Defiant India holds on for draw
CRICKET
SYDNEY: A battered and bruised India team batted resiliently through the final day to snatch a remarkable draw in the third test against Australia yesterday, leaving an engrossing series tied at 11 heading into the final match in Brisbane.
A hobbling Hanuma Vihari combined with Ravichandran Ashwin to defy Australia’s attack in a partnership over the last three hours of the match that kept alive India’s hopes of a second successive series triumph Down Under.
The sixthwicket stand was worth only 62 runs but immeasurably more in terms of morale for a squad that has endured quarantine, alleged racial abuse from fans and a catalogue of injuries.
``Our talk this morning was all about showing character, fight till the end and not thinking of the result,'' India skipper Ajinkya Rahane said.
``A special mention to Vihari and Ashwin, the way they batted and showed their character. Looking forward to Brisbane now.''
Australia's frontline bowlers, who skittled the tourists for 36 in the first test, threw everything they had at the Indian batsmen on a day five wicket at Sydney Cricket Ground that did not deteriorate as much as they had hoped.
India finished on 334 for five, 73 runs short of the victory target of 407 that Australia had handed it after declaring on 312 for six at tea on Sunday.
``We certainly created chances to win the game . . . just did not hold our catches, myself in particular,'' Australia captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine said.
Earlier, a brilliant 97 from Rishabh Pant and a typically obdurate 77 from Cheteshwar Pujara had given India a glimmer of hope that it might just be able to chase down the target.
Pant, who was a serious injury doubt on Saturday after taking a blow to his elbow, slugged 12 fours and three sixes.
The pair had put on 148 for the fourth wicket before Pant was caught at backward point three runs shy of his century to give offspinner Nathan Lyon his second wicket of the day.
Pujara was the chalk to Pant’s cheese, eking out his runs from 205 deliveries over 285 minutes before Josh Hazlewood finally got something out of the second new ball to shatter his wickets.
Once they departed, however, a draw was clearly the only target.
Vihari, who pulled up clutching his hamstring after running for a single before tea, scored at a rate that made Pujara look like a limitedovers slogger.
His 23 runs came from 161 deliveries, while Ashwin was barely more expansive with 39 from 128 balls.
Ashwin came out to bat ahead of Ravindra Jadeja, who dislocated his left thumb in the first innings.
Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley earlier ended a week of uncertainty around the Gabba match, which begins on Friday, by announcing that the tourists had agreed to travel to Brisbane despite concerns about the biosecurity measures. — Reuters