IND vs AUS (India National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team) 3rd Test Day 4 Highlights: India managed to avoid following-on thanks gritty knocks from KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and the unbeaten partnership of 39 runs for the 10th wicket between Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah. Bad light forced early stumps with India 252/9, trailing Australia by 193 runs.
Jadeja played a fine innings of 77 before falling to Pat Cummins. With Nitish Reddy, Jadeja stitched a 53-run partnership for the seventh wicket before being separated. It was Pat Cummins who ended the resistance when he had Reddy bowled on 16. Earlier, the pitch was put under the covers as rain continued to play spoilsport at The Gabba. Rahul scored a half-century and looked set for a hundred but for a stunning one-handed catch from Steve Smith at first slip off Nathan Lyon that sent him back to the dressing room on 84. Rain forced several breaks leaving Australian players frustrated.
India’s XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep
Australia’s XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
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74.5 – Back of a length, around middle, angling in, Akash Deep fends it back to the bowler.
Then came in Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, who applied themselves brilliantly under pressure. Both showed great resilience, never looking flustered in the middle. Slowly but steadily, they chipped away at the deficit, frustrating Pat Cummins and the Australian attack as they inched closer to the follow-on target. Despite the mounting tension, India managed to get over the line and avoid the follow-on, just as bad light threatened to end the day’s play.
Australia bowled with discipline and skill, but the absence of Josh Hazlewood ruled out with a calf injury, was a noticeable void in their attack. Pat Cummins, however, led from the front with pinpoint precision and smartly rotated his bowlers, ensuring India never got away with any big partnerships. Every time Australia needed a breakthrough, it was Cummins who delivered, shaking up India’s momentum with a masterful spell. The visitors managed to snatch 3 wickets for just 19 runs at a critical stage, leaving India in all sorts of trouble as they desperately aimed to knock off the remaining 33 runs to avoid the follow-on with just a wicket left.
It was clear that India approached Day 4 with a much more positive mindset, showing a decided effort to leave deliveries outside the off-stump, a strategy that paid off in the way they began. KL Rahul picked up right where he had left off overnight, and despite the early loss of skipper Rohit Sharma, he found solid support from Ravindra Jadeja. Together, the duo stitched a crucial 67-run partnership, steadying Indian nerves and inching closer to the 246-run mark to avoid the follow-on. After KL Rahul’s dismissal – courtesy of a stunning redemption catch from Steven Smith, who had earlier dropped him, Nitish Kumar Reddy stepped in to join Jadeja. The pair built another valuable partnership of 53 runs, further easing the pressure on India and showcasing resilience.
STUMPS HAVE BEEN CALLED! And that, folks, is Test cricket at its absolute finest! After days of gloomy skies and rain interruptions, today’s action more than made up for the wait. It was pure box-office entertainment, with India showing incredible grit and determination to avoid the follow-on. The spirited fightback from the lower middle order was nothing short of remarkable, helping India end Day 4 on a high and keeping their hopes alive of potentially saving the game. What a turnaround and what a day of Test cricket! Bring on Day 5!
UPDATE – 7.51 am GMT (1.21 pm IST) – Uh oh! The umpire brings out the light meter to check the fading light and deems it unfit to continue! Remember, the reading taken back on Day 3 serves as the benchmark for the rest of the game, and play cannot continue below that level.
Uh oh! The umpire brings out the light meter to check the fading light and deems it unfit to continue! Remember, the reading taken back on Day 3 serves as the benchmark for the rest of the game, and play cannot continue below that level.
74.5 – Back of a length, around middle, angling in, Akash Deep fends it back to the bowler.
74.4 – SIX! WOW! WHAT A SHOT! Akash Deep has hit probably the longest six of the match so far! Pat Cummins goes fuller, around middle, nips back in, Akash Deep sets up nicely underneath and heaves it over cow corner for a biggie.
74.3 – Good length, on off, Akash Deep comes forward and blocks it out to cover.
74.2 – FOUR! Deep gets it just over! India have avoided the follow-on and it is met with a huge cheer from the Indian supporters in the crowd. Banged into the deck, over off, Deep hangs back and is not in complete control while gliding it over the slip cordon. He manages to clear the leaping gully fielder for a boundary.
74.1 – Starts from over the wicket, hard length, around leg, nips back in sharply, Akash Deep gets beaten on the inside edge and wears it on the pads. Cummins appeals for LBW but it is clearly going down leg.
73.6 – On a fullish length, on off, Bumrah gets on the front foot and stabs it down on the off side.
Batsman_1 : Jasprit Bumrah 10(27)
Batsman_2 : Akash Deep 17(26)
Bowler : Nathan Lyon 1/54(21)
Over : 74
Run : 1
Wicket : 0
Score : 242/9
73.5 – Drags the length back and this goes straight on, around off, Bumrah hangs on the back foot to keep it out.
73.4 – Drifting away a touch, full and outside off, Bumrah leans on it and defends it out on the off side.
73.3 – Quicker and fuller, outside off, Bumrah gets his bat in the line of the ball and lunges to keep it out.
73.2 – Tossed up, fuller in length, on off, Bumrah reaches out and drives it along the carpet but straight to cover.
73.1 – Lyon serves it a bit too full, around off, Deep drives it square of the wicket towards deep point. Bumrah calls for two but Mitchell Marsh in the deep is quick to get to the ball and keeps it down to one.
72.6 – So nearly dragged back onto the stumps. Pat Cummins goes fuller and outside off, Akash Deep throws his hands at it and ekes out an inside that goes past the stumps to fine leg for a single. India are 5 runs away from avoiding the follow-on.
Batsman_1 : Akash Deep 16(25)
Batsman_2 : Jasprit Bumrah 10(22)
Bowler : Pat Cummins 4/70(20)
Over : 73
Run : 7
Wicket : 0
Score : 241/9
Nathan McSweeney is in really tight at silly point.
72.5 – Similar length, on off, Akash Deep goes back and punches it in a similar direction past the bowler to his left. Starc from cover chases the ball and slides to keep it down to two runs.
72.4 – With a silly point and short leg in place, Cummins bowls it on a length, on off, Akash Deep just times his shot with ease past the bowler to his left and gets two more runs.
72.2 – Back of a length, on leg, Jasprit Bumrah tucks it in front of deep square leg and gets a single. India now just 10 runs away from avoiding the follow-on!
Change of ends for Pat Cummins. 19-2-63-4 so far for Cummins.
72.1 – Steams in from around the wicket and bowls it on a hard length, over middle and off, Akash Deep punches it in front of long off for a single. Pat Cummins on his follow-through chases the ball himself and slides to mop it up.
72.3 – Bashes the deck hard, on a length, over off, Akash Deep hops back and squeezes it out on the off side.
71.5 – Nagging length, on middle, Jasprit Bumrah goes deep in the crease and just about manages to get some bat to keep it down.
71.4 – Full, on off, Jasprit Bumrah eases his drive to mid off.
71.3 – Slows it up and floats it full, on leg, Jasprit Bumrah blocks it just past short leg.
Change of ends for Pat Cummins.
71.6 – Nicely bowled! Gives the ball some flight and keeps it outside off. Gets it to dip in front of Bumrah who lunges to block. Zips past his outside edge and Alex Carey knocks the bails off in a flash too.
Batsman_1 : Jasprit Bumrah 9(21)
Batsman_2 : Akash Deep 10(20)
Bowler : Nathan Lyon 1/53(20)
Over : 72
Run : 2
Wicket : 0
Score : 234/9
