Dogged India avoid follow-on as third Australia Test heads for draw

BRISBANE: India´s Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep pulled off an unlikely 10th-wicket partnership on Tuesday to avoid the follow-on and put the third Test against Australia in Brisbane on course for a draw.

When the pair came together the tourists still needed 33 runs to make Australia bat again at the Gabba on another day marred by rain delays. But under gloomy skies, the two managed to see off Australia´s much-vaunted pace attack to frustrate the home side on day four.

Deep scored the crucial runs with an edge to the boundary just past the outstretched hand of Nathan McSweeney off Australian captain Pat Cummins. He celebrated two balls later by smashing Cummins over deep mid-wicket for a massive six before umpires took them from the field for bad light with India 252-9, trailing by 193 runs.

The five-match series is currently locked 1-1. Opener KL Rahul, who top-scored with 84, said the batting of the lower order showed how much fight this India team has. Deep was not-out 27 and Bumrah was on 10.

“The lower order scoring runs is something that we discuss in our meetings,” Rahul said. “The bowlers work really hard on their batting as well so it´s good to see them get that partnership. “To avoid that follow-on makes a huge difference.”

Missing pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood, who was only able to bowl one over Tuesday after picking up a match-ending calf injury, Cummins (4-80) and Mitchell Starc (3-83) toiled hard to eke out wickets.

After losing almost all of Saturday and Monday due to rain, play was halted three more times on Tuesday. During that time India were able to edge closer to the follow-on target despite losing wickets at crucial times.

But Deep and Bumrah battled hard and put on 39 runs under dark skies and in light rain. “I think the only way to force the game was to enforce the follow-on,” Australia´s bowling coach Daniel Vettori said.

“There was a desperation to get that final wicket.” Resuming the morning at 51-4, Rahul was dropped on the first ball of the day when Steve Smith somehow missed a simple catch at first slip.

Rahul and India captain Rohit Sharma saw out the first half-hour and took the score to 74 before Rohit edged a Cummins delivery that moved slightly off the seam to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Rahul took advantage of Smith´s first-ball lapse and brought up an impressive half-century with a lovely cover drive, shortly before a shower sent the players scurrying from the field for 25 minutes.

He added 51 runs to his overnight total before Smith made amends with a stunning catch to dismiss Rahul, diving to his right and taking a one-handed catch at first slip 20 minutes before lunch.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja put on 53 and looked increasingly comfortable. But just when it looked like the pair would take the score to the 246 needed to avoid the follow-on, Cummins broke through when Reddy played on for 16, leaving Jadeja with only the bowlers to try to avoid the follow-on.

Rain forced an early tea and after the break Jadeja began to take control, farming the strike and moving to 77 before he holed out to Mitchell Marsh at deep square leg. Bumrah and Deep then came together for their memorable partnership.