Brisbane: Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori admitted that a resilient partnership between Indian tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep foiled their plans to enforce a follow-on, while also defending the decision not to declare the home team’s first innings in the third Test which seems heading towards a draw.
With the Indian batters, barring KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, failing once again, it was the obstinate 39-run unbeaten partnership between Bumrah and Akash Deep that saved India the blushes as the tourists avoided a follow on a rain marred day four on Tuesday.
“I think the only way to force the game was to force the follow-on,” Vettori said at the post-day press conference.
“There was a desperation to get that final wicket. We thought we had a really good chance when Jadeja was dismissed, but it was a real fighting partnership from Bumrah and Deep.
“Unfortunately, just the amount of time that’s been lost from the game has made it difficult,” he added.
Akash Deep, making his debut in Australia, walked in to bat at 213 for 9, with India still needing 33 runs to avoid the follow-on that could have cost them the game. Alongside pace spearhead Bumrah, he guided India to 252 for 9, frustrating the home team.
Australia had ended day three on 405 for 7 but chose to bat, consuming a considerable amount of game time on a rain affected day four rather than declare their innings.
Asked if declaring was on the table, Vettori said, “No, I think we always acknowledge that first innings runs are going to be vitally important in this game.
“You don’t really want to plan for weather, because we’ve seen on these days where it can blow past, and you can get on with things, and then it can settle in.
“So I think the conversation was mainly around, let’s make the most of this first innings, trust a very good bowling unit to be able to deliver on this wicket like they did today.”
Australia were handed a major blow as pacer Josh Hazlewood sustained a calf injury, ruling him out of the rest of the match.
Vettori said losing one of the best bowlers in the world did affect Australia’s game plan, but the rain breaks helped the pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins without any additional burden.
“Weather allowed us to operate in terms of breaks with Mitch and Patty able to come back on multiple occasions. If it had been full 90 overs, it would have been a lot tougher to manage. We always have the luxury to bowl Nathan (Lyon). So that alleviated a little bit of the concern.
“Because of the breaks, it didn’t feel like we pushed them too hard, and it was a tricky situation at the end there where the ball was incredibly soft and getting wet, but to try and push them just that little bit longer to try and get that last wicket.
“Probably that’s the only time where we felt they were slightly extended, but so far it feels like the norm,” he added.
