The Rohit Sharma-led Indian Cricket Team managed to avoid the follow-on during the drawn third Test match at Brisbane against Pat Cummins-led Australia but faced a lot of criticism. However, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has a different opinion on the same.
Shastri mentioned that Indian celebrations at the Gabba will lift the visitors as they gear up for the crucial fourth Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series, beginning from December 26 onwards at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
India’s resilience on the final day of the third Test against Australia in Brisbane proved to be a defining moment in the ongoing series and gave a psychological boost ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, according to former coach Ravi Shastri.
At the Gabba Test, India’s KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja prevented a follow-on chasing a magnanimous 445 runs in the first innings. After this, Australia declared at 89/7 in their second innings and gave India 275 runs to win in two sessions. But rains led to the match ending in a draw.
What Shastri said?
Reflecting on the importance of the Indian team avoiding the follow-on at the Gabba, Shastri said at The ICC Review, “You should celebrate.”
He added, “It required a lot of character from the last pair with 35-36 runs needed. That celebration showed, they knew the importance of that effort within the dressing room in the context of the series.”
He mentioned that the effort from Bumrah and Akash Deep set the tone for the next phase of the game.
Shastri said, “It is one thing following on, it is one thing then again being two-three down as opposed to, you going ahead and rattling the Australian top-order. It is fully justified.”
Compares with previous games:
The former Indian head coach compared this performance to similar moments in India’s recent history where Bumrah and Mohammed Shami endured a remarkable 89-run partnership at Lord’s during the 2021 series against England.
“It reminded me of the celebration, when in COVID times, when Jasprit and Mohammed Shami were involved in a partnership at Lord’s, which turned the game on its head,” Shastri said.
“England were odds on favourites on the final day to win the Test. And that partnership, I think of about 80 or 90, suddenly turned the game on its head and by the end of the day, India had won the Test match.”
He said the last draw with Australia at the Gabba lift the Indian team.
“It will lift the Indian team. And for me, the series is on a level peg now and India might just be calling the shots.”
Shastri lauded Bumrah for keeping the series alive single-handedly, adding that it was time for big boys like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to wake up.
“If the big boys wake up, and step up to the plate which I just get the gut feeling they will, then Australia has a problem on their hands. Yeah, they got out of jail but they are not on bail. They are free birds in Melbourne. They can do what they want and come and attack Australia on Boxing Day,” he concluded.
#BGT #Ravi #Shastri #lauds #India #avoiding #followon #Brisbane #Test #celebrate
