It has been five years. Five years since we witnessed the greatest comeback in Test cricket history. On this day in 2021, a bruised and battered Indian team did the unthinkable: they breached "Fortress Gabba," a venue where Australia hadn’t lost a single match in 32 years.
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To understand why this victory was so magical, we have to rewind to how it all started. Just weeks earlier, in Adelaide, India was humiliated. We were bowled out for a shambolic 36-9, our lowest Test score ever. With captain Virat Kohli leaving for paternity leave and Mohammed Shami out with a broken arm, the world wrote us off. Experts predicted a 4-0 whitewash. They said India would be crushed.
Fortress Gabba Breached
By the time we reached the final match at the Gabba, the team was running on fumes. We had no Jasprit Bumrah, no Ravichandran Ashwin, no Ravindra Jadeja, and no Hanuma Vihari. It wasn’t even our "B" team; it was practically a "C" team, led by Ajinkya Rahane. Our bowling attack was so inexperienced that Mohammed Siraj, with just two Tests to his name, was the leader of the pack.
But then, magic happened. After debutants Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur rescued us in the first innings, it all came down to the final day. Chasing a massive 328 runs, Shubman Gill set the tone with a classy 91. Cheteshwar Pujara stood like a rock, taking blow after blow to his body, refusing to give up his wicket.
And finally, Rishabh Pant took centre stage. With pure audacity, he smashed an unbeaten 89, hitting the winning boundary with just minutes to spare. The "Fortress" had fallen. From the nightmare of 36-9 to the glory of the Gabba, this wasn't just a win; it was a lesson in resilience that we will tell our grandchildren about.
