MELBOURNE: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has heaped praise on skipper Ajinkya Rahane after he led his side to a "special" Boxing Day Test win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
India was bundled out for 36 in the second innings of the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval to hand Australia the first Test, but the Rahane-led side came out all guns blazing and won the second Test at the MCG in the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami.
Ganguly, under whose captaincy India lost the 2003 Boxing Day Test by nine wickets, credited Rahane for the win saying "good people finish first too."
The former skipper congratulated all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin and wished the team luck for the remaining two games.
"A special win at MCG ..india loves playing here ..well done Ajinkya rahane @ajinkyarahane88..good people finish first too.. congratulations to all..@imjadeja@ashwinravi99 .best of luck for the next 2 games @bcci," Ganguly tweeted.
Rahane hit his 12th century in the longest format of the game on Sunday. The skipper's century and Ravindra Jadeja's well-made fifty gave India firm control on day three.
Riding on the back of the confidence from day three, India first dismissed Australia for 200 on the fourth morning and then came back to chase the target of 70 in just 15.5 overs.
If one session had cost India the first Test, it was again a session -- which Rahane and Jadeja weathered on the second day of the second Test -- that saw India bag the second game.
Cricket Australia on Tuesday confirmed that the third Test between Australia and India will remain at the Sydney Cricket Ground as scheduled.
India leveled the four-match series and the win also ensured the visitors moved a step closer to the final of the World Test Championship. The third Test between both teams will begin on January 7.