Bengaluru: Even as Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her budget, she did not miss out on mentioning the phenomenal performance of the Indian cricket team in Australia, who won the test series 2-1. 

To loud thumping of desks, she said that team India's victory symbolised the thirst for success that India's youth have. 

 

India’s tour down under was one for the history books. 

The entire Indian team exhibited a phenomenal performance, in the absence of stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Shami among others, in the test series. 

The find of the tour was bowler Mohammad Siraj, who despite losing his father, decided to stay back in Australia and render his services to the national team. 

 

It was nothing short of a crisis situation as the team went on depleting as its senior players were unavailable, due to injuries. 

However, in spite of its relative inexperience, the bowling unit, headed by Siraj handled the situation well to enjoy a well-earned victory over the hosts. 

At the Gabba, the hosts were made to eat the humble pie at the venue as it was a fortress not breached since 1988. That was the last match of the series and the tour itself. 

The series was fought doggedly as the hosts posed a stiff challenge, not just with cricketing acumen, but also with mind games.

Spectators at the stadium threw racial slurs at the Indian team, but the visitors kept their poise. As reported, Indians were given the option of leaving the field, but captain Ajinkyaa Rahane decided against it, allowing his players to answer the critics by performance and not by anything else. 

The Indian players displayed calmness during the entire series and won not just the series, but hearts as well.