Watch: Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir celebrated animatedly in the Indian dressing room after their team avoided a rare follow on against Australia on day four of the Brisbane Test.
When Ravindra Jadeja fell for 77 with India at 213-9, the visitors still required 33 runs more to avoid a follow-on, their first since 2011 against England at The Oval.
An act of defiance from tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep helped India save their day. After the 74th over, India were three shy of the target. It was Akash who kept his calm and guided the second ball from Pat Cummins over short-third to avert the danger.
Huge cheers followed as a pumped-up Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir high-fived in the dressing room. Akash acknowledged it and thumped his chest in response. Those celebrations got a lot louder as a ball later Akash cleared his front leg, launching a six over mid-wicket.
Bumrah (10) and Akash (27) remained unbeaten as India went to stumps at 252-9 with bad light stopping play. Had they failed to score 245, it would have been the first time since the Kolkata Test in 2000-01 that India would have been asked to follow on by Australia.
Watch Kohli and Gambhir high five each other:
Akash Deep makes sure India avoid the follow-on and then smashes Pat Cummins into the second level!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/HIu86M7BNW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
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