India vs Australia: Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah recorded a special record with two sixes at Gabba. (AP)In a pulsating day of action in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India’s last-wicket batting pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep emerged as the unlikely heroes to stave off Australia on Day 4 of the Gabba Test on Tuesday.
Staring at the proposition of being asked to follow on for the first time in 13 years since a horrendous England tour in 2011, India opened their first-innings response to Australia’s 445 on Tuesday at 51 for four with captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. While Rohit fell early to his counterpart Pat Cummins, Rahul staged a recovery with help from Ravindra Jadeja.
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
While Rahul (84) and Jadeja (77) could not keep the fight going to help India cross the follow-on mark, it was down to India’s tail-order to weave in some magic to take the side past the mark. Reduced to 213 for nine with Cummins running through the lower-order, Bumrah and Deep were required to secure at least 33 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Not only did the pair see through the nervy phase before bad light ushered in stumps, but Bumrah-Deep also slogged hard for the record books.
Jasprit Bumrah just smashes Pat Cummins for six! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/vOwqRwBaZD
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
Both Bumrah and Deep smashed sixes off Cummins on either side of the follow-on mark, becoming the first Indian No. 10 and No. 11 batters to record sixes in a Test match against Australia. While batting may not be his favoured suit, Bumrah’s booming hook shot off Cummins marked his 10th six in Test cricket and second against Australia.
Still in the early stages of his Test career, Deep’s slog over mid-wicket marked his fifth six in six games, making Australia the fourth straight opposition against whom he has cleared the fence with ease. Interestingly, the Bengal seamer has cracked more sixes than fours in his First-Class career thus far, with the ratio reading 42 to 38.
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