The recently concluded India-Australia series garnered a lot of interest from fans across the world, thanks to some exciting cricket played by both the teams. The two teams played a multi-format series for the first time against each other, which included three ODIs, a pink-ball Test, and three T20Is.
Australia won the series with 11 points to India’s 5. Australia clinched the ODI series 2-1 and T20I series 0-2, with one match abandoned due to rain. The day/night Test ended in a draw. During the series, some of the Indian players achieved landmark achievements.
1. Mithali Raj completed 1000 ODI runs against Australia
India’s ODI and Test captain Mithali Raj added yet another feather to her cap as she completed 1000 ODI runs against Australia in the first match that was played on September 21, 2021 at Mackay. The right hand bat scored 63 runs off 107 balls, including three boundaries. Raj now has 1055 runs in 36 matches at an average of 32.96 against Australia with the best score of 89. She has hit eight half-centuries in the process.
2. India broke Australia’s 26 matches winning streak in ODI cricket
Australia’s world record streak ends at 26 matches.
India produce their greatest ever run chase in the history of women’s ODI cricket and produce the second-highest run chase by any team against Australia.#AUSvIND #JhulanGoswami #MithaliRaj pic.twitter.com/Hzj60MxtUd
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) September 26, 2021
India defeated Australia by two wickets in the third ODI that was played in Mackay on September 26, 2021 to break their 26-match winning streak in ODI cricket. Jhulan Goswami was the player of the match for her contributions with both bat (8 not out) and ball (3-37 in 10 overs). The winning streak started in 2018 when Australia beat India at home and in 2021, India were able to break this streak on Australian soil.
3. India recorded their highest successful run chase in ODI cricket
In the third ODI that was played between India and Australia on September 26, 2021, at Mackay, India chased a record 265 to beat Australia by two wickets and with just three balls to spare. Shafali Verma (56) and Yastika Bhatia (64) scored half centuries, with Deepti Sharma (31) and Sneh Rana (30) contributing useful runs lower down the order.
4. Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score a Test century in Australia
India’s opening bat Smriti Mandhana scripted history as she became the first Indian woman to score a Test century in Australia. She achieved the feat in the pink ball Test, which was India’s first ever day/night Test match. The match was played between September 30 and October 3, 2021 at the Metricon Stadium in Queensland. The southpaw muscled 127 off 216 balls, including 22 boundaries and a six. She also became the number one visiting batter in women’s Test cricket to score most runs in a single Test inning in Australia.
5. India gained first innings lead for the first time in a women’s Test against Australia
A knock to remember!
Well played @mandhana_smriti 👏🙌🙌#AUSvIND #PinkBallTest pic.twitter.com/kDr7Qwg547
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 1, 2021
India and Australia have played a total of 10 Tests so far, with Australia winning four and six matches ending a draw. In the last nine matches, India had never taken a first-innings lead against Australia. In their 10th Test meeting, India was able to take a healthy lead of 136 runs. Batting first, India posted 377-8 and then restricted Australia to 241-9.
6. Jemimah became the youngest cricketer to score 1000 T20I runs
What a time to bring up this 1000 T20I Runs milestone.
Jemimah Rodrigues is showing her class. #AUSvIND @JemiRodrigues pic.twitter.com/HVUJTcFnvV
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 7, 2021
India’s top-order bat Jemimah Rodrigues became the youngest cricketer, across men and women, to score 1000 T20I runs. The right-hand bat reached the milestone during the first T20I that was played on October 7, 2021 at the Metricon Stadium in Queensland. She achieved the landmark at just 21 years and 32 days of age. Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 49 off 36 balls, including seven boundaries, before rain forced abandonment of the game.
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.