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Brave Team India Earned Honorable Draw at SCG 

Saleque Sufi | banglanews24.com
Update: 2021-01-12 12:57:49
Brave Team India Earned Honorable Draw at SCG  [photo collected]

ICC Test Championship 
Border -Gavaskar Trophy 
Australia VS India Test Series 3rd Match 
Played at SCG Sydney From 7-11 January 2021 
Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day Four    
Australia 1st Innings: 388 in 105.4 Overs (Steve Smith 131,Marnus Labuchagne 91, William Jan Pucovski 62, Mitchell Starc 24, Ravindra Jadeja 4/64, Navdeep Saini 2/65, Jasprit Bumrah 2/66, Mohammad Siraj 1/ 67) 
Australia 2nd Innings 312/6 Declared in 87 Overs (Cameroon Green 84, Steve Smith 81, Marnus Labuchagne 73, Tim Paine 39* ,Navdeep Saini 2/54, Ravichandra Ashwin 2/94)  
India 1st Innings 244 in 100.4 Overs (Shubman Gill 50,Cheteswar Pujara 50, Rishav Pant 36, Ravindra Jadeja 28*,Rohit Sharma 26, Pat Cummins 4/29, Josh Hazelwood 2/2433) 
And India 2nd Innings 334/5 in 131 Overs (Rishabh Pant 97, Cheteswar Pujara 77, Rohit Sharma 52, Shubman Gill 31, Josh Hazelwood 1/11, Pat Cummins 1/ 25) 
Player Of The Match: Steve Smith.
Match Drawn 
Four Matches Test Series Stands at 1-1 after three tests 

Depleted team India hamstrung with injuries to key players 
Pant, Jadeja and Vihari showing exceptional commitment earned a very satisfying honorable draw in the crucial Sydney test. Set a daunting task of scoring 407 on a wearing wicket or batting out over four sessions India at close of the match finished at 334/5. 

Many pundits predicted that on a wearning wicket India in the fourth Innings on day four and five would not even mange a score of 250. Believe it or not at one stage around lunchtime there was possibility of team India turning the table. But fall of Pant and Pujara at one stage raised concern of Indian innings getting wrapped up. But Ashwin and Vihari (Handicapped with injury) resisted doggedly salvaged a draw. Many termed it as good as winning. India survived with a chance of winning the series at Brisbane or holding the Border Gavaskar Trophy with another draw. 

Well it could be a new milestone in Indian Test history winning test by hurdling over 407 runs target in the fourth innings. Having two and a half injured players Team India batting brilliantly for more than four sessions on the fourth afternoon and fifth day of Sydney test earned an exceptional draw in the very important third test at SCG. On fifth morning after Ajinka Rahane was picked early many thought victories of India was only a matter of time. Surprising many Indian Wicket Keeper Rishabh Pant  came to bat. Geeting easy reprieve by Australian wicket keeper Tim Paine he savagely counter attacked Australian bowling. On the other end New Indian batting Wall ( Shadow of Rahul Dravid) held the innings together . Their aggressive 148 runs 4th Wicket partnership almost rattled Australia. But Pant showing dreams of a dream finish tried playing one stroke too many fell to Lyon at 97. India could still advance strongly towards victory had not Cheteswar’s stubborn innings of 77 was undone by possibly the best ball of the series of Hazelwood. From there on Hanuma Vihari (23* in 161 balls) and Ravichandra Ashwin (39* in 128 deliveries) denied Australia exercising great courage and commitment. India salvaged great pride earning a virtual win without winning. 
 
We have noticed an unkind criticism by an Australian Cricket writer mentioning that India played with 12 players as WP Saha who kept wickets instead of Pant (Injured during batting in the first Innings) holding four catches played a major role in the match.  It was not a legitimate replacement permissible in new ICC rule. Pant surprising many batted in the second innings without arm guard . But he was in great pain initially and struggled at the early stage. Australian journalist should rather have blamed Australian captain Tim Pain for dropping Pant twice and Vihari once. If these were accepted India could not survive.But these are part of the match.

No praise would be enough of the courage, determination and commitment of Indian batsman. Pant getting life twice savagely counter attacked Australian bowling. His aggressive 97 in 118 deliveries punctuated with 12 scorching boundaries and three massive sixes almost turned the table on Australia. The New Wall of Indian batting Pujara was also anchoring the innings efficiently. But the loss of both Pant and Pujara at one stage raised possibility of Indian innings wrapped up by tea. But Vihari (injured during the innings) and Ashwin resisting Australian bowlers with dogged defense batted for 43 overs earning a draw equivalent to a win. World cricket witnessed a great test match of intense battle of bat and ball. Vihari –Ashwin unfinished 6th Wicket partnership made Team India proud for their unwavering concentration and commitment. 

Over the last few decades this is perhaps the only time top quality Australian bowling on the 5th day of a test in Australia could not close a test in a favorable situation. Please do not forget the same set of batsmen plus Virat Kohli was all out scoring 36 in an innings at Adelaide in the first test of the series and three batsmen carried injury in the test. 

BDST: 1258 HRS, JAN 12, 2021
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