Rohit Sharma: Most proud of our fightback in Delhi

At New Delhi, India conceded a slender one-run lead to Australia, and with the game interestingly poised, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the visitors’ batting order on Day Three to set a chase of 115 for the hosts, which they did with six wickets in hand

After winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series 2-1, India captain Rohit Sharma said his team’s fightback in the second Test at New Delhi is something he would cherish, citing the character and fight shown to retain the trophy.

At New Delhi, India conceded a slender one-run lead to Australia, and with the game interestingly poised, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the visitors’ batting order on Day Three to set a chase of 115 for the hosts, which they did with six wickets in hand.

“We knew how important it was to start the series. I think the Delhi Test match was something I’m really proud of because we were very much behind the game and to come back from the situation which we did shows a lot of character and a lot of fight,” he said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Though India lost the third Test in Indore and drew the fourth Test in Ahmedabad on Monday, they managed to win the series and get their spot sealed in the World Test Championship final, where they will face Australia at The Oval from June 7 to 11.

Rohit added: “It was fantastic. Right from the word go. It was exciting. There was something in it for everyone to watch in all the Test matches. We understand the importance of the series and definitely understand the importance of the opposition.

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“After playing good cricket for 40-odd days we stand here with a result we are quite happy with. There were challenges thrown up but we responded to them.”

Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith admitted that losing seven wickets in the first session of Day Three in New Delhi eventually cost them a chance to win the series, but was proud of the fightback shown by his team in the second half of the series. “That hour of madness I suppose in Delhi really cost us in that game. But coming back in Indore [where] we fought back really nicely and this game as well [was good]. Unfortunately, the wicket was probably a little bit too flat for a result in the end,” said Smith. 

India will now play Australia in the first of three ODIs at Mumbai (March 17), followed by matches in Visakhapatnam and Chennai.

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