Brisbane Test: India's valiant last stand holds off Aussies

In Brisbane, a voice echoed through the press box, "So, will Akash Deep's next shot fly for a four or sail for a six?"

Others chimed in — one spoke about it being hit through the covers, another said it might a six and a few just shushed them all. This was serious stuff.

Never before had the 28-year-old pacer’s batting been discussed with so much enthusiasm by the media but that is what Test cricket can do to you — it can make you focus on details, some important and some mundane. This, to a certain extent, felt important because India needed four runs to avoid the follow-on and make Australia bat again.

India got the four runs — they came off Akash Deep’s bat too. Just not how anyone expected them to be. It was off a back of length delivery that was outside the off-stump. The batter jabbed at it and it went over the leaping gully fielder. Applause erupted across the stadium and in parts of the press box too. Test cricket!

Pore over the scorecard of the Brisbane Test and you’ll notice nothing special. Australia made 445 in their first innings. India’s innings, sandwiched between bouts of rain, was a struggle. At close of play on Day 4, the visitors were 252/9, still trailing by 193 runs.

Test cricket on days like this – only 57.5 overs were bowled – is never about the big picture alone. Rather, it is all about finding the drama in the ordinary, in the unexpected. For the 6,000-odd fans who turned up to watch the game on Tuesday, the joy of watching KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja put together a vital 67-run partnership early in the day was offset by the misery of seeing skipper Rohit Sharma make just 10. But by the end of the day, they were engrossed in something very different.

With the last big star of the Indian batting line-up back in the dressing room, many settled for a day when the visitors would aimlessly stumble, but the fight was a welcome and surprising distraction.

One could marvel at the manner in which Rahul, who was dropped off the very first ball of the day by Steve Smith, made the most of the chance by going back to what has worked so well for him all series. From that point, till he was eventually dismissed for 84, he was superb.

Just as good was Jadeja. His 23 overs had cost India 95 runs, but his 77 runs showed just why he is so vital to this Indian line-up after being included for the first time this series. His lower order runs were a stark reminder of how the top order needed to bat on a wicket that had bounce and movement.

But Jadeja’s fall left India tottering at 213/9. They needed 246 to avoid the follow-on and increase their chances of drawing the Test. In the middle were No.10 Jasprit Bumrah and No.11 Akash Deep.

Mitchell Starc was immediately brought back into the attack. Two slips, a gully and a short leg and the big left-armer was coming around the wicket too.

But Bumrah and Akash survived that over. Then, from the other end, Pat Cummins put himself back on. At Adelaide, the Aussie skipper had badgered the Indian lower order into submission with short deliveries. Would he do that again?

Just as he had done in the second Test, he went around the wicket and his first ball was short. But Bumrah wasn’t about to go down without a fight. He got inside the line of the ball and hooked it into the stands. The crowd cheered but the Aussies thought it was nothing more than momentary respite.

The Indian team management sent out a quick message to the two batters – try and get those runs. Don’t have to try and do it with a boundary. You can knock it around, get those singles.

“They spread the field, so those singles were there to be taken,” said Rahul later. “So,

just to stay a bit more patient, because we saw just before the message went out, Akash tried to hit a boundary. So, just a message to calm him down and see if they can get five or six singles and get the follow-on (averted).”

For five overs after that, the two Aussie pacers threw everything they had at the tailenders but the two held firm. There was luck too, but such bravery deserves it.

With the light fading, Cummins took one final shot at bowling India out. But Akash’s four over gully got India to safety and then, when a delivery was pitched up a couple of balls later, he dispatched it into the stands. One ball later, bad light stopped play.

Australia are still in charge and India may struggle on the final day but no one is taking this away from Bumrah and Akash. They showed immense heart and fight, and along the way reminded us of what makes Test cricket great.