Late drama at the Gabba keeps the series on edge

And then there was drama. Finally. Maybe even against the run of the game. Of the most unlikely kind. Involves the most unlikely subjects. In the most unlikely settings.

After another day of repeated pitter pats and several stops and starts, the third Test had reached a crucial moment of significance. Unexpected. But probably inevitable. Not just in terms of the future of the game, but the future of the series, maybe even the rivalry.

India were now only down to their last pair at the crease. Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. They still needed 33 runs to avoid the follow-on, a task made mighty difficult with the departure of the in-form Ravindra Jadeja after a brave innings.

Australia were keen. Australia were pumped. They had lost Josh Hazlewood for the rest of the Test summer to a calf strain during the day. But Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc ran at full tilt, braving the extreme humidity and the added workload in the absence of their fast bowling counterpart. At that moment they did not look daunted by the prospect of what lay ahead if indeed they were able to restrict the visitors to a first innings total of 246. A full day’s attempt to bowl out the Indians with a three – man attack. After all, it was their only chance to force a result. To corner the downtrodden Indian batting line-up again. And both the superstar fast bowlers were determined for the final push.

Like Bumrah and Akash had to counter the final surge from Starc and Cummins. But neither of the two tailenders thought about survival. They were instead only focused on getting India over the line to safety, to snatch the only likely opportunity for the home side to breathe life into the heavily rain-affected Test.

It wasn’t quite the R Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari at the SCG from four years ago. Both Bumrah and Akash made full use of their limbs and their skills unlike the two had that memorable night in Sydney.

Nor was it quite Kapil Dev who hit Eddie Hemmings for four sixes to salvage the sequel at Lord’s in 1990. Even if Akash hit a six off Pat Cummins moments after completing his mission, which was as massive and so impressive as any that Kapil had smashed on that historic day in London.

With a day to go, it always makes sense to leave a small window for a miracle or a staggering turn of events that could still give us a result either way. But given that’s unlikely, it’s safe to assume that the unbeaten 39-run stand for the final wicket should result in the teams heading to Melbourne later this week with nothing to separate them.

The Gabba wasn’t as packed as it was the first two days. There were only about 6100 spectators. Most of them Indian fans waving their flags and singing hoarse throats.

But not when Jadeja was caught brilliantly, my Mitch Marsh from an aerial hook that was shot out for Cummins. The mood around the Gabba was still not quite as grim and serious as when Rohit Sharma had been cut by his counterpart earlier in the afternoon, leaving India at 5/74. It wasn’t quite as stunned as when Steve Smith darted to the right and bowled a screamer of a catch to get rid of KL Rahul. It wasn’t quite as depressing as every time the rain came and the players had to leave the field.

This was more genuine excitement. Especially when Akash in particular started taking the offense to the Aussies and started pulling India closer to their intended target. Although it was Bumrah who fired the first shot and amazingly, Cummins hit a six over long leg.

It was a five-over burst with both fast bowlers operating in tandem. While Starc kept attacking the stumps and the body, Cummins was extremely diligent and precise with the fields he set. Changes his fields at some point ball after ball to Akash.

The Indian flags were no longer waved with gusto. The roars from the Indian fans were mostly muted, emerging only whenever either Bumrah or Akash managed to get bat on ball.

They hung up every time. Every little push into the on side from Bumrah, every stroke down the ground or through the off side from Akash. The audience came alive when no. On 11, who was clearly a few positions below his true calling, Starc chopped over the gap region for a crucial boundary. That took the partnership to 19, with India needing another 14 to get Australia to strike again. That was the end of Starc for the evening as he bowed down and stood with his hands on his knees after a humble effort.

Cummins approached Nathan Lyon at his end, hoping to tempt Bumrah and Akash to try their luck instead of getting them caught. Or that seemed to be the plan based on the field set for the off-spinner. Instead, No. 10 and no. 11 content to push and nurture Lyon around and remain content with singles.

12 needs now.

Cummins brought himself back to Starc at the Vulture Street End. The pitch was set for the short ball with no fielders down the ground. Akash responded by riding the bounce and driving the ball down the ground for a single. Bumrah then rode the mare too to fetch a single towards fine leg. Then came two more strokes down the ground from Akash’s bat to extend the deliveries. Two runs each on each occasion. Cummins now wanted to change his line. In came Nathan McSweeney to point silly with Travis Head under cover at short leg. It was a bluff as the Australian captain went full and almost made Akash play on his stumps, but the right-hander got away with a single. Only 5 left now.

There were certainly a few tempters in the next Lyon over and even though Bumrah’s eyes lit up, he remained disciplined enough to just push them into cover instead of trying anything expansive. This is after Akash had picked up a single off the first delivery.

4 are now missing. A border away. One shot away.

It was probably the quietest the Gabba had been during the four days of interrupted action as Cummins ran in to bowl at the Bengal fast bowler. The first ball ripped past his bat and hit him on the thigh pad. However, no damage was done. The Indian fans breathed again. But they held their breath once more as Cummins came charging back in. It was a length ball with some width and, as he had against Starc earlier, Akash chipped at it with gusto and got enough of an edge for the ball to fly off McSweeney’s outstretched left hand and gallop past the ropes.

Akash had done it. India had done it. There were some scenes of great joy and jubilation in the Indian dressing room. Rohit Sharma smiled. Virat Kohli pumped his fists. Even Gautam Gambhir was smiling. He was even a bit animated. The Indian fans had also come alive. Theirs was a recognition of not just what the last pair had achieved for India, but also what it could mean for the rest of the series. Late drama at the Gabba. Courtesy an unlikely duo in the most unlikely of settings.