Indian rookies frustrate Aussies
Test evenly poised as weakened India aim to avoid defeat
Test rookies Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar combined for a rearguard century stand that frustrated Australia’s bowling attack and lifted India from a precarious position to almost first-innings parity in the series-deciding match yesterday.
The partnership formed with India in serious trouble at 186-6 in reply to Australia’s 369, and with no more recognised batters in the pavilion, and added 123 runs — an Indian record for the seventh wicket at the Gabba.
Thakur, in his second test, got off the mark with a six and raised his maiden test half century with another six off Nathan Lyon and topped India’s scoring with a 115-ball 67. Sundar posted 62 from 144 deliveries in his debut test innings. In between the boundaries, the lower middleorder batters dodged, ducked and were hit by short balls peppered at them by the Australian fast bowlers.
The pair had been elevated to the starting line-up for the fourth test and took three wickets each over the first two days after injuries to India’s bowling stocks culminated in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and leading spinner Ravichandran Ashwin being ruled out of the match in Brisbane.
When paceman Josh Hazlewood (5-57) completed a five-wicket haul by clean bowling a wildly-swinging Mohammed Siraj for 13, India were all out for 336 late on day three — just a 33-run first-innings deficit.
Australia reached stumps at 21 without loss, an overall lead of 54. David Warner was unbeaten on 20.
The series is level at 1-1 with two days remaining and it appears India are on track to at least force a draw that would ensure they retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Thakur acknowledged the situation was difficult when he went in to bat, facing up to the crowd, the Australian pace bowlers, a batting partner he’d rarely played with and India in a tough position. But he said he was confident he and Sundar had the temperament for test cricket
and were capable of digging in. And he recalled some advice from India coach Ravi Shastri.
“I remember Ravi Shastri telling me ‘if you perform in this country, you will be rewarded and people are going to love you for your performances’,” Thakur said. “Keeping those things in my mind, I just kept playing. I was just hoping for a turnaround, and it happened.”
Hazlewood praised Thakur and Sundar for the way they took on the game and admitted the Australians “just let a few moments slip”.
“Credit to those two guys, batted
beautifully,” he said, but Australia “probably let pressure off at times across the day. There were a few halfchances we could have grabbed, may have made a difference.”
Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers and was rewarded for his tight line with a ninth five-wicket haul in a test innings.
India resumed yesterday at 66-2 and added 99 runs for the loss of Cheteshwar Pujara by Hazlewood and captain Ajinkya Rahane by Mitchell Starc in the morning session.
Hazlewood also struck early in the middle session. He dismissed Mayank
Agarwal (38) and, six overs later, he had Rishabh Pant (23) spectacularly caught at gully by Cameron Green.
The Australians haven’t lost a test at the Gabba since 1988 but have been held to draws. To win the series, they need to score runs quickly today with the aim of setting a big target and then bowling out India in the fourth innings. They failed to do that in the third test in Sydney, despite being in a strong position.
“We’ve got a nice little lead now, 50 ahead. I think we’re ahead of the game,” Hazlewood said. “Two big days to come.”