Travis Head goes on attack to guide Australia to rare Test win in India

Australia survived a small but tricky run chase to win by nine wickets on a spinning, crumbling pitch in Indore and secure a memorable Test victory in India.

Set just 76 to win in the third Test at Holkar Stadium, Australia brought up only their second win on Indian soil since they claimed the Border-Gavaskar trophy in 2004.

Travis Head (49no) and Marnus Labuschagne (28no) were there at the end for the rare victory in India to mark an extraordinary turnaround for Australia after the tourists were humiliated in the first two Tests in Nagpur and Delhi.

A chase of less than 100 would ordinarily have been straightforward, but the pitch spinning and bouncing sharply meant Australia started day three with some apprehension.

India were dismissed for 109 and 163, while Australia’s first innings of 197 ended with a dramatic collapse of 6-11.

Usman Khawaja, who top-scored with a gritty 60 in Australia’s first innings, was dismissed for a duck second ball after nicking a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery to wicketkeeper KS Bharat.

Australia were forced to defend for the first 10 overs, but Head and Labuschagne started to play with a sense of freedom after Ashwin was rattled by the state of the ball.

The bowler complained several times to umpires about the ball, and continued to express his frustration even after it was changed at the 10-over mark.

Head and Labuschagne then took on the star spinner, smashing several quick boundaries to ease any tension in Australia’s dressing room.

Head’s unbeaten 49 came from just 53 balls, adding evidence that he plays his best in Asia batting at the top of the order following his promotion to open after David Warner’s exit from the tour.

Star spinner Nathan Lyon was named player of the match for his