Team India looked dead and buried when Ravindra Jadeja holed out off Australian captain Pat Cummins for a brilliant 77 as the Indians lost their 9th wicket with 33 runs still needed to avoid the follow-on. No. 11 batter Akash Deep joined his vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah in the middle and nobody gave them any hope of avoiding the follow-on mark of 246 runs.
Both Bumrah and Akash Deep had been demoted in the batting order with Mohammed Siraj sent in at No. 8 after the fall of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. But India’s last-wicket pair have show tremendous fight and temperament to not only save the follow-on but also raise Indian hopes of escaping from the rain-hit third Test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane with a draw.
It all came down to what proved to be the final over of Day 4 bowled by Cummins, who had already claimed 4 wickets in the innings – including that of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. Akash first edged a boundary over the top of the slip cordon when 3 runs were needed to avoid the follow-on mark. What followed was raucous celebration in the Indian dressing room.
Former India captain Virat Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir were seen ‘high-fiving’ each other in the Gabba dressing room with skipper Rohit watching on in amusement. The video of Kohli and Gambhir’s reaction soon went viral on social media.
Virat Kohli’s reaction on akashdeep Saving Follow-on for team india, and the after hitting six.#INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/RLK598FZEB
— Utkarsh (@toxify_x18) December 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Jadeja (77, 123b, 7×4, 1×6) and Rahul (84, 139, 8×4) were the heavy-lifters in India’s 252 for nine when bad light forced a early close to the day. Jasprit Bumrah (10) and Akash Deep (27), who showed appreciable gumption, are holding the fort for India.
The visitors trail Aussies by 193 runs. But they wouldn’t mind that one bit as Australia will now have to bat again and forcing a result in three sessions looks an improbable target, considering the Brisbane weather pattern.
The city is bracing up for rain and a thunderstorm or two on Wednesday as well. A quick word of appreciation is also required for No. 10 Bumrah and No. 11 Akash Deep for knocking down the 33 runs required to go past the follow-on mark of 246.
The much-awaited moment came when Akash crunched Pat Cummins over gully for a boundary. When these two joined forces, India were reeling at 213 for 9 after Jadeja was dismissed. Rahul displayed admirable technical nous to withstand the stern test posed by the Australian bowlers to take the game deep into the day.
There was a moment of massive fortune too for Rahul when Smith spilled a regulation catch at second slip off the first ball of the day from Cummins. Rahul was on 33 then. A quick look upwards and a silent prayer showed how much he valued that reprieve, which he exploited to the hilt, notching his 17th Test fifty.
