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Rahul and Jadeja resilience pushes India past follow-on mark on stop-start Day 4 in Gabba

By News Update

‌Brief score: IND 252/9 (Rahul 84, Jadeja 77; Cummins 20.5-2-84-4) trail AUS 445 by 193 runs at Stumps on Day 4

Australia got off to the worst possible start on Tuesday, when Steve Smith let slip a sitter to reprieve KL Rahul who had proven to be the only Indian batter to breach double digits the previous evening and looked elegant for his 33 runs. Nevertheless, Pat Cummins kept plugging away and was soon rewarded with the scalp of his rival skipper Rohit Sharma for a paltry score of 10, reducing India to 74/5. Rahul quickly put the first-ball blunder behind him to pick up where he had left off on Day 3 and brought up his half-century in the company of Ravindra Jadeja as the duo added 31 runs to the score before the inevitable rain interruption arrived. Upon resumption, Rahul and Jadeja showcased solid defence and began to look comfortable, bringing up the first half-century stand of the innings in the process. Tragedy eventually stuck in the 43rd over when Smith redeemed himself with a stunning one-handed grab at slip to stop Rahul 16 short of a ton and end the pivotal 67-run stand shortly before Lunch, where the score read 167/6.

With a win no less than a pipe dream, the Men in Blue focused on guarding their wickets and getting past the follow-on mark upon a delayed resumption. Nitish Kumar Reddy thus had to adopt a solid approach, a far cry from his counter-attacking self but provided able company to Jadeja who trot his way to another half-century Down Under. The duo had combined for 53 runs on either side of another rainbreak when Cummins emerged as the partnership breaker once again to bowl Nitish with a back-of-a-length inducker on the stroke of Tea.

Mohammed Siraj could not survive long once the final session began as Alex Carey took a sharp catch off Mitchell Starc’s bowling to leave India reeling at 201/8, and all hope looked lost when a cunning short ball ploy from Cummins helped dispatch Jadeja for 77. With the side still 33 runs away from avoiding the follow-on, the responsibility once again fell on Jasprit Bumrah’s shoulders to guide the team into safe waters but for a change, he had more than a capable partner in Akash Deep. The two survived streakily with edges flying into empty spaces and the occasional elegant stroke despite light quickly fading. Deep finally got India to the promised land in the 75th over with his attempted cut flying over the slip cordon for four, and marked the occasion with a scintillating hit over midwicket to add salt over Cummins’ wounds. Only one more ball followed thereafter before the umpires called off play for the day owing to bad light and India returned to the hut trailing by 193 runs.

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