Melbourne: India thrashed Australia by 137 runs to win the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and secure an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-match series on Sunday. The victory also ensured India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy irrespective of the result in the final game.

Skipper Virat Kohli had declared India’s second innings at 106 for eight, leaving the hosts to chase what would have been a record fourth innings total of 399 in Melbourne. Rain wiped out the morning session and Australia resumed post-lunch on 258 for eight, with Pat Cummins not out 61. Cummins managed to add only two more runs before falling to Jasprit Bumrah.

Ishant Sharma snared Nathan Lyon as the home team were all out for 261, securing an emphatic win for the visiting side.

The win in Melbourne leaves India, the world’s top-ranked nation, zeroing in on their first-ever Test series win in Australia with just the Sydney Test to go from January 3.

It is a feat that Kohli has publicly coveted since his team arrived in Australia last month.

Kohli equals Ganguly’s record with India’s 150th Test Win

Virat Kohli equalled Sourav Ganguly’s record for most overseas Test wins as an Indian captain after beating Australia at Melbourne. With the win at the MCG, Kohli registered 11 Test victories as the captain in 24 Tests away from home. Ganguly, however, had attained the same number of wins in 28 Tests.

The MCG win is also India’s 150th in the longest format of the game as they became only the fifth country after Australia, England, West Indies and South Africa to achieve the feat. India have now won seven Tests in Australia and this is also the 2nd time they have won more than one five-day game in a series in Australia. India won two Tests in 1977-78, but lost the five match series 3-2.

This is also the first time since 1986 that India have won more than one Test in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries. Moreover, with three wins, MCG has become India’s most successful Test venue in Australia, where they have won three Tests. Also, Kohli is yet to lose a Test after winning the toss. India, under Kohli, have won 18 Tests and drawn three, and have never lost a match when he has won the toss.