Rahul and Jadeja fight to help India avoid follow-on

India battled hard to successfully avoid the follow-on against Australia and leave the third Test in Brisbane looking destined to be drawn.

The tourists were reduced to 213-9 on a rain-affected fourth day, needing 33 more to make Australia bat again.

However, last-wicket pair Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep played superbly and an upper cut for four from the latter took them past the follow-on mark.

That sparked celebrations from the batters as well as in the India changing room, where Virat Kohli was seen high-fiving team-mates and coaches, before captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Kohli led a standing ovation on the India balcony.

Australia had taken three wickets for 19 runs to set up the follow-on possibility, but the absence of seamer Josh Hazlewood – who is likely to miss the rest of the series with a calf injury – was felt as Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc tired.

KL Rahul, who was dropped from the first ball of the day by Steve Smith, made 84 and Ravindra Jadeja 77.

The five-match series is level at 1-1 after Australia’s 10-wicket win in Adelaide last week.

India must win at least two of the final three Tests to guarantee a place in June’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.

Defending champions Australia will reach the final if they win two of the remaining Tests. They also have another series against Sri Lanka to achieve qualification. (ESPNcricinfo)