India have narrowly avoided the follow-on at the Gabba, in the third Test match of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Nine wickets down overnight, they could recreate an inventive tactic used at the same venue by New Zealand in 2001 to claw back a winning position in the match.
Australia scored 445 batting first at the Gabba on day one of the ongoing Test. Centuries from Steve Smith and Travis Head were followed by a quick-fire 70 from Alex Carey before India got the opportunity to bat. When India came in to bat, they were quickly in trouble, losing three wickets inside the first 10 overs of their innings before being reduced to 74-5. KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja launched something of a recovery, and the last-wicket pair took the deficit below 200 in the final over of day four.
With only one day's play left and India still batting, a result seems unlikely, and one that would see India take victory even less so. However, an example from 23 years ago at the same ground could be used as a template for a magnificent comeback.
In late 2001, New Zealand set out to challenge a dominant Australia side on home soil. Australia were at the peak of their golden run, having not lost a men's Test series at home since 1993. That run looked set to continue after the first innings of the first Test of the series at yhe Gabba.
Australia scored 486 after New Zealand put them in - Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden both scored centuries in a first-wicket partnership of 224. After Nos.3-6 all fell for single figures, Adam Gilchrist hit 118 off 158 balls, accompanied by a half-century from Brett Lee to put Australia in a good position. However, rain had interrupted the game several times across the first three days, meaning it was already after Lunch on day three by the time Australia declared with one wicket remaining.
Josh Hazlewood, who walked off the field on day four of the Gabba Test due to a calf injury, will take no further part in the ongoing game either.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 17, 2024
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At the end of the fourth day, New Zealand were 186-5, still looking to avoid the follow-on. As soon as they did so the following day, Stephen Fleming declared, 199 runs short of Australia's first innings score. Factored into his thinking was that neither right-arm pacer Dion Nash or left-armer Shayne O'Connor were fully fit, and there was little point in making them bat further.
Looking for quick runs, Gilchrist strode out to open the batting, but only managed 20 off 61 before he was dismissed. Australia declared two wickets down on 84, setting New Zealand 284 to get in 57 overs.
The Black Caps very nearly got there. Opener Mark Richardson hit a rapid half-century, as did Flemming and Nathan Astle cracked 49 off 64 balls. As the light faded, Chris Cairns and Craig McMillan took the target down to 21 off 18 balls. With New Zealand now the more likely side to win with only five wickets down, Glenn McGrath shut the game off. He bowled five dot balls to McMillan well outside the off stump, and Lee dismissed Cairns in the following over. Needing 15 off the last over, five singles were all New Zealand could muster, and the game was drawn.
Manufacturing a possible result in the Test has to be credited to both Fleming and Steve Waugh for sporting declarations. While there was logic to Fleming's decision, being down in the game and with injured quicks, Waugh made the dramatic finish possible by choosing not to bat New Zealand out of the game.
Recreating a scenario like that on day five at Brisbane in 2024 would rely on Pat Cummins taking the same path if Rohit Sharma was to enforce the declaration. Already one pacer down, Josh Hazlewood not set to play any further part in the game, it's hard to imagine Australia would take the gamble even if India did.
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