India win first Test series in Australia following SCG wash-out

Virat Kohli on Monday became the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia, after no play was possible at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the final day of the series.

India, ranked No 1 in Tests, came to Sydney 2-1 up after wins in Adelaide and Melbourne to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and the draw in Sydney gave them a landmark Test series triumph on Australian soil. The closest any Indian team came to winning Test series in Australia was during the 1980-81 tour when Sunil Gavaskar’s team drew 1-1, in 1985-86 when all three matches were drawn under Kapil Dev and lastly in 2003-04 when under Sourav Ganguly the visitors drew 1-1.

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The first session of play on Monday at the Sydney Cricket Ground was washed out on account of bad light and drizzle, making it three abandoned sessions out of four in a gloomy Test match. On Sunday, only 25.2 overs had been possible. Come the fifth morning, and poor light marked the start of the day before the rain arrived to scupper chances of play.

The drizzle continued through the afternoon, and at 2:30 local the umpires convened to call off the game.

Brief scores: India 622/7 declared drew with Australia 300 and 6/0