Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons India will go to Melbourne with positives and confidence after drawing the third Test match against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane. The visitors were on the back foot for the major part of the game as Australia posted 445 runs on the board after Travis Head and Steve Smith scored fine centuries.
India was kept in the game as KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja scored 84 and 77 runs respectively. Furthermore, Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah added 47 runs for the 10th wicket to help the tourists avoid the follow-on. When Deep scored a boundary against Pat Cummins to help India reach 246, there were celebrations in the Indian dressing room with Virat Kohli high-fiving Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma.
“The thing I liked was that you (India) were behind in the match, you were almost made to follow-on but the truth is that you are going with positives and confidence from here because the team suddenly gets united. Many people are making a mockery of the team’s celebration. The celebration happens because the team fought together,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“The follow-on was a small victory, and sometimes, it changes everything. Australia’s plan has collapsed, that they would defeat us in Perth, with the pink ball, and in Gabba, and go to Melbourne and Sydney 3-0, to the grounds India like. Now that is not going to happen as India are going there at 1-1,” Chopra added.
On the other hand, Bumrah bagged three wickets in Australia’s second innings and he was one wicket away from taking his maiden 10-wicket haul in Test matches. Bumrah had returned with impressive figures of 6-76 in the first innings.
“In the second innings, they (India) also bowled so well that they brought the Australian batting’s weaknesses to the fore. Jasprit Bumrah – why did you declare, Australians? He would have got a 10-wicket haul, the first of his career. (Usman) Khawaja is saying he eats him every day,” he said.
Meanwhile, Siraj also accounted for Travis Head and Steve Smith and registered figures of 2-36 in the second innings.
“Mohammed Siraj did pick up two wickets but it seemed like the side-strain issue was troubling him slightly. He has put his body on the line and been very, very good. Akash Deep – you get the fruits of your hard work for sure. In the last innings, it seemed like he would pick up a wicket in every over. He didn’t get wickets there but he got them here,” Chopra observed.
The fourth Test match between India and Australia will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground from 26th December.
