Day 4 of IND vs AUS 3rd Test will be hectic for the Indian batters, especially for KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. Day 3 ended on a frustrating note, with early stumps called due to incessant rains. India’s captain and the opener will have a tall task at hands as they will attempt to play for as long as possible to close in on Australia mammoth 445-run 1st innings total. India are currently at 51/4 as the top-order witnessed a collapse once again, this time in Brisbane.
India will need more than just one player to fire in order to avoid a follow-on. If forced to do so, this would be the first time since 2011 that a follow-on was enforced on an Indian team. With the series levelled 1-1 currently, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul need just more than luck to steer India out of the tricky situation. Not to forget, there is 90% chance of rain on Wednesday, which could mean that no play would be possible. However, should the game carry on normally, then India have three cards up their sleeves who can turn around the game for the side.
1. A big innings for KL Rahul loading
Very much like the first two Tests of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, KL Rahul has arguably been one of the best batters for India. Opening the innings for India, the Karnataka batter is unbeaten on 33 runs off 64 deliveries, showing his grit and class while the rest of the top-order collapsed. India’s success on Day 4 hinges on KL Rahul converting his good start to a big score, provided he does not let the Aussies take advantage early on in the day. A big score from Rahul and a partnership with Rohit Sharma can save India from the blues and avoid an embarrassing follow-on from being imposed on the side.
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2. Rohit Sharma breaks free from shackles of poor form
Rohit Sharma‘s form in the latter half of 2024 – especially in the longest format of the game – has been quite miserable. After missing IND vs AUS 1st Test in Perth, the Hitman returned to the playing XI in the Adelaide Test only to face twin failures. Once again, Rohit Sharma finds himself batting when India is in a precarious position and this time he has no choice but to perform or perish. While he is yet to open his account in the ongoing IND vs AUS 3rd Test in Brisbane, it is important for the Indian skipper to turn back the clock and ensure that he plays a solid innings to rescue India from jaws of defeat.
| Match | Bat |
|---|---|
| India vs Australia | 3 & 6 |
| Indians vs PM’s XI | 3 |
| India vs New Zealand | 18 & 11 |
| India vs New Zealand | 0 & 8 |
| India vs New Zealand | 2 & 52 |
| India vs Bangladesh | 23 & 8 |
| India vs Bangladesh | 6 & 5 |
3. Rain saves the day for India
Should KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma fail to fire on Day 4, then India are left with very little options in terms of batting. While Nitish Kumar Reddy – India’s most consistent batter in the ongoing tournament – will be expected to step up and deliver as he has been doing, there is very little strength in terms of what is left of the Indian batting order. Ravindra Jadeja is another option but it is to be noted that last played in the home series against New Zealand and has been benched so far in BGT.
With India stuck in a very tricky situation, it would perhaps be best if the rain gods decide to intervene. In that case, the match would be drawn, saving India from an imminent defeat. This would mean India would have to win the remaining two games of Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
