India made significant progress toward leaving Brisbane with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy still level, as their last-wicket pair produced an inspiring, unbeaten 39-run stand to take the team beyond the follow-on mark. With just one day of play remaining, Australia’s chances of winning the third Test have suffered a major setback, especially as they face the absence of Josh Hazlewood, who has been ruled out of this match and possibly the remainder of the series due to a calf strain.
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Cummins and Starc Shoulder the Load in Hazlewood’s Absence
With Josh Hazlewood unavailable, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc took on a heavy workload, bowling 60% of the 74.5 overs in India’s innings. Cummins claimed four wickets while Starc picked up three, but their efforts fell short of stopping India from surpassing the crucial 246-run mark.
KL Rahul, who was dropped off the first ball of the day—an omen of Australia’s struggles—went on to score 84, while Ravindra Jadeja played a brilliantly composed knock of 77. Jadeja made the most of a weakened attack and an aging ball on a pitch favoring the new ball. However, when Cummins eventually dismissed Jadeja with a sharp short delivery, India were still 33 runs away from forcing Australia to bat again.
Akash Deep and Bumrah Show Grit to Defy Australia
Akash Deep joined Jasprit Bumrah in a partnership of remarkable composure, showcasing skill and determination under pressure. Bumrah ended the day with a control percentage of 86, while Akash recorded an impressive 90, reflecting both their resilience and Australia’s strained bowling resources.
Bumrah displayed his intent by hooking Pat Cummins for six en route to 10 off 27 balls, while Akash struck two boundaries and a six, finishing unbeaten on 27 off 31. It was Akash who took India past the follow-on mark, slashing Cummins over a leaping gully fielder. Two balls later, he confidently cleared his front leg and launched a towering six over wide long-on. That shot proved to be the final scoring moment of the day, as bad light prompted the umpires to call the players off the field after one more delivery.
Australia’s Missed Chances and Cummins’ Early Strikes
It was another stop-start day at the Gabba, though less disrupted than day three. While the interruptions offered Australia’s depleted attack some respite from exhaustion, they also shaved more valuable time off the match. In total, only 57.5 overs were bowled throughout the day.
Australia’s frustrations began right at the start. Pat Cummins produced a perfect delivery to KL Rahul off the first ball of the day, rearing up in the corridor and drawing a fend straight to Steven Smith at second slip. Smith, one of the world’s finest slip fielders—something he demonstrated later in the day—failed to hold on, as the ball bounced awkwardly off the heels of his hands.
Cummins, however, struck back soon after with a brilliant sequence to remove Rohit Sharma. First, he fired a sharp short ball past Rohit’s ribcage, preventing any connection on an attempted pull shot. Then, he followed it up with a fuller delivery outside off stump. Rohit, failing to get far enough forward and with his front shoulder too open, edged an attempted drive straight to the keeper.
Jadeja and Rahul Steady India After Early Collapse
India found themselves struggling at 74 for 4 after just 23.3 overs, but Ravindra Jadeja’s arrival brought much-needed calm. Jadeja settled into a composed innings, maintaining a control percentage in the mid-90s throughout. His task was made slightly easier by Josh Hazlewood leaving the field after bowling just one over and the ball losing its early seam and unpredictable bounce. Yet, Jadeja’s organised game plan ensured he capitalised on these favorable circumstances.
His wagon wheel against the fast bowlers illustrated his approach perfectly: a series of controlled drives down the ground with a straight bat, flicks off his legs, but almost no risky shots through the covers with an angled bat. Facing Nathan Lyon, often his nemesis on Indian pitches, Jadeja adapted well to the Gabba’s bounce, where lbw was far less of a threat. He even added the sweep shot to his arsenal—a rarity for him—using it effectively to pick up two boundaries and three singles.
At the other end, KL Rahul grew increasingly solid, punishing loose deliveries with a series of sweet off-side drives. The pair began to chip away at India’s deficit, putting together a crucial 67-run stand. However, Australia got their breakthrough when Steven Smith made up spectacularly for his earlier drop. Anticipating Rahul’s back-cut off Lyon, Smith moved swiftly to his right and dived to pluck the thick edge one-handed, breaking the partnership just as India seemed to steady the ship.
India’s Allrounders Battle to Avoid the Follow-On
With 105 runs still needed to avoid the follow-on, India’s allrounders were called upon to save the Test. While the inclusion of both Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy may have left India’s bowling attack with less depth—contributing to the concession of 445 runs—now it provided the batting strength needed to try and salvage the match.
Reddy, continuing his strong series, was asked to showcase the defensive side of his game rather than counterattack. He responded well, and he and Jadeja added 53 runs for the seventh wicket before Pat Cummins broke through with the ball nearly 60 overs old, getting Reddy to inside-edge onto his stumps.
With India now needing 55 runs and only three wickets remaining, the task was getting tougher. Starc and Cummins, though exhausted, struck quickly, dismissing Mohammed Siraj and Jadeja—the latter falling to a clever short ball while attempting to farm the strike. Australia was closing in on victory, but Bumrah and Akash Deep weren’t ready to concede just yet.
Australia vs India 3rd Test Summary
Australia: Australia 445 (Travis Head 152, Steve Smith 101, Carey 70; Bumrah 6-76)
India: India 252/9 (KL Rahul 84, Ravindra Jadeja 77; Mitchell Starc 2-25) trail Australia by 193 runs
Looking Ahead to Day 5
From Australia’s perspective, the lost time eats into the crucial window they would have preferred to bowl India out again. For India, while playing for a draw remains the primary objective, there’s a very slim, almost unimaginable chance they might entertain thoughts of a win. However, that scenario is a distant one.
The game is beautifully poised for the final day, and all we can do now is hope the weather holds. The likely narrative suggests Australia will bat for at least an hour tomorrow, setting India a target that will be too steep to chase. Unless something truly extraordinary unfolds—like India skittling Australia out cheaply—the match seems destined for a draw. Either way, we can’t wait to see how it all plays out on the final day.
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FAQs
How did India avoid the follow-on in the Test match?
India avoided the follow-on thanks to a gritty 39-run unbroken partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, who showed remarkable composure under pressure.
What role did Ravindra Jadeja play in stabilizing India’s innings?
Jadeja batted with control and an organized game plan, scoring 77 runs, using straight-bat drives and the sweep shot effectively to help India recover after early wickets.
What was Nitish Kumar Reddy’s contribution to the innings?
Reddy showcased his defensive skills, adding 53 runs for the seventh wicket with Jadeja before falling to Pat Cummins after inside-edging onto his stumps.
What were Australia’s key missed opportunities?
Steven Smith dropped KL Rahul off the first ball of the day, a chance that proved costly as Rahul went on to score 84. Smith later redeemed himself with a stunning catch to dismiss Rahul.
How did Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc perform in Hazlewood’s absence?
Cummins and Starc bowled 60% of the overs, with Cummins taking four wickets and Starc three. Despite their efforts, India managed to surpass the follow-on mark.
