Australia v India 3rd Test: India rocks Australia to score miracle draw at SCG
India has defied Australia to pull off one of the greatest saves in Test match history - and missing captain Virat Kohli had his own reason to celebrate.
Pat Cummins will lead the pace attack as Australia looks to claim victory. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
India have redefined themselves as a cricket nation by overcoming broken bones and busted limbs to chisel out one of history’s finest escape acts on a day their missing leader Virat Kohli became a father.
Australia is now facing the embarrassing prospect of surrendering their second straight Border-Gavaskar trophy on home soil, and must now lift for a do-or-die series decider at the Gabba with everything on the line.
An outcome which seemed unlikely when captain Virat Kohli - who announced that he had become a dad for the first time - left the tour following India's historic Test defeat in Adelaide.
“We are thrilled to share with you that we have been blessed with a baby girl this afternoon,’’ Kohli posted to his 88.9 million Instagram and 39.9 million Twitter followers.
It might not have been a loss for Australia, but the ghosts of Headingly reared their heads again as the home side blew what seemed an inevitable victory at the SCG.
There was simply no semblance of an excuse for the home team, who won the toss and incapacitated two Indian players, yet still could take only three wickets on a day five SCG pitch as India showed their resilience for the second time this series and record a famous draw.
One of those incapacitated was Rishabh Pant, who after copping a bruising blow to his elbow two days ago which stopped him from wicket-keeping in the previous innings, bravely walked out and made a match-defining 97.
The other debilitated man was Ravindra Jadeja, but despite padding up to bat with a broken thumb, was never needed because of a 42.3 over stand between Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin – themselves beaten and bashed.
The unheralded Vihari is one of Test cricket’s most unlikely heroes. Despite tearing his hamstring at the very start of his innings which started at 1.52pm, he saved the game with an extraordinary 23 not out from 161 balls to deny Australia nearly four and a half hours later.
All this despite being unable to run.
His brave stand at the SCG will go down in cricketing folklore and was aided by an equally courageous Ashwin (39 not out), who faced 128 balls of his own despite copping several brutal body blows from Pat Cummins which damaged his ribs and rendered him unable to even sit down in the dressing room.
India complete the great escape!
Australia will rue missed opportunities after a tough day at the office, series remains 1-1 heading to The Gabba. #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/b8rY8GIMDJ
“It was really special. It was as good as a victory,” said Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane, who had already watched his team bounce back once to win in Melbourne after their 36-all out capitulation in the first Test.
“Vihari, Ashwin, Pujara, Rohit and also Rishabh Pant. Everyone contributed to the team’s cause but those two guys in the end batted almost two and a half hours for the last session.
“They’re a world class bowling attack. Credit to all the guys the way we played throughout the Test match.
“We always knew Ashwin’s ability as a batsman and Vihari showed he actually can bat and bat really well.
“The message at tea was just hang in there, play one ball at a time, one over a time. Don’t look too far ahead. With five overs to go we were counting each and every delivery.”
Pant goes bang.
Australia dropped four catches – including three from Tim Paine, with the Australian captain turning in the most forgettable Test match of his otherwise impressive tenure as national skipper.
Paine let his frustrations overcome him for the second time in the Test, after already being fined for swearing at an umpire. An unsavoury verbal slanging match with Ashwin as the game was slipping away on Monday was another poor look for the team, particularly after all the work has been put into changing the team’s image post Sandpapergate.
“Obviously we wanted to win the game and I thought we created enough chances to do so,” said Paine, who took responsibility for his drops and bad language and vowed to improve in Brisbane.
“I wouldn’t say it’s deflating. There’s still a lot of positives out of the game. I thought it was an awesome game of Test cricket. But we’re clearly disappointed not to get a win.”
This was India at their brave best finishing 5-334 and only 72 runs shy.
Despite the unsettling racism allegations against Indian stars Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah and the self-imposed distraction of agitating to boycott having to play the fourth Test in Brisbane, India showed incredible focus to fight for survival against all the odds.
At one point India was paying $51 to win the Test, but with Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara (77 off 205 balls) at the crease, they screamed into $6 to chase down a record-breaking 407 set by an Australian side that had dominated the Test.
Steve Smith even resorted to mischievously scratching a new guard for Pant on the pitch during the first drinks break, with the Australians desperate to get under his skin or find anyway to dislodge the punchy left-hander.
When Lyon (2-114) followed the advice of Matt Wade and bowled wide to finally get Pant out swinging for his hundred right before the second new ball was due, it threatened to be the turning point in the day.
Particularly when Pujara followed him nine overs later thanks to a lion-hearted effort from Josh Hazlewood.
Most teams would have folded at that point.
But Vihari – who was demoted below the injured Pant in the batting order and had struggled in the first two Tests – stood up to be counted, with a 23 that had all the value of an unbeaten 100.
Updates
INDIA SAVES TEST MATCH: One of the great escapes in Test history
Rich Lamberton
It's over! They've called it. That's as good as a win for India and one of the great Test saves in history. And to think they were just a hamstring away from probably going close to winning the match outright.
But for all of India's heroics, Australia will remember that as the win that got away – and it could turn the Gabba Test on its head with that 32-year unbeaten record looking very shaky.
Thank you for joining us over five gripping days of Test cricket and we'll see you at the Gabba!
AUSTRALIA
– First innings 338
– Second innings 6d-312
INDIA
– First innings 244
– Second innings 5-334
India complete the great escape!
Australia will rue missed opportunities after a tough day at the office, series remains 1-1 heading to The Gabba. #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/b8rY8GIMDJ
🎙Paine to Ashwin “I can’t wait to get you to the Gabba.” “Just like you want to get to India? Maybe your last series.” “Are you a selector here as well? At least my teammates like me, dickhead. (Wade’s) got more Indian friends than you. Even your teammates think you’re a goose.”
DROPPED! Australia captain Tim Paine drops another catch – this time off the bowling Mitch Starc.
India will survive here. It's been an incredible display of toughness from the tourists and the draw will very much feel like a win. Starc gets a full one to tail away, healthy edge from Vihari and it's David Warner's catch at first slip … but a diving Paine grasses it.
The drop comes after Paine and Ashwin had a heated exchange at the striker's end.
Horizontal shadows creep across the SCG field. Has a little Michael Clarke 2008 feel about it.
Can one of the Aussie bowlers conjure something similar as the Test match reaches its crescendo.
Ashwin-Vihari grind towards draw
tim.michell1
The partnership between Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin continues to frustrate Australia and skipper Tim Paine, who has thrown the ball to Marnus Labuschagne in the search for a breakthrough.
Incredibly, this partnership has lasted longer than India's entire second innings in Adelaide yet has yielded only 29 runs.
Most known balls faced for a Test innings of 7: 112* HVihari 103 NWagner
Marnus Labuschagne into the attack. Australia has no answers here. Vihari (6 off 94) and Ashwin (24 off 75) have stoically resisted everything Australia has thrown at them. Tim Paine's field placements have been shocking. How about this from Huss in the Yates lab: Australia's quicks bowled 1 delivery out 55 that was hitting the stumps after tea.
Ravi Ashwin is putting on his chest guard when facing the quicks and taking it off when facing Nathan Lyon … every single over.
So deliberate and it's really getting under Australia's skin. More Mitch Starc garbage … he's bowling like a kid whose friends are better than him – zero enthusiasm. Put your toys back in the cot, champ.
Meanwhile, big shout from the Aussies but no review. It's the right call as it hit Vihari outside the line.
SCORE UPDATE: 5/291 … India needs 116 runs to win
DROPPED! Sub fielder drops Ashwin
Rich Lamberton
Substitute fielder Sean Abbott has grassed Ravi Ashwin! Full-blooded pull shot whacked right of Abbott and he's dropped it. Tough chance but it should've been taken. Abbott is on for Will Pucovski who has gone for scans on his right shoulder after a fielding mishap.
Twenty nine overs remaining. Lyon now bowling in tandem with Pat Cummins.
A suite of fresh faces are poised to included in an Australia A squad that will take on India A later this month, as the battle for the remaining spot in the Aussie Test team heats up.
Australian selectors will provide an early steer on potential replacements for Cameron Green when they unveil an Australia A squad, with a former Test opener appearing to be a good chance for selection.
