Australia’s Nathan Lyon looks on during play on day four of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. (AP)
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon said he and his fellow Australian teammates were surprised to see the reactions that came from the Indian dressing room after they avoided the follow-on on the fourth day of the third Test at Gabba.
The 47-run stand for the 10th-wicket between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep has helped India avoid the follow-on in the Brisbane Test. When the two joined in the middle, India were 213 for 9, still 36 runs away from avoiding follow-on.
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.
Akash Deep makes sure India avoid the follow-on and then smashes Pat Cummins into the second level!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/HIu86M7BNW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
The two stubborn tail-enders, helped India avoid the follow-on, which rejuvenated the Indian dressing room with Virat Kohli high-fiving Gautam Gambhir, and Rohit Sharma laughing away.
“Yeah there’s a few of us who spoke about and we were surprised about their reaction,” Lyon told The Fox Sports.
“We have played well and driven the game to where we are.
“Frustrating but we are still sitting in the changing room 185 in front.
“I still feel if we bat well, we can push for an Australian win. We can’t control the weather. What we can control is our process.
“Especially against Jasprit Bumrah, he’s been excellent this series.”
The veteran spinner took a sly dig on India’s reaction.
He said: “It looked like their top order did not want to bat if we enforced the follow-on.”
Lyon also hailed Australian bowling attack as they pushed India on the brink despite losing Josh Hazlewood to injury.
“Pushing to enforce the follow-on was pretty challenging with Josh out. Mitch (Starc) and Pat (Cummins), they’ve been brilliant for Australia for a number of years and I’m very privileged to be part of this Australian bowling attack,” he said.
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