Depleted Aussies face uphill task after Indian tailenders' heroics

A depleted Australia will need to pull off one of their more heroic bowling efforts of modern times if they are to claim victory – and with it, a 2-1 series lead – in this rain-marred third Test at the Gabba. 

Led by tireless pace pair Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc – who stood tall in the face of a potentially series-ending calf injury to Josh Hazlewood – the home side overcame a handful of frustrating rain delays and staunch resistance from KL Rahul (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (77) but could not prevent India from avoiding the follow-on in the final over of an intriguing day four. 

At stumps, India were 9-252, still trailing by 193, but with the follow-on off the table thanks to an impressive last-wicket rearguard from Akash Deep (27no) and Jasprit Bumrah (10no), Cummins and his brains trust will likely need to roll the dice with a declaration if they are to claim victory in a contest they have dominated. Added to the enormity of their task will be the absence of Hazlewood, who will not return to the contest after leaving the field early on day four with a second injury of the series for the 32-year-old quick.

Earlier, the 9.50am start brought with it immediate action. After Cummins found an immaculate line and length first up, an edge from KL Rahul flew to Steve Smith at second slip. For Smith, one of the great slippers of his era, the chance was regulation, yet somehow the ball slipped from his grasp, and as he tumbled into Usman Khawaja, and Khawaja tumbled to the ground, so too did the ball. 

It was a moment of chaos and clumsiness that ultimately cost Australia crucial time and runs. 

Cummins, though, persisted, and was rewarded. Six overs later, he got his leg cutter going again and this time it was Rohit Sharma who edged. It was a thinner edge, and it flew finer, straight to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who made no mistake.

India were 5-74 and in a world of trouble, but still they had the quality of Rahul, the experience of Ravindra Jadeja, and the regular bonus of intermittent showers to aid their cause.  

After his top-order teammates failed him, Rahul – who for a long time had been offering a one-man resistance – must've welcomed the strong input from Jadeja. The sixth-wicket pair held firm for almost 20 overs, adding a crucial 67 runs in between squalls before it was Rahul (84) who finally succumbed.

Nathan Lyon, who had hitherto had less involvement in this match than the ground staff, was the man to break the deadlock, as Rahul's attempted punch through cover point found only the edge of his bat. Smith, telegraphing a potential nick, had already begun moving to his right at first slip, and if it was possible to make amends for his earlier miss, that is precisely what he did; his reflexive, diving effort must rank high in his remarkable catalogue of classics. 

As the afternoon wore on, so too did the arm wrestle, and it was difficult for either side to gain much momentum as rain ruled for large chunks of proceedings. Nitish Kumar Reddy (16) again showed himself to be a steady hand in the lower order, soaking up 61 balls, before Cummins intervened with the first ball after a rain break; the right-hander chopping on to leave the Australia captain elated. 

At that point India were still 52 short of the follow-on mark, and their tail was exposed. More rain arrived, and so too did another breakthrough – Starc collecting his third wicket when Mohammed Siraj nicked through to a Carey, who dove well to his right to claim his fourth catch.

Yet Jadeja had picked up where Rahul left off, and as the clock ticked past 5pm, the left-handed allrounder looked like once again being the thorn in Australia's side. 

He had moved to 77 when Cummins, looking to keep him on strike with the final ball of the over, dug in a particularly short bouncer. Jadeja lashed at it anyway, and failed to control his pull shot, the ball flying high towards deep square leg where Mitchell Marsh took a terrific catch running in. 

The wicket brought Bumrah and Akash Deep together and the final wicket for the Australians – and a probable follow-on – appeared only a matter of time. But the Indian 10th-wicket pair held firm through the final nine overs of the day, adding an unbeaten 39 together to make the home side's final-day task all the more challenging.

NRMA Insurance Men's Test Series v India

First Test: India won by 295 runs

Second Test: Australia won by 10 wickets

Third Test: December 14-18: The Gabba, Brisbane, 11.20am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 3-7: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Brendan Doggett, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal