Melbourne Test: An incredible win by a talented, confident and strong-minded group of individuals

Ajinkya Rahane. Pic/PTI

India and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) go together like Chicken Masala and Basmati rice. Perhaps, that should read an aroused India and the MCG combine like Rogan Josh and Basmati rice.

Following the latest crushing victory under Ajinkya Rahane's imaginative leadership, that's four times India have beaten Australia at the Melbourne Coliseum. That's like saying four times the Christians overcame the Lions.

Apart from the first victory in 1977-78 which was comprehensive and I missed because I was otherwise occupied with World Series Cricket, the rest have been hard won in adverse circumstances.

In 1980-81, India was never going to win, especially after skipper Sunil Gavaskar threatened to take his batting partner from the field. However, that all changed when Karsan Ghavri bowled Greg Chappell first ball and Australia eventually fell 59 short of the meagre 143 target.

Then, in 2018-19, India were sufficiently chastened after losing in Perth by a large margin that saw the series levelled at 1-all. They needed an inspirational performance and they got it from Jasprit Bumrah with nine wickets for the match.

Those three were all meritorious victories but they can't match the latest version of David overcoming Goliath in a Coliseum. Battered by being dismissed for a deflating 36 in Adelaide and bruised by the loss of skipper Virat Kohli and fast bowler Mohammed Shami, India conjured up a remarkable victory that would have done Harry Houdini proud.

Led by the unflappable Rahane and again inspired by Bumrah's mastery at the MCG, India overcame an acclaimed attack on a spicy pitch and the loss of yet another injured fast bowler, to level the series and leave Australia with some serious selection headaches.

This latest win is up there alongside the incredible WACA victory in 2007-08 and the miracle at Kolkata in 2000-01.

And one of the more amazing things about the fourth victory at the MCG; after Tim Paine won the toss and decided to bat, India walked on to the ground looking full of confidence. It was like they were suffering from dementia; they couldn't remember last week but they had clear recall of distant victories.

Two players were responsible for this bout of confidence. Firstly, there was the captain with his calm, clear thinking approach and then there was Jasbrit Bumrah, the leader of an attack that is threatening to replicate the magnificent feats of their predecessors in 2018-19.

This pair proved that appearances weren't deceiving. Inspired by their calmness and their deeds, other heroes surfaced. Ravichandran Ashwin twirled away successfully, first bamboozling Matthew Wade and then tying Steve Smith in knots. Smith's early demise added to India's burgeoning confidence.

Then it was the turn of the debutants to inhale the pervading scent. Both Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj acquitted themselves admirably, displaying both the talent and temperament to suggest they'll serve India well for many years.

This was an incredible victory by a talented, confident and strong-minded group of individuals, well led by a positive thinking captain. Rahane and Bumrah and the other heroes of Melbourne look like they'll be rewarded with another Test at the MCG. Australia really has some problem solving to do if they are to match India's Houdini act.