The Perfect Send-Off.

When the sun was setting, the crowd departing and the magnitude of the last five days set in, the Australian team crowded around the magical '408' painted on the ground in memory of Phillip Hughes.

 
Arm in arm, the team as one sang 'Under The Southern Cross' as they do after every victory. But this one was different. This was a perfect send-off for their brother and the perfect ending to a perfect Test match.

Throughout the Test there was memories and tributes to Hughes. Planned tributes and accidental tributes. Ranging from David Warner raising his bat to the sky at 50, 63 and 100. Michael Clarke battling the seemingly impossible to score a 100 for his 'little buddy' or Nathan Lyon raising the ball to the sky after a five-for.

There was negative memories for some. Mitchell Johnson clearly struggled in the immediate aftermath of striking Virat Kohli on the helmet and Nathan Lyon commenting that the noise sounded 'very similar' to that of the ball that struck Hughes.

Every tribute seemed planned. Each players personal tribute to Hughes that they had thought of and each individual determined to reach a point in their performance where they'd be able to pay respect to Hughes.   

However, there was the accidental tributes. A century in each innings. Twice. Warner and Kohli both paid their accidental tributes with fantastic centuries in each innings, a feat that for a while became Hughes identity.

Then the perfect send-off. Nathan Lyon had just dismissed Ishant Sharma and off they ran. Celebrating manically. The ‘408’ seemed to have a gravitational pull. The players ended up huddled around the number almost by instinct. This was the perfect send-off for Hughes.

Send offs were common in the second half of this Test. David Warner and Varun Aaron (and most of the Indian team for that matter) were involved in a bitter war-of-words that ended any doubts that Australia will continue to play their cricket in the aggressive manner they’re known for.

The Test was perfect. Australia batted first and piled on the runs with three unique, equally brilliant centuries from Warner, Smith and a broken, but not defeated Michael Clarke. India replied with a classy century from stand-in-skipper Kohli who was also paying tribute to former IPL colleague Hughes.

If the first two innings seemed slightly soft with no real dramas between the teams, the second half of the Test was drama at its finest.

First came the send-off from Varun Aaron. A loud, piercing ‘come on’. Silenced only by the outstretched arm of the umpire signalling for the no-ball. Warner strode back to the middle. ‘Come on. COME ON.’ He bellowed. The spark was lit. 

When Warner was finally dismissed, Kohli at slip screamed with delight. Despite the fact the game was seemingly slipping away. This was now a battle he desperately loves.

The chase was 368 in 98 overs. If there is one man you want to lead a chase for you it is India’s captain. Kohli has led India to victory after victory whilst chasing a total in ODIs. Once again, he led the chase with the innings of the match.

Sidharth Monga described Kohli’s batting as reaching ‘batting nirvana’ and that cannot be argued. On a pitch that was turning and bouncing alarmingly and with Nathan Lyon threatening with every ball, Kohli was unmoved. 

Unmoved until he pulled a rare poor ball from Lyon that he pulled straight to Mitchell Marsh who took a tumbling low catch and the celebrations from the Australian’s showed they knew the victory was theirs.

Lyon deserved his 7 wickets. He likely deserved another 7 on top of those if it wasn’t for some questionable decisions. Maybe one day a system to detect whether a ball is hitting the stumps will be developed. 

The favoured result alternated throughout the day. Australia were the early favourites, especially as Dhawan was ‘caught’ behind via the shoulder off a fearsome Mitchell Johnson – who seemed to have his fire back.

As Vijay – who should have been out twice en-route to 99 - and Kohli racked on the runs. The odds turned toward an unlikely Indian win. However, Lyon’s consistent threat paid off as the victory was wrapped up.

The series moves on to Brisbane next. Without Michael Clarke, however. The man himself says that he may have to retire. Persistent back issues and yet another hamstring issue have put question to whether he can withstand the rigours of professional cricket. 

Australia will do well to pay tribute to Clarke's fighting spirit by wrapping up another victory in Brisbane. For as we’ve seen, Australians do tributes well.