Indian cricket’s seemingly eternal fan Sudhir Gautam blew his conch and waved the national flag. Out in the middle, the tail wagged furiously and it was more than enough for Rohit Sharma’s men to keep their heads afloat in the third Test.
After K.L. Rahul (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (77) lent spine, it was the turn of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep to help India avoid the follow-on during a grim Tuesday of rains and runs. At the fourth day’s close here at the Gabba, India scored 252 for nine in its unfinished first innings while trailing Australia’s 445. And a 193-run deficit still remains.
Needing 246 to avoid the ignominy of batting again, the visitors were struggling at 213 for nine. While the rest were losing their nerve, Bumrah and Akash stayed calm. Singles were stolen, gaps were milked, the odd four was hit and as Pat Cummins kept swapping between bouncers and deliveries hovering around off-stump, India’s number 10 and 11 batter refused to budge.
Fittingly Akash got those crucial ‘avoid-the-follow-on’ runs and he thumped his chest. Soon bad light intervened and it fitted into the template of this contest split between rugged cricket and damp climate.
Earlier, it was a morning of glorious sunshine, moist leaves and wild mushrooms on wet tree barks. Resuming at the overnight 51 for four, India leant on Rahul and Rohit. The former suffered an instant scare as he edged the day’s first delivery but Steve Smith fumbled at second slip as Cummins lapsed into despair.
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Meanwhile, Rohit nudged a single off Mitchell Starc, and Rahul drove with class. Rohit too drove Cummins but the latter scalped the former with one that landed in the corridor of doubt. Rohit played just enough for Alex Carey to warm his gloves.
At 74 for five, Jadeja walked in and drew strength from Rahul. After a slashed four off Starc and with a 50 behind his name, the opener, easily the best Indian batter so far in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, remained the anchor. Meanwhile, Australia had to deal with Josh Hazlewood’s absence as the seamer left to check on a niggle.
A drizzle soon ensued and on resumption, Jadeja swept Nathan Lyon, straight-drove Cummins and Rahul found his runs down the leg side. Just as the 67-run sixth-wicket partnership seemed to find more ballast, Rahul (84) in trying to cut, ended up guiding Lyon to a diving Smith at first slip.
After a lunch-cum-rain break, Jadeja and Nitish Kumar stayed together. Jadeja got to his 50 and twirled his bat like a sword. Jadeja and a patient Nitish stitched 53 runs for the seventh wicket before the latter edged a Cummins delivery onto his stumps.
Soon, Mohammed Siraj fell to Starc and Jadeja succumbed to the short-ball trap set by Cummins. The southpaw hooked straight to Mitchell Marsh and India was down for the count but Bumrah and Akash had self-belief, and now a gripping fifth day awaits despite the expected dark clouds.