Australia vs India: Tourists avoid follow-on in rain-affected third Test with pivotal last-wicket stand
Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep managed to bat through to stumps to ensure India avoided the follow-on in Brisbane; Aussie pace bowler Josh Hazlewood suffered calf soreness and bowled just one over on the fourth day; rain-affected third Test now looks likely to end in a draw
Tuesday 17 December 2024 10:00, UK
Australia missed their chance to push for victory on the final day of the third Test against India after the tourists avoided following-on thanks to a heroic last-wicket stand in Brisbane.
Another day of rain at the Gabba on Tuesday and Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep's steadfast stand has set the third Test of the five-match series on course for a soggy draw.
India avoided having to follow-on with a late flurry of tail-end runs in fading light, as Bumrah and Deep's pivotal partnership took India from 213-9 to 252-9 at stumps, trailing Australia by 193 runs.
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Australia will now have to take one more wicket on the fifth day and either bat again or declare their innings for nought and risk losing the Test and going 2-1 down in the series if India can chase down the target.
KL Rahul top-scored for India with 84 runs before being caught by Steve Smith off Nathan Lyon's bowling.
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Only 13 overs were bowled on the first day on Saturday and there were eight stoppages of play due to rain on the third day on Monday. That pattern of inclement weather continued on Tuesday morning as rain returned to delay the start of play on the fourth day after lunch, then again after only two overs were bowled. Bad light finally stopped play on Tuesday after only 58 overs were bowled.
To compound the frustration for the hosts, Australia could be a bowler down for the remainder of the Test and even the series after Josh Hazlewood suffered calf soreness ahead of the fourth day's play and was only able to send down one over before leaving the field.
Hazlewood, who missed the second Adelaide Test due to side soreness, was late entering the field at the start of play and then looked laboured when he came into the attack.
India won the first Test by 295 runs at Perth, while Australia came back to win the second day-night test in Adelaide by 10 wickets - meaning the five-match series is level at 1-1, and it will stay that way heading into the fourth Test in Melbourne, starting on December 26, unless there is some drama at the Gabba on day five.
