India escapes defeat

Brisbane: India escaped with a crucial draw in the weather-hit third Test against Australia after intermittent rain wiped out majority of play on day five, leaving the five-match series tantalisingly locked at 1-1.

Resuming the day at 252 for nine, India batted for 24 balls and were all out for 260 in their first innings. With limited time left in the day to force a result after majority of the morning session was rained out, the Australian batters came out all guns blazing and stuttered to 89 for seven in 18 overs before making a brave declaration, giving India at least 54 overs to chase down 275. Bad light and rain forced an early tea break soon after with India at 8 for no loss in 2.1 overs.

The rain got heavier as the time passed and no play was possible thereafter.

Jasprit Bumrah (3/18) was brilliant as usual in the second innings with Mohammed Siraj (2/36) and Akash Deep (2/28) offering good support. Australia’s approach in the second essay was brave and questionable at the same time. Nathan McSweeney (4) and Marnus Labuschagne (1) went after balls outside the off-stump and perished while Usman Khawaja (8) and Mitchell Marsh (2) fell to good de-liveries. Wickets falling in a heap did not impact Australia’s approach as they kept going for the big hits.

Rohit Sharma said it is high time the NCA provides clarity on Mohammed Shami’s fitness, emphasising that he won’t risk fielding the pacer in the series until they are sure of his condition.

“There have been some complaints about his knee as well. So, the last thing you want is the player coming here and then pulling out in the middle of the game. You know what happens when that kind of thing happens. “So, there’s no way we want to take that chance. Unless we are not 100%, 200% sure, we are not going to take any risk,” he added.

Australia’s man in form, Travis Head, played down con-cerns over his fitness after appearing to struggle with a po-tential groin issue . Head said he expects to be “fine” for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Rohit is the first to admit that his recent batting form has been below par but he continues to “feel good” about his game, providing him hope for the remaining two Tests.

Rohit hailed the resilience of the lower-order batters , say-ing it has given the side renewed confidence for the re-maining series. “The situation we were in just after lunch (on Day 4), needed someone to stand up and take us through, we knew with the weather, we knew it wasn’t go-ing to be a full game.” Opener KL Rahul once again shone, top-scoring with 84 before Ravindra Jadeja (77) put up a lower-order resistance. Then the last duo of Akash Deep (31) and Jasprit Bumrah (10 not out) put on a gritty 47-run partnership to help India avoid follow-on before they were all out for 260.