Sunil Gavaskar, in the India-Australia match, made the most of the test matches, though India lost the match. The 1977-78 series against Australia was of special significance. The series proved to be a great success. India, two down initially, levelled at 2-all and lost the final Test by 47 runs gallantly chasing 493 for victory. Had only three or four specialist batsmen kept their cool at the crucial stage of the game, India would have recorded another historic win in the fifth Test at Adelaide. But even in defeat they looked glorious and were paid rich compliments by many critics.
Jeff Thomson, Gary Cosier, Kim Hughes and Craig Sergeant were the leading remnants in official cricket. Bobby Simpson, 42, was dug out of a 10-year-old retirement. He was asked to captain. Though Jeff Thomson and newcomer Wayne Clark bowled with fire, the Australia opening attack was not as powerful and intimidating as it was before Packer. Gavaskar made the most of it with a century in each of the first three Tests. Incidentally, all three centuries came in the second innings after he had failed in the first innings.
The first test was won by Australia in a close finish at Brisbane. The pitch was damp because of late watering on the eve of the Test. Australia was all out for 166, despite Peter Toohey`s classic 82. Bedi was the leading wicket taker here, with a scorecard of 5 for 35. Gavaskar had made only three when he nudged at a lifting ball from Clark to Cosier in the slips. Dilip Vengsarkar and Vishwanath retrieved the situation partially, adding 75 for the third wicket. As soon as they were separated, the Indian innings disintegrated. They managed a total of only 153. Australia was `again in trouble in the second innings losing three wickets for seven runs. Simpson scored a defiant 89. With support from Ogilivie and Toohey and a remarkable 50 runs stand between the last pair, Thomson and Hurst, Australia totalled 327.
India needed 341 to win. It was not an easy task, being the fourth innings on a worn-out strip. Gavaskar was able to raise visions of a victory with a careful 113 in the` first Test in Australia. He was sixth out at 243. Two more wickets fell for the addition of 32 runs. Then Syed Kirmani and Bishen Singh Bedi added 43 runs. Victory appeared possible. Unfortunately, 22 runs away from home, Kirmani mishooked a bumper from Hurst and was out for 55. Last man Chandra was dismissed for a duck and India lost. Bedi remained on 26.
In the first innings of the second test at Perth, Gavaskar scored four. Here, the wicket was fast and stroke-play easy. In the second innings, he scored 127, but India lost again by a margin of two wickets. Unlike the Brisbane Test in which the teams batted indifferently, the Perth game was a high scoring match, Bobby Simpson scored 176 and 39. Bedi reportedly alleged that he was leg before on no fewer than eight times during these two innings. What finally mattered was nightwatchman Tony Mann`s 105 as Australia successfully chased 339.
At Melbourne, Gavaskar completed a hattrick in hundreds. He scored 118 after being dismissed for zero in the first innings. He was caught by Rixon off Thomson. India rallied from zero for two wickets to 256 mainly because of Mohinder Amarnath`s superb 72. Australia was bamboozled by Chandra and was restricted to 213. Chandra claimed six for 52. He became the second bowler to take 200 wickets in Test in 48 Tests, three less than Bedi`s. He also became the first to be dismissed for a `pair` in Tests on four occasions. India secured a quick gain from the 43-run lead. Building forward on the mountain of Gavaskar`s 13th century, they reached 343. Bedi and Chandra bowled devastatingly in Australia`s second innings and claimed all the wickets between themselves. Bedi. took four for 58 and. Chandra had six for 52 as Australia nosedived to 164. India scored a morale-boosting 222-run victory. It was India`s first Test win in Australia.
The fourth test match was held at Sydney. Here, India made a concerted effort and put its best foot forward. The result was that India won by an inning and two runs and thereby squared the series. After the spin duo of Chandra and Bedi dismissed Australia for 131, India declared at 396 for 8. Gavaskar`s contribution in the match was 49. Toohey alone among Australian batsmen offered some resistance to the Indian spinners who once again tore apart Australian innings for 263. This was India`s first innings victory against Australia.
This excitement-fraught series finally culminated in an action-packed match at Adelaide. Gavaskar`s score in this match was only 7 and 29. Australia made a huge total of 505. To this India replied with 269. The Australians did not enforce the follow-on because they did not want to bat last on the wicket which showed signs of deteriorating. They scored 256 in their second innings. India were left with an impossible task of scoring 493 for victory in their second innings. India showed their batting might by reaching 445 despite Gavaskar`s lean score of 29. This was the second highest fourth innings total in Test history.
