India’s Akash Deep, left, fist bumps with batting partner Jasprit Bumrah during play on day four of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. (AP Photo)
Twenty eight years ago in Bangalore, Australia ran into two Indian tail-enders who refused to fade without a fight. That partnership between Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath resulted in an Indian win in an ODI in1996. On Tuesday, in Brisbane, the Australians ran into another two stubborn tail-enders, and this resulted in India avoiding the follow-on, an event that could mark the difference between loss and a draw. A potential draw that would probably feel like a win, going by the reactions in the Indian dressing room with Virat Kohli high-fiving Gautam Gambhir, and Rohit Sharma laughing away.
When the two joined in the middle, India were 213 for 9, still 36 runs away from avoiding follow-on. Had they succumbed, Australia, their coach Daniel Vettori confirmed, would have enforced. Even that position of 213 had looked distant when Rohit Sharma fell edging a Pat Cummins ball (74 for 5) in the morning and KL Rahul fell to a spectacular catch from Steve Smith to leave India at 141 for 6 in the late afternoon. Smith had dropped a sitter first ball of the day when Rahul edged a Starc delivery to first slip, but this time around, after the Indian opener had played yet another composed knock of 84, he made a difference. Even before Rahul connected with his intended late cut off Nathan Lyon, Smith had moved to his right in anticipation, and he still had to put in a sharp lunge to his right to pouch. But Ravindra Jadeja (77) made amends for his below-par bowling with a fine knock of resistance, but when he pulled Cummins bouncer to long-leg, follow-on looked certain as it brought out the last man Akash.
There was a bit of amateurish joy about the way Kumble and Srinath stitched that stand and the reaction of the team and crowd. Kumble was a dogged fighter with the bat, but Srinath could combust if his heart wasn’t in it. A similar sentiment floated around the Gabbatoir: a dogged Bumrah with potentially combustible but skilful and courageous Akash Deep in mood.
That it took two of the best Indian bowlers to do the jailbreak with the bat as well should worry, but in the here and now, the mood would understandably be of joyous escape and the hope that their stirring fight inspires a few in the top order.
Right near the end, Pat Cummins stood panting. His shirt was absolutely soaked in sweat, and stuck to his tummy as if he had been standing in rain. His face was gleaming with sweat, and he flipped some off his forehead with a flick of his finger. He once again charged in to pepper the last two Indians standing with bouncers, a plan that was already questioned by former Australian cricketers on air. After his commentary stint had finished, where he had disagreed with the plan, Glen McGrath stood peering at the play through a glass panel, shaking his head. Australia’s assistant coach Daniel Vettori claimed the ball had turned too soft in the end and it was a factor in that bouncer plan. It doesn’t quite explain why they didn’t mix up the deliveries more but as Vettori said “it was because of those Cummins and Starc, that Australia were in this good position in the first place”. True, that and some recklessness from the Indian top order.
Guts and skills
Akash’s skill and guts, in particular, was a delight to watch. Time and again, he would hop up to get on top of the bounce to pat down the bouncers. The ball had indeed gone soft, the Australians kept complaining to the umpires as they looked for a ball change but they never agreed to their request. Akash would not only tap and prod, but also play a few lovely shots. Punches on the up with great timing, impressive enough for a smiling Rohit Sharma to mimic one such shot. Only threat it seemed was a possibility of run out as Akash would keep haring, trying to turn twos to three on a few occasions only to find himself staring at Bumrah’s back. Back in 1996, too, that threat had played out as Srinath had an almost irresistible urge to run for everything. Akash wasn’t as impulsive, luckily.
With eight runs needed to avoid follow-on, Cummins finally put a ball fuller and Akash went for a flamboyant on-the-up hack, and the ball flew off the inside-edge past the stumps. A message came out from the Indian dressing room. “It was just to tell him to calm down, that it could be done in singles,” KL Rahul detailed later. Akash did calm down but it was with a rather nonchalant upper-slash over slips that got India across the line of safety.
“We would have enforced the follow-on had we got them out,” Vettori said. The Australians lost Josh Hazlewood to a calf injury early in the day – and he will miss the rest of the series too, but the frequent rain breaks allowed their two main bowlers Cummins and Starc to keep bowling almost throughout the day. “That (enforcing follow-on) was the only chance to get a result here, with the weather,” said Vettori. If the rain stays away, would Australia make a brave and risky declaration at some point in the morning and go for it? Highly unlikely, considering they didn’t declare in the first innings earlier, and had kept treating themselves to a run-buffet against the likes of a rusty Ravindra Jadeja’s below-par bowling.
Jadeja’s redemption
Jadeja, though, secured redemption with the bat in that calm, assured, adept way of his; he has been batting like this overseas for a few years now, swishing his sword-celebrations all around the world. There was no surprise in how well he batted. He has got his technique worked to perfection and doesn’t have to deviate from it. Compact in defense, assured in his driving, busy in working the angles, he flowed along, especially as the Kookaburra ball loses its venom after 30 overs.
Another positive was Nitish Reddy again, though he might not have scored as much, he batted a bit differently than a couple of innings where he had to start counter-attacking because of the match situation. Here, he showed he can be gritty and swallow balls when the situation demands. And KL Rahul continued to be the beacon for the rest of the top-order with his patience and character. It’s imperative that India get out of this game with a draw to regroup and rally to have a proper crack at Melbourne and Sydney. It would need two of their most experienced seniors in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to stand up, but that’s for later. Brisbane has to be left with a draw that feels like a win to them, and try to leave a few more bruises in Australian camp on the final day.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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