Australia vs India: Rain enforces draw in Brisbane Test
Incessant rain on Day 5 enforced a draw in the 3rd Test between Australia and India at The Gabba, Brisbane. A crucial final-wicket stand between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep saved India as they avoided the follow-on. Australia, who racked up 445 after India elected to field, declared at 89/7 in the second innings. India required 275 runs to win, but rain played spoilsport.
How the match panned out
The match had several interruptions due to rain with 13.2 overs of play possible on Day 1. As mentioned, Australia went on to compile 445 in the first innings. Steven Smith and Travis Head slammed innings-defining tons, while Bumrah took six wickets. India were down to 213/9 in the second innings before avoiding the follow-on. The match was washed out on Day 5.
Story of Day 5
India were bowled out for 260 early on Day 5, with Head taking the final wicket. Just when rain seemed to have played spoilsport, Australia sparked life into the match by declaring at 89/7. Bumrah, Deep, and Siraj shared the wickets. India required 275 runs to win with a minimum of 54 overs, but no play was possible after tea.
Tons from Head and Smith
Australia did well to negotiate the Indian bowlers early on but were reduced to 75/3. Smith and Head put on a double-century stand thereafter, which tilted the match in Australia's favor. The latter, who has been giving India nightmares, smashed a 160-ball 152 (18 fours). His compatriot Smith bounced back with 101 off 190 balls (12 fours). Both of them fell to Bumrah eventually.
Head's third Test hundred against India
Head has now raced past 3,500 runs (now 3,565) in Test cricket. While this was his ninth Test hundred, he also owns 17 fifties. He has also completed 1,000 Test runs against against India (now 1,107), averaging 52.71. The tally includes four fifties and three tons. This was his second successive hundred as he scored a match-winning 140 in the second Test in Adelaide.
Smith completes his record 33rd Test ton
Smith completed his 10th Test hundred against India, the joint-most against the opposition in the format with Joe Root. The batter now boasts 2,162 runs against India in 22 Tests at an average of 61.77. Smith slammed his 33rd Test century, breaking a tie with Steve Waugh (32) in terms of tons for Australia. The former is now only behind Ricky Ponting (41).
Bumrah shines with six-fer in first innings
Bumrah was once again the pick of India's bowlers, finishing with 6/76 from 28 overs. He sent back both the Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney before getting rid of Head and Smith. Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Starc were his final two victims of the innings. Bumrah, India's premier pacer across formats, has raced past 190 wickets in 42 Tests.
Bumrah completed 50 Test wickets Down Under
On the third day, Bumrah sent Starc back to the pavilion to become the second Indian bowler with 50 Test wickets in Australia. He joined the legendary Kapil Dev on this elite list, who has 51 wickets Down Under. As per ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah accomplished the feat in just 19 innings. He later surpassed Kapil by taking three wickets in the second innings.
Ninth Test fifty for Carey
Alex Carey's 70 from 88 balls further bolstered Australia in the match. His knock had 7 fours besides a couple of maximums. As per ESPNcricinfo, the southpaw has now raced to 1,481 runs in 35 Tests at 32.19. This was his ninth Test fifty.
India bowled out for 260, avoid follow-on
India's top order struggled as the visitors were down to 22/3. While KL Rahul (84) held his end, he was devoid of support. He finally found one from Ravindra Jadeja (77) as the duo took India, who struggled at 74/5, past 140. It all came down to the Bumrah-Deep stand after India were tottering at 213/9. They added 47 runs, evading the follow-on.
Key stats of Rahul, Jadeja
Rahul's innings ended when Smith took a brilliant catch off Nathan Lyon's bowling. Rahul slammed 8 fours en route to his 139-ball 84. Playing his 56th match, he raced to 3,212 runs, as per ESPNcricinfo. Meanwhile, Jadeja's 123-ball 77 was studded with 7 fours and a six. He has now scored 252 Test runs at 50.40 Down Under with three fifties in six innings.
How India avoided follow-on on Day 4
India required four runs to avoid the follow-on in the 75th over, when Deep smashed Cummins for a boundary. This sparked excitement into the Indian camp, and it was followed by Deep's incredible maximum against Cummins. Deep finished with a 44-ball 31.
Captain with third-most Test wickets
Cummins and Starc shared seven wickets for Australia in the match. The Aussie captain led from the front, taking a match-defining four-wicket haul. He conceded 81 runs in 22 overs. He also crossed a major milestone by surpassing West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers in terms of Test wickets for a captain. He is only behind Imran Khan (187 wickets) and Richie Benaud (138).
Border-Gavaskar Trophy leveled at 1-1
As mentioned, the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains leveled at 1-1. India won the series opener in Perth before the hosts made a turnaround in Adelaide's Day/Night Test fixture. The two teams would now clash in Melbourne's Boxing Day Test.
