India deprived of their charismatic captain – and best batter – Virat Kohli, the tourists let chance after opportunity dribble through their fingers.

A squandered first innings characterised by a heavy top and middle-order haemorrhage, an even more severe one two days later and a couple of costly catching lapses in between that handed the beneficiaries (KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha) an extra 75 runs.

An overly generous gift that proved the difference between India taking a first innings lead and being forced to contemplate a deficit on a pitch where any target of 200 or more batting fourth would likely have proved problematic.

As it was, the requirement was a meagre 106 and, after Cummins conceded three boundaries in his first over on Monday evening when he pushed hard for the early breakthroughs that were his team's sole hope, that had been reduced to 87 when day four began.

India's push to the final triumph of an enthralling did not come without a couple of stumbles.

Opener Murali Vijay looked to have been caught down the leg side on seven when Cummins' first ball of the morning flicked his glove, but the Australians' decision not to appeal saw him reprieved.

Perhaps they were mindful of the two occasion in each of India's previous innings that Cummins believed he had taken a wicket with his opening delivery of the day only to have it struck down by the review process, and felt it an needless effort.

It mattered little, with Vijay feathering an outside edge in Cummins next over, having added just a single to his sheet anchor innings that ultimately yielded eight runs from 35 balls faced.

The Australians, whose batting coach Graeme Hick confirmed last night were left as flat as a roti after their batting failure on day three, found reason to celebrate later in that same over when India's obdurate number three Cheteshwar Pujara was run out.

Image Id: 8A6DFDC09CE24A198ACF8B97518BBA8F Image Caption: Cummins celebrates removing Vijay // BCCI

The right-hander hesitating not once, but twice after pushing Cummins to cover which was sufficient opportunity for Glenn Maxwell to swoop and hurl down middle stump in an act of belligerent defiance.

However, Murali's opening partner Rahul – as has been the case all series, even when India were humiliated in the opening Test – stood resolute.

His only moments of concern at the end of a campaign that's brought him six half-centuries from seven innings was a streaky edge between slips and gully off Josh Hazlewood, and a Cummins throat ball that he parried well short of the cordon.

But his run-a-ball, unbeaten 58-run partnership with Rahane brought the result that India had hard earned across the previous three days, and unerringly secured on a nerveless final morning.

It was fitting that it was Rahul who scored the winning runs with a well-timed flick for three through mid-wicket off O'Keefe, for he has been India's stand-out batter of a series dominated by bowlers.

And it was India's ability to score top-order runs when most needed that ultimately proved the decisive point of difference between two unexpectedly even-matched opponents.

Australia's schedule in India

Feb 23-27, First Test, Pune – Australia won by 333 runs.

Mar 4-8, Second Test, Bengaluru – India won by 75 runs.

Mar 16-20, Third Test, Ranchi – match drawn.

Mar 25-29, Fourth Test, Dharamsala