After their exit from the Gabba, will Indian batters feel more at ‘home’ in Melbourne?
Rain and a resilient effort by the tailenders helped India escape a tough situation to secure a draw in the third Test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane.
The result leaves the five-Test series level at 1-1, with two matches remaining in Melbourne
and Sydney, where the Indian batters might feel more comfortable.
At 74 for 5, chasing Australia’s first-innings total of 445, India was in a precarious position at the Gabba. However, thanks to the Brisbane weather and gritty half-centuries from KL Rahul (85) and Ravindra Jadeja (77), along with a crucial 47-run partnership for the last wicket between tailenders Akash Deep (31) and Jasprit Bumrah, India managed to avoid the follow-on and salvage the game.
“Whatever happened today on the final day of the Brisbane Test has given us confidence heading into Melbourne,” said India’s captain Rohit Sharma, referring to the team’s effort to secure a draw. “We know we have to start fresh, as the conditions in Melbourne will be different, and the ball may not swing as much there as it did here.”
India’s chances of retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final remain intact, with the prospect of playing on batting-friendly pitches in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the final match in Sydney, where spinners are also expected to receive some assistance.
To secure their third consecutive WTC final appearance, India, the current BGT holders, must win both remaining matches without relying on the results of other fixtures in the 2023-25 WTC cycle.
However, all eyes will be on India’s renowned top-order, featuring young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal, the returning KL Rahul, batting legend Virat Kohli, and captain Rohit Sharma, who has batted lower down the order in Adelaide and Brisbane.
KL Rahul leads the Indian batting charts with 235 runs, followed by Yashasvi Jaiswal (193 runs) and the standout performer of the tour, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy (179 runs).
Despite scoring an unbeaten century (100*) in the second innings of the Perth Test, Virat Kohli has struggled in his other four innings, managing only 26 runs.
India’s only significant opening partnership came in Perth’s second innings, where Jaiswal (161) and Rahul (77) added 201 runs.
In five completed innings so far on the tour, India has only crossed the 200-run mark twice.
Rohit Sharma, 37, has also been struggling for runs since the home Test series against Bangladesh, following a poor run in the three Tests against New Zealand. The captain missed the first Test due to paternity leave but, after joining the team, sacrificed his opening spot to Rahul. In his three innings so far, Rohit has scored just 3, 6, and 10.
“I have not batted well, and there’s no harm in admitting that,” Rohit said during a conversation with reporters in Brisbane. “As long as my mind, body, and feet are moving well, I’m happy with how things are progressing for me.”
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