The Indian dressing room, comprising Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, was a sight to behold just as Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah helped avoid follow-on. India may not win this Test match from here on, but they are no less than winners after what the team achieved on Day 4 of the 3rd Test match of the series against Australia in Brisbane on Tuesday. Entering Day 4, the biggest question was whether India, with their score reading 51/4, could avoid the follow-on. It looked improbable for the most part, with their chances looking next to none, when they lost their ninth wicket for 213, still 33 adrift. But a tremendous rear-guard effort from Jasprit Bumrah, and more importantly, Akash Deep, helped India breach the 246-run mark, ensured Australia would bat again, and raised hopes of what promises to be a draw as big as a win.
Hours after Bumrah’s batting credentials were questioned by a reporter, only to get a befitting answer in reply, the India pacer justified his remarks, remaining unbeaten on 10 off 27. The biggest surprise, however, came from his partner Akash Deep, who scored the bulk of the runs – 27 off 31 balls – in their unbeaten partnership of 39 from 54 balls as India reached 252/9 at stumps. With just three sessions left in the game and with rain expected on Wednesday, India are 99.9 percent going to Melbourne, still levelled with Australia at 1-1.
With more than 30 needed, chances were slim. Until Bumrah swatted a six of Pat Cummins to get the crowd going. Soon enough, the ball started finding the middle of Akash’s bat. Runs began to come and with authority. Akash and Bumrah collected plenty of doubles and ran phenomenally well to bring the runs needed to inside 10. An over later, with four to get, Akash flayed Cummins over the slip cordon to trigger euphoria inside the Indian dressing room. Head coach Gautam Gambhir stayed still, until he jumped out of his seat in celebration. Virat Kohli, as usual, joined in with aggressive high-fives.
And that wasn’t all. Akash celebrated India avoiding the follow-on by smoking Cummins deep over long in, into the stands as Kohli, almost like a fanboy, admired it with his eyes going wide. After a dot ball next, play was halted due to bad light, only to be called off moments later, giving India plenty of reasons to cheer.
Jadeja, Rahul set the platform
Akash and Bumrah’s steely resolve was the perfect follow-up act to Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, whose gritty half-centuries rescued India out of a hole. With captain Rohit Sharma departing for just 10, Jadeja and Rahul added 67 runs for the fifth wicket to give India hopes – albeit little – of staying alive in the contest. Rahul was yet to add to his overnight score of 33 when he edged the first ball of the day straight to Steve Smith at second slip, but the former Australia captain, who is as safe as it gets when it comes to taking catches, dropped a sitter. Rahul carried on and completed his second half-century of the series.
Giving him company at the other end was Jadeja. Playing his first Test of the series, he lived up to his moniker of the world’s No. 1 all-rounder, scoring 77 with 7 fours and a six.
For the first time since their victory at Perth, India have showed fortitude, and are expected to carry it forward tomorrow irrespective of what happens. India still trail by 193 runs. Surely, Australia will bat to give themselves some practice for the Boxing Day Test starting December 26.
