BCCI announce INR 5 crore reward for Indian side for historic Australia triumph

Hours after team India's historic triumph on Australian soil, the BCCI have announced that the board will be presenting the national team with a bumper INR 5 crore cash reward for the side's incredible showing Down Under. Loyalists feared the worst after the side slumped to an all-time-low in Adelaide, yet after winning at the MCG and drawing at SCG, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side created history today in Brisbane by becoming the first visiting side in 32 years to breach 'fortress Gabba'. India were set a stern target of 328 on Day 5, and would have anyway retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy even if they had drawn the game, but youngsters Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill, with the able support of Cheteshwar Pujara, ensured the team India chased down the target to script history. 

"To bounce back after a defeat in Adelaide, come back strong with a win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), grind it out for a draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) & breach Fortress Gabba after 32 years shows the character of this team. The Board applauds the efforts displayed by the team on and off the field & the way they have carried themselves through adversities on what has been a Test series of epic proportions. The BCCI is proud of this magnificent feat and has announced a cash reward of 5 crore INR to the team," read an official BCCI release. 

While winning a series in Australia is no mean feat per se, what made India's achievement remarkable is that they managed to do the same without their incumbent skipper Virat Kohli and without their first-string pace attack. BCCI President Sourav Ganguly showered praise on the team for the same, and stated that the feat will 'will remain etched in the history of Indian cricket forever.'

"We are extremely proud of the series win. Beating Australia in Australia by a young team will remain etched in the history of Indian cricket forever. It cannot get better than this. I am so proud of everyone. Congratulations to Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Shastri and the rest of the touring party for this remarkable feat," Ganguly said.