He believes that this moment was a crucial turning point in the series and that the celebrations were entirely justified given the context of the match.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed strong support for India’s celebrations after avoiding the follow-on in the third Test against Australia in Brisbane.
Shastri believes that this moment was a crucial turning point in the series and that the celebrations were entirely justified given the context of the match.
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Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri emphasized the significance of India’s resilience on the final day, particularly the contributions of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, who were instrumental in preventing India from falling further behind. He pointed out that the celebrations were a testament to the character displayed by the team, especially from the last pair, who played a crucial role in the effort.
“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,” Shastri said.
Shastri stressed the importance of the distinction between being forced to follow on, which would have put India at a disadvantage, and taking charge by unsettling Australia’s top order. He highlighted that avoiding the follow-on and challenging Australia’s batting was a key moment, making the celebrations completely justified.
“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,” he added.
Drawing a comparison with another memorable moment in India’s recent Test history, Shastri referred to the iconic 89-run partnership between Bumrah and Mohammed Shami at Lord’s during the 2021 England series.
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He noted how that partnership turned the tide in India’s favor, much like the Brisbane fightback. Shastri pointed out that in both instances, the players’ efforts were pivotal in changing the course of the match and boosting the team’s morale.
“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. “England were odds on favourites 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,” Shastri further added.
The series between Australia and India is tied 1-1 after the Brisbane draw, with two matches remaining in Melbourne and Sydney. The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne begins on December 26th.
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