Brisbane, Dec 17: Ravindra Jadeja stonewalled the Australian bowlers with a characteristically doughty fifty, carrying India to 201 for seven at tea on a rain-interrupted fourth day of the third Test here on Tuesday.
Jadeja (65 batting, 109b, 6×4) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (16, 61b) added 53 runs for the seventh wicket, ensuring that KL Rahul’s classy 84 will not go in vain.
India still trail the hosts by 244 runs, but more importantly, they are 45 runs closer to avoiding the follow-on and forcing the Aussies to bat again, which will all but ensure a drawn match.
Mohammed Siraj, who was promoted to No. 8, is giving company to Jadeja on 1.
Jadeja’s selection ahead of R Ashwin and Washington Sundar might not have pleased everyone around, but the left-hander showed the value he brings to the table as a batter here.
In Australia, Jadeja now averages over 54 and his last four innings on these shores are: 65 not out, 28 not out, 57 and 81.
The 36-year-old scored a good chunk of runs either down the ground or square of the wicket, enabling him to collect the runs without the risk of getting caught behind or in the cordon.
Jadeja brought up his 22nd fifty in Test cricket off 89 balls and the innings was also dotted with sweep shots that he effectively employed against off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Nitish should also be patted for giving some solid company to Jadeja as batting for time was of more importance than the volume of runs considering the weather pattern in Brisbane.
However, a slice of misfortune ended Nitish’s stay as he dragged Pat Cummins’s climbing delivery back onto his stumps, moments before the teams dispersed for tea after yet another rain interruption.
Earlier, Rahul displayed admirable technical nous to withstand the stern test posed by the Australian bowlers, making a resolute fifty.
A nine toes down Rahul (84, 139b, 8×4) and Jadeja raised 67 runs for the sixth wicket before the former fell to a remarkably athletic catch by Steve Smith at first slip off Lyon, as the home side regained the momentum.
Resuming from their wafer-thin overnight 51 for four, India needed someone to put his hands up and show some fight, and Rahul rose to the occasion.
There was a moment for massive fortune too for Rahul when Smith spilled a regulation catch at second slip off the first ball of the day from Cummins.
Rahul was on 33 then. A quick look upwards and a silent prayer showed how much he valued that reprieve, which he exploited to the hilt, notching his 17th Test fifty.
But once he woke up from a bit of morning haziness, Rahul looked a class apart from the rest of his colleagues.
The Aussies employed three slips and gully, leaving vast expanse of the ground to play his favourite shot — drive through the cover or in front of the point.
But Rahul was prudent enough to see through that ruse. He did not bring out that shot until the bowlers pitched the ball well up in his driving arc.
The Bengaluru man’s sagacity shone bright in how he defended too — all soft hands and playing close to the body.
Cummins tested him with that fifth stump line outside off, but Rahul either left the ball wisely or merely tucked his bat behind his pads.
Perhaps, he has been watching the footages of Cheteshwar Pujara on how to tire out the Aussie pacers.
However, skipper Rohit Sharma (10) would rue missing out of another chance to play an impact innings on these shores.
Cummins pitched one close to the off-stump and Rohit poked at it with hard hands, and Alex Carey did the rest behind the stumps.
However, the absence of injured pacer Josh Hazlewood, who left the field after bowling just one over, reduced the intensity of Aussie attack. (PTI)
