Brisbane: Outplayed by an inexperienced and injury-hit visitors side won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia head coach Justin Langer was all praise for the Indian cricket team after the Ajinkya Rahane-led India won the fourth and final Test of the series against Australia, by three wickets, clinching the series 2-1.
“It was an incredible Test series and in the end, there is always a winner or a loser. Today Test cricket is the winner. It’s gonna hurt us big time. India deserved full credit. They have been outstanding but we have learnt lessons from it,” Langer was quoted as saying to Channel 7.
The Australia coach said that one massive lesson he has learnt from the setback is that you cannot take anything for granted. “First, you can never take anything for granted, second never ever, ever underestimate the Indians. There are 1.5 billions Indians and if you play in that first eleven you got to be really tough, don’t you?” Langer added.
With this historic win, India not only became the first Asian side to win back-to-back Test series on Australian soil, but the visitors also broke Australia’s 32-year-old unbeaten streak at the Gabba. Langer also said the fightback India showed after being bowled out for 36 in the Adelaide Test, was remarkable especially after the injury-forced ouster of big players like Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.
“I can’t compliment India enough. They haven’t gone away after that first Test match which we won in three days, bowled them out for 30 odd. For them to fight back like they did is amazing, credit to them. The big lesson for us is that you can’t take anything for granted. India never got away,” he said.
Langer also applauded Rishabh Pant for playing a match-winning knock on the final Test. Pant and Shubman Gill played knocks of 89 and 91 respectively as India recorded a famous three-wicket win over Australia. “I thought young Gill batted very well. Their young bowling attack kept us under pressure throughout the match and as I said India deserve full credit,” Langer said.
Asked about his own team’s bowling attack for its tireless effort in the series, he said “From our point of view, we had the same four bowlers (Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc) who have gone hard, they have stood up and they have worked so hard but unfortunately we didn’t get over the line today. I am proud of the way those four guys fought so hard,” he added.
