IND vs AUS 2022-23: Khawaja to Rahul - Biggest winners and losers of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series
IND vs AUS 2022-23: India and Australia settled for a tedious draw in the final Ahmedabad Test, but the former managed to win the series 2-1 for the fourth consecutive time. Meanwhile, we rank the biggest winners and losers from the series.
FollowIt was a strenuous task for both India and Australia, especially with the ball, as the two fought it out until the end of the final session of the fifth day of the fourth and final Test for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday.
As the last Test ended in a draw, the hosts won the series 2-1 for the fourth successive time against the visitors. While the Australian began on a jittery note in the opening two Tests, they bounced back well in the final two, giving the Indians a hard time, despite talks surrounding the pitches in the country.
While most of the Aussies struggled to play on the Indian tracks, especially against the spinners, not all failed. Conversely, the Indians weren't comfortable playing spin, as evident in the third Test in Indore. Nevertheless, there were some winners and losers as we look at some of those players:
Usman Khawaja (winner)
The opener began on a slow note in the opening two Tests. While he bounced back in Indore, he was on fire in Ahmedabad. He finished as the Kangaroos' highest run-scorer in the series, with an average of 47.57 and a top score of 180, which is a commendable task, especially on Indian tracks considering the struggles for Australia.
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KL Rahul (loser)
Undoubtedly, the biggest loser of the series was the Indian wicketkeeper-opener. Rahul, whose dismal form was already under the scanner heading into the series, was also a part of fan backlash, who questioned his place in the team instead of the in-form young opener Shubman Gill. Rahul failed to deliver in the opening two Tests, scoring just 38 in three innings at 12.66, resulting in his axe from the XI for the latter two, while he also lost his vice-captaincy.
Axar Patel (winner and loser)
Now, this might sound interesting, but yes, it is worth it. As far as all-rounder Axar goes, he is mainly known for his lethal leg spin. However, in this series, he was entirely the opposite. He made a significant impact with the bat, scoring 264 in five at the best series average of 88.00 and finished as India's second-highest run-scorer. But, considering his bowling, he could manage just three in seven at 62.00.
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Ravindra Jadeja (winner and partial loser)
Yes, we have a twin in this category. You might think we are kidding, but we have a strong reason. Although Jadeja was a star with the ball, his batting could have been better. While he grasped 22 in eight at 18.86, with the bat, he could manage just 135 in five at 27.00, with his top knock of 70 being the only highlight. Thus, it does make him a partial loser in the batting, while the all-rounder himself admitted that he was not impressed with his willow work.
Ravichandran Ashwin (winner)
The veteran all-rounder has become India's Mr Reliable across departments. As for this series, it was a no-brainer that he would impact with the ball, and he eventually did, holding 25 in eight at 17.28, finishing as the series' highest wicket-taker and asserting himself as the best.
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Virat Kohli (winner)
The former Indian skipper produced a show with the bat, especially in Ahmedabad, as he played a valiant knock of 186. Overall, he was decent in the series, contributing efficiently and piling up 297 in six at 49.50, finishing as India's best in the series in terms of runs and average.
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