After his important half-century in the third Test against Australia in Brisbane, Indian opener KL Rahul praised the tail-enders Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep for their crucial partnership, which helped the team to avoid a follow-on. Rahul added that the runs from the lower order are priceless and avoiding a follow-on will do a lot of good to the team’s confidence. A determined fightback from Team India, which ended day four at 252/9, somehow managed to give the visiting side a fighting chance in this match.
At the post-day press conference, Rahul said, “It is good to see the lower order chip in with runs. We talk about this a lot in our meetings and the bowlers work hard on their batting. It’s great to see them build a partnership and avoid the follow-on.”.
Appreciating the value of that effort, more so with rain interruptions marring the game, Rahul said, “We need to find a way to stay in the game, and I think Akash and Bumrah did that well. At that time, I was getting ready to bat, and I wasn’t sure if they would enforce the follow-on. It’s always uplifting to see the bowlers contribute runs.”
Rahul praised the resilience displayed by Bumrah and Akash Deep, highlighting their ability to face bouncers on a pitch with considerable pace and bounce. “Their last half-hour of batting showcased not only the runs but also their determination. It will give them confidence and uplift the entire group,” he added.
The opener also expressed his frustration for the rain delays, saying, “I think I got more tired running back and forth from the dressing room than I did in the middle. The interruptions posed challenges for both teams, but it’s all part of the game.”
India, who opted to field first after winning the toss, managed to make vital incisions on day two after a wicketless start to send the key Australian batsmen packing. A strong partnership between Steve Smith and Travis Head pegged things back for Australia, with the visitors ending day two at 405/7.
Australia declared at 445 all out on day three, with Bumrah being the best bowler for India, taking six wickets. The first innings of India started on a very bad note as a number of top-order batsmen got out cheaply. KL Rahul steadied the innings to finish day three not out on 33 runs.
Day four was the day of the Indian fightback as Rahul made 84, while Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 77. The two of Akash Deep and Bumrah down the order saved India from the follow-on, taking the team to 252/9. The series is now tied at 1-1 with two matches left, and the contest can be said to be finely poised for a grand finish.
