Australia vs India: 3 defining moments which helped India win the Test series

Despite the final Test at the SCG ending up as a draw due to the bad weather, the Indian cricket team have created history. The Virat Kohli-led side have become the first Asian team to record a Test series victory down under by winning the four-match series 2-1.

India began the tour with a win at Adelaide to take them 1-0 up. However, Australia came storming back to clinch the Perth Test by 146 runs to level the series. India then came back strong to win the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and then ensured Australia had no chance to win the final Test in Sydney.

There were few moments in the series which Indian fans would look back at as the series-defining moments. Let's take a look at three such moments from the two Tests which India won and the last one which was a draw:

#1 Cheteshwar Pujara getting India back in the first Test

After winning the toss and opting to bat first in the first Test, India found themselves in deep trouble, losing four quick wickets, including that of Virat Kohli.

However, it was Cheteswhar Pujara, who stood tall and put on vital partnerships with Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin to get India back into the game. He ended up scoring 123 off 246 and helped India reach a total of 250 in the end.

His resilience and patience helped India big time and this innings was just the trailer for what was to come for the rest of the series.

He followed it up with a 71 run knock in the second innings of the Test to help India build a big enough lead, which was enough to give them the much-needed victory.

#2 Jasprit Bumrah's fiery spell at the MCG

Australia v India - 3rd Test: Day 4

The Boxing Day Test began with India taking advantage of the pitch and grinding it out to score a massive total of 443 on the board in the first innings.

The pitch did begin to change on the third day but more than the pitch, it was Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance with the ball which took Australia out of the game. He began by getting the wicket of Marcus Harris and then followed that up with one of the best deliveries of the series to dismiss Shaun Marsh just before lunch.

He did not stop there as he ripped through the Aussie batting line-up and produced the best spell of his life, which included lethal short deliveries, yorkers, slower deliveries, and what-not. He ended up with career-best figures of 6-33 and bowled Australia out for a measly 151.

India did not enforce the follow-on and despite crumbling in the second innings, they had a big enough lead to win the match by 137 runs in the end. Bumrah picked up three wickets in the second innings as well, missing out on a 10-wicket haul by just one wicket.

#3 Pujara and Pant deny Australia any chance to make a comeback

Australia v India - 4th Test: Day 2

By going 2-1 up in the series, India had ensured that they would retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. However, Australia had everything to play for as they had a chance to deny India the series victory.

Unfortunately for them, they ran into Cheteshwar Pujara once again. This time, Pujara did attack the bowlers time and again as his strike-rate was constantly above 50. He oozed confidence with his strokes and ended up scoring his third century of the series. He came extremely close to scoring a double century but was dismissed by Nathan Lyon for 193.

The Aussies thought that they would finish things off quickly after Pujara's dismissal. However, Rishabh Pant had other ideas in mind. He began his innings slowly and took his time to get a feel of the pitch. Once he was comfortable, he took on the Australian bowlers and began hitting them all around the park.

The bowlers did not have any answer to Pant's as he put on a 204 run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket. Jadeja himself was having the time of his life as he scored 81. In the end, India declared at 622-7 with Pant unbeaten on 159 - his highest Test score till date.

The Test ended up being a draw due to bad weather but if anything, India would have won it given the position they were in.