KL Rahul was as chuffed as the rest of the team after Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah combined for the 10th-wicket partnership and helped India avoid the follow-on in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane. After the euphoric dressing room celebrations led by coach Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, Rahul gave an insider’s view of the emotions in the camp and how avoiding the follow-on is a big boost to the team’s morale ahead of the last two Tests.
India were reeling at 213 for 9, and still needed 33 runs to avoid the follow-on when Australia captain Pat Cummins dismissed Ravindra Jadeja for 77. All hopes were lost when Jadeja, who made 77, went back to the dressing room.
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KL Rahul admitted that he was getting ready to bat again even as uncertainty over whether Australia would enforce follow-on remained after the hosts lost their senior pacer Josh Hazlewood to injury. He said the team was thrilled that the hard work of the lower-order batters at the nets was rewarded in a crunch situation.
However, Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah came up with a gritty partnership of 39 runs after seeing off the Australian bowling threat for 9 overs. India successfully avoided the follow-on and ended the fourth day’s play on 252 for 9, putting themselves in a position where they can’t lose the Test.
“Yes, it’s very good to see when the lower-order chips in and scores runs. That’s something we discuss in our meetings. The bowlers work hard on their batting. It’s really good to see that they could go there and get that little partnership. Avoiding the follow-on makes a huge difference. Knowing that there’s a little bit rain around, we needed to find a way to stay in the game. Akash and Bumrah did that, and it was a great way to end the day for us,” KL Rahul told the press on Tuesday in Brisbane.
“It was a great contest in the last half-an-hour. Not just the runs they scored or the way they batted, the heart that they showed to keep away the bouncers, to get behind the ball, to defend the ball well and play some shots. It’s really good. It will give them a lot of confidence and will give the group a lot of confidence,” he added.
The contrasting emotions in the two camps following the Bumrah-Akash partnership told the story. While the Indian players celebrated, Australia’s shoulders slumped, fully aware that they had squandered a golden opportunity to dominate India despite posting a formidable 445 in the first innings.
MESSAGE FROM DRESSING ROOM
Rahul also shed light on the message that was sent from the team management to Akash and Bumrah when they were inching closer to the follow-on mark. Rahul said the captain and the coach felt Akash was playing a few too many shots and the message from the change room was sent to calm the two batters down in the middle.
“It’s very simple. Try and get those runs and don’t have to try and do it with a boundary. You can just knock it around. They had spread the field and there were singles to be taken. Just before the message was sent out, we saw Akash tried to hit it and he tried to hit a boundary. It was just a message to calm them down,” he said.
Akash eventually hit a boundary to help India go past the follow-on mark. He then hit a huge six off Pat Cummins, adding to the delight in the dressing room.
Before Akash Deep could swing his bat a couple more times, the play was called off due to bad light.
Earlier in the day, KL Rahul rode his luck to hit a gritty 84 that helped India recover from 74 for 5. Rahul was dropped by Steve Smith in the first delivery of the day’s play. However, the opener put behind the episode and played a fluent knock. He stitched a 67-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket.
Rahul’s ability to focus and fend the Australian bowling threat despite the frequently frustrating rain breaks stood out on Tuesday. The Indian star missed out on a well-deserved hundred after Steve Smith redeemed himself with a stunning catch in the slip cordon.
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