India vs Australia: Rishabh Pant’s Words of Wisdom and the Untold Story Behind India’s Gabba Triumph Revealed by Saini
Navdeep Saini recalls India's historic Gabba Test win in January 2021, where they defeated Australia despite an injury. Saini, battling a groin issue, taped up and continued playing. He recounts a dropped catch and his determination to help the team, despite limited mobility. India chased down a target of 328, with Rishabh Pant hitting the winning runs. The victory ended Australia's 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba.
The 3rd Test between India and Australia is all set to be remembered for India’s remarkable victory at The Gabba three years ago. Despite a series of injuries, including pacer Navdeep Saini’s groin strain, India managed to break Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak at their home fortress.
The Indian team’s resolve was unshakeable after a difficult start to the series. After losing the first Test, India bounced back with a comprehensive win in Melbourne and a gritty draw in Sydney. This momentum gave the squad the confidence needed for the decisive final Test. Regarding this, Navdeep Saini said:
That was such a funny moment. The atmosphere was incredibly intense and serious. Everyone knew I couldn’t run because of the pain, and the match situation was so critical. It was the final stages of the game, and we had a couple of bowlers left to bat after me. In all that seriousness, everyone forgot that I was injured. All they saw was that the tailenders had to go in and contribute some runs. Ravi Shastri sir said, “Saini, put on your pads”. The tension was so high that I just went along with it. I thought, “This is my chance; I’ll contribute somehow — it’ll be fun”. Nobody remembered I was injured or that I couldn’t run. And I didn’t remind anyone either because I felt it was my time to step up. I quickly put on the pads and went out to the field.
Test cricket at its best.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 19, 2021
Our camera was there to capture all the emotion as India pulled off a victory for the ages at the Gabba #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/V3QchmOklA
Saini, who had sustained an injury while bowling, still contributed to the cause by playing through the pain, even joining Rishabh Pant in the final overs despite his inability to run. With just three runs required for victory, Pant hit the winning runs, and Saini’s injury was forgotten in the jubilation. India’s 3-1 series win over Australia marked a historic achievement, leaving the team and fans celebrating a remarkable underdog story.
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