AUS vs IND: Jasprit Bumrah turns Gabba batting hero, day after banter with reporter

AUS vs IND, 3rd Test: Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep added 39 runs in 9 overs to help India avoid the follow-on at Gabba. Bumrah flaunted his solid defensive skills to frustrate Australia on Tuesday, December 17.

In Short

• Jasprit Bumrah pulled Pat Cummins for a six on Day 4
• Bumrah and Akash Deep added 39 runs for the last wicket
• India avoided the follow-on to retain hopes of winning series

Jasprit Bumrah is a proud cricketer. When his batting skills were questioned, albeit in a light-hearted moment at a press conference, Bumrah reminded the world that he takes each aspect of his game seriously. A day after he faced an awkward situation after a cheeky question from a reporter at the Gabba, Bumrah played a potentially match-saving knock for India against Australia in the first innings of the third Test.

Jasprit Bumrah was resolution personified in the middle during his gritty partnership with No. 11 Akash Deep. When India lost Ravindra Jadeja for 77 in the extended final session on Tuesday, they needed 32 more runs to avoid the follow-on.

Bumrah took up the responsibility and kept the fired-up Australian attack at bay. He looked solid in the middle, defending well against both pacers and spinners in the last hour of the day's play. He played the perfect foil to Akash Deep, who threw his bat around bravely and added crucial runs to India's tally.

Bumrah was not fazed by anything that Australia threw at him. When Pat Cummins tried to target his helmet with a steep bouncer, Bumrah played a pull shot that would have made Ricky Ponting proud, smashing it into the deep fine-leg stands.

Bumrah's steely effort with the bat comes a day after he flaunted his world record for the most runs in an over in Test cricket during his exchange with the reporter.

Bumrah and Akash added 39 runs for the 10th-wicket partnership, batting out nine overs in the middle. The two lower-order batters gave it their all, much to the delight of the dressing room.

When Akash Deep hit a boundary to take India past the follow-on mark, coach Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma celebrated with high-fives in the dressing room.

The Indian dressing room stood up to applaud the heroics of Bumrah and Akash Deep as the two batters remained unbeaten at the end of the day's play.

India were 252 for 9 in 74.5 overs when bad light brought an early end to the extended final session on Tuesday.

Having avoided the follow-on, India will be confident of holding Australia to a draw in Brisbane and heading into the last two Tests with renewed spirits.