India avoided the follow-on scare against Australia on Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship final at the Kennington Oval in London on Friday.
Resuming on 151 for five in reply to Australia’s 469, India’s cause was helped by a 109-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Shardul Thakur and Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane struck his 26th Test fifty and completed 5000 runs in the format before falling on 89 after Lunch to Australia captain Pat Cummins.
FOLLOW LIVE BLOG: INDIA VS AUSTRALIA WTC FINAL DAY 3 LIVE SCORE UPDATES
India needed to score 270 runs, 199 less than Australia’s first innings, to avoid the follow-on. It managed to cross the mark in 65/3 overs with a four from Umesh Yadav. Umesh was dismissed two balls later by the Australian skipper.
On Day 2, the fall of wickets started when captain Rohit Sharma was trapped leg-before by Cummins in the seventh over. Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara lost their wickets in identical style, as they shouldered arms to in-seaming deliveries only to see their stumps disturbed.
Virat Kohli fell when Mitchell Starc surprised him with extra bounce. However, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahane’s rearguard effort helped India cross 100 with a sturdy partnership. Jadeja’s counterattacking ended on 48 when off-spinner Nathan Lyon found his outside-edge.
Only four teams have lost a Test after enforcing the follow-on, with India beating Australia in a famous win in Kolkata in 2001.
Test matches where the team lost a Test after enforcing follow-on:
- Australia (586 & 166) lost by 10 runs to England (325 & 437) - First Innings lead - 261 - Sydney Cricket Ground - December 14, 1894.
- Australia (9/401 dec & 111) lost by 18 runs to England (174 & 356) - First Innings lead - 227 - Headingley - July 16, 1981
- Australia (445 & 212) lost by 171 runs to India (171 & 7/657 dec) - First innings lead - 274 - Eden Gardens - March 11, 2001
- England (435/8 dec & 256) lost by 1 run to New Zealand (209 & 483) - First innings lead - 226 - Basin Reserve - February 28, 2023
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