Indian cricket stars given heroes' welcome after historic triumph in Australia

In the last one month Team India has brought smiles on the faces of a billion people. IPL 2020 definitely brought them too but international cricket always will be a pedestal higher than franchise cricket. Representing India and its more than billion people is surely different that representing a city and a region.

India were bowled out for 36 as they lost the series opener by 8 wickets. #36allout on December 19, was the most embarrassing trend in the history of Indian cricket. Captain Virat Kohli left for India to attend the birth of his first child and senior most pacer Mohammed Shami was ruled out of the series with a broken arm after the match.

India were written off but what unfurled next was nothing short of a fairytale. A win in the Boxing Day Test match, then an iconic draw at SCG and in the final lap of the series, Australia's very own Gabba fortress was breached in style. India quite literally lost key players after every match, sometimes innings also. Umesh Yadav



got injured after the 2nd Test, Ravindra Jadeja, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin were injured during the third.

By the time India reached Brisbane, 2-Test old Mohammed Siraj was leading India's bowling attack. Washington Sundar and T Natarajan made their debut at a time when Team India was struggling to find 11 fit players. All odds failed to restrict valiant India as Ajinkya Rahane's men sealed a 2-1 Test series win, their second consecutive Down Under.

The magnitude of the win was bigger than before because of the aforementioned details and so had to be the reception at the arrival of these superstars.

Ajinkya Rahane was welcomed by Mumbai and his neighbours in a manner he will never forget. Rohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Shadrul Thakur and Ravi Shastri were greeted with cheers at the airport. T Natarajan, the latest wonder boy of Indian cricket got a rousing reception upon his arrival at his Chinnappampatti village in Salem district.