India has managed to pull off a big victory over the visiting Australian side in the 1st Test of the 2013 Border-Gavaskar series. The match was held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai from February 22, 2013. Despite heroics by Clarke, Henriques and Pattinson, Australia lost by 8 wickets on the final day’s play.
The Australian captain Michael Clarke fought bravely in the first innings to score 130, backed up by a patient 68 by all-rounder Henriques. R. Ashwin was the chief wicket-taker for the Indians, picking up 7 wickets for 103. Come-back man Harbhajan Singh was listless in the first innings and did not pick up a wicket.
Australia had set India 380 runs to chase, to which the home side responded with centuries from Virat Kholi and MS Dhoni, who played a captains knock of 224. Sachin Tendulkar got among the runs scoring 81, as did Cheteshwar Pujara, with a well-made 44. Pattinson picked up 5 wickets for the Aussies, as India got to 572.
In reply, Australia could only manage 241, as R. Ashwin bowled his heart out, reaching another 5-wicket haul. The off-spinner ended with figures of 5/95, while Harbhajan Singh finally picked up two wickets. Henriques was the only Aussie batsman who reached a half-century – scoring 81 runs. Australia seldom give up on the cricket field and came out firing, taking two quick Indian wickets in the second innings. However, Tendulkar lofted 2 sixes to guide India home.
