Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir’s clip of doing shadow practice in the ongoing Gabba test against Australia has gone viral, amid the disappointing performances by the batting unit. Gambhir has come under fire from the fans and the cricket fraternity after India’s 3-0 whitewash loss to New Zealand.
Although, India staged a dominating 295-run victory in the first test of BGT 2024-25 in Perth, they were down and out in their 10-wicket loss in Adelaide. With the series being leveled 1-1, both teams headed to Gabba for an interesting battle, with a grim weather forecast.
The pair of Travis Head (152) and Steve Smith (101) proved to be too much to handle for the visitors, as Australia posted a strong total of 455.
In response, India were off to a horrific start yet again, as they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (4), Shubman Gill (1), Virat Kohli (3) and Rishabh Pant (9) in quick succession and were reduced to 51/4. More than impressive bowling efforts, the Indian batters struggled to apply themselves better in testing conditions.
The video clip of Gambhir see him enacting on how to leave the balls outside the off-stump. The failure to do so turned out to be the key reason for the dismissals of Gill, Kohli and Pant.
Bumrah, Akash Deep help India avoid follow-on in Gabba
The Indian team began Day 4 on 51/4, with overnight batters KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma at the helm. Rohit (10) scored a couple of boundaries, before Pat Cummins induced his healthy edge and Alex Carey completing an easy catch.
Nevertheless, Rahul looked in good touch and displayed an equal amount of caution and run-scoring appetite. Unfortunately, he was caught in a brilliant fashion at the slip by Steve Smith for 84 off 139, giving Nathan Lyon his first breakthrough of the game. He stitched a crucial 67-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja to infuse confidence into the Indian team.
Thereafter, Jadeja continued the team’s momentum and steered the side along with Nitish Kumar Reddy. The 21-year-old played with soft hands and respected the Australian bowling attack, unlike the previous two tests. However, the approach couldn’t bear fruit, as he dragged Pat Cummins’ length ball on to the stumps and was dismissed for 16 off 61.
Jadeja looked on course with his impressive showing, but Cummins made him holed out in the deep square leg for 77 off 123 to Mitchell Marsh. Soon, Mitchell Starc sent Mohammed Siraj (1) packing as well.
The last pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep had a monumental task in hand to score 45 runs more to avoid the follow-on. Nevertheless, they stunned the fraternity and fans with their resilience and impressive temperament. Playing with straight bats, the duo carefully helped the team to pass the 245-run mark.
Then, Akash launched a gigantic six towards the deep mid-wicket region to sum up the story of the last hour of play. India ended Day 4 on 252/9 and still trail by 195 runs. Akash (27*) and Bumrah (10*) remain unbeaten for the visitors, as the game is set to end as a draw.
FAQs
What is Australia’s test record in Gabba?
42 wins in 66 games
What happened in the last India-Australia Gabba test?
India breached Gabba fortress after winning the game by three wickets
