The former head coach of the Indian side, Ravi Shastri, had no issue with the celebration of the blue brigade after the batting contribution from the last pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep to save them from being enforced the follow-on in the third Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Gabba in Brisbane against Australia.
Ravi Shastri claimed that it was a psychological boost for the tourists ahead of the fourth Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In reply to the 445 in the first innings by Australia, the Rohit Sharma-led side was 44/4 at one stage before some contributions from KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja gave them a slight hope, but it was all down to the 47-run stand for the last wicket to carry them over the line.
“You should celebrate. It required a lot of character from the last pair, with 35-36 runs needed. That celebration showed they knew the importance of that effort within the dressing room in the context of the series.” The former spin all-rounder of the side expressed this during the recent episode of the ICC review while speaking with the host, Sanjana Ganesan.
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“It’s one thing following on, it’s one thing then again being 2-3 down as opposed to, you going ahead and rattling the Australian top-order. It is fully justified.” Ravi Shastri shed light.
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The veteran was quick enough to look back at the recent performance of the Indian side during his coaching tenure under the leadership of Virat Kohli when they were in similar positions before the remarkable 89-run stand between Bumrah and Mohammad Shami at Lord’s during the second Test of the 2021 series against England changed the entire equation of the game.
“It reminded me of the celebration, when in COVID times when Jasprit and Mohammed Shami were involved in a partnership at Lord’s, which turned the game on its head.” Ravi Shastri recalled.
“England were odds on favorites on the final day to win the Test. And that partnership, I think of about 80 or 90, suddenly turned the game on its head, and by the end of the day, India had won the Test match.” The 62-year-old explained.
For the former head coach of the side, the success of India in the red-ball format has been grown and defined by the resilience and stubbornness of the tailenders.
Whether it’s Bumrah, Shami, and Akash Deep in the two instances or it’s Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin in Sydney in the last away BGT in 2020-21, when they fought out the Australia bowlers and their respective injuries.
“When the tail-enders are stubborn, they fight it out there. It makes a massive difference. It did it on the last tour. When Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari batted the whole of the last session to save the game, going into the Gabba and then winning the series.” Ravi Shastri highlighted.
The former captain also reckoned that these performances should lift the spirit of the team and offer them a psychological advantage in the high-stakes series. The fight by the players will be massive for the last two days in MCG and SCG.
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“Massive. They would give anything for a 1-1 result. The first Test is in Perth, the second Test is a day-night in Adelaide, and then the third Test is in Brisbane. Any overseas team will, you know, settle for a 1-1 score because come to Melbourne, come to Sydney, I think India will be powerful.” The two-time BGT winning coach down under reflected.
Ravi Shastri also feels that India has found themselves in a strong position for the last two games, as Australia, having lost three top-order wickets early in their second innings, will feel the pressure.
“They’ve been kept in this series single-handedly by Jasprit Bumrah. If the big boys wake up and step up to the plate, which I just get the gut feeling they will, then Australia has a problem on their hands. Yeah, they got out of jail, but they are not on bail. They are free birds in Melbourne.” Ravi Shastri concluded.
