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An incredible Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) between Australia and India came to an end where the visitors showed immense guts and determination.
The extraordinary effort of Hanuma Vihari, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who batted 258 deliveries and blocked whatever was thrown at them, helped India draw the third match as the series is now poised at 1-1.
Rishabh Pant (97) and Cheteshwar Pujara (77) added 148 runs for the fourth wicket in an amazing counter-attacking partnership to put Australia on a backfoot. The game then again shifted towards hosts when Aussie bowlers got rid of Pant and Pujara.
However, another twist in the story was waiting to greet the Australian team. Vihari and Ashwin exhibited top-class cricket and batted for more than 3 hours to make sure India draw the SCG Test.
Most overs batted out by India in 4th innings in draws:
- 150.5 v Eng Oval 1979
- 136.0 v WI Kolkata 1948/49
- 132.0 v WI Mumbai BS 1958/59
- 131.0 v Pak Delhi 1979/80
- 131.0 v Aus Sydney 2020/21*
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Really proud of #TeamIndia!
Special mention to @RishabhPant17, @cheteshwar1, @ashwinravi99 and @Hanumavihari for the roles they’ve played brilliantly.
Any guesses in which dressing room the morale will be high? 😀#OneTeamOneCause #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/hG60Iy6Lva
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 11, 2021
Great fightback by #TeamIndia! Special effort out there and the team showed amazing physical and mental strength.
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) January 11, 2021
Defiance of the very highest quality. A performance to be very proud of @ashwinravi99 @Hanumavihari.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 11, 2021
All things considered, this from India must surely be one of the gutsiest performances in Test history #AUSvIND
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) January 11, 2021
Unbelievable game of cricket. So much character & fight from Pant, Pujara, Vihari & Ashwin – not just today, but think back to all out 36 in Adelaide
Kohli departs, injuries everywhere.
Off to Brisbane at 1-1 for a decider. What a series of Test Cricket 🙌🏽👏🏽 @7Cricket #AUSvIND
— Trent Copeland (@copes9) January 11, 2021
What a test…India have shown remarkable resilience and fight to keep the series very much alive! #AUSvIND
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) January 11, 2021
I like how Ashwin is doing an insta live with Paine while battling to save a Test match
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) January 11, 2021
What a Test match. This will go down as one of India's most resilient efforts in Test cricket.
Vihari, Ashwin, Pant and Jadeja all battered. Crowd issues. And five-down with 42 overs to go. Incredible. #AUSvIND
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) January 11, 2021
A praiseworthy draw against the best bowling attack in the world!
Bravo, India!🇮🇳
Vihari🙏 Ashwin🙏#INDvAUS #INDvsAUSTest #AUSvINDtest #BorderGavaskarTrophy— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 11, 2021
That is true test cricket. Well done to India against a quality bowling attack. Looking forward to the 4th and final test match. #IndvAus #AusvInd #Cricket
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) January 11, 2021
Amazing fight by Indian. Vihari hamstrung, Ashwin peppered with short stuff. What a series. #BorderGavaskarTrophy
— Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) January 11, 2021
'Cometh the hour, cometh the man, and cometh the team'. Extremely proud of #TeamIndia for putting up a fight on Day 5. Special mention to @RishabhPant17, @Hanumavihari, @cheteshwar1 & @ashwinravi99. Well done, guys! Hello Brisbane 🇮🇳 #AUSvsIND
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) January 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/Sdoull/status/1348528894215811073
A draw. India holds on to earn it. What happens in the final Test? 😱🇮🇳🇦🇺 #AUSvIND
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) January 11, 2021
For a team who was all out for 36 in the first test to bounce back this way is commendable and not to forget the loss of so many players #newindia #bcci #Character #mightyproud
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) January 11, 2021
December 19th – India 36 all-out.
December 29th – India won at MCG.
January 11th – India batted 131 overs to seal a draw at SCG.Greatest ever come back in Indian cricket history.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 11, 2021
Lovely conclusion to a great Test match. @ashwinravi99 picks up a stump as a souvenir, offers it to @stevesmith49 who asks him to keep it #AusvIND
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 11, 2021
Incredible India 🇮🇳 #AusvInd #Proud
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 11, 2021
Oh yeah. Final call for #GoodBadRidiculous. #AUSvIND.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) January 11, 2021
Well was glued to @7Cricket coverage of the Test. Well done to India under immense pressure to gain a draw. Cannot wait till Friday for the final match. Have loved this series #AUSvIND
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) January 11, 2021
Herculean effort and a one that will be remembered for a long long time . This is what Test cricket is all about . @BCCI #AUSvIND#SydneyTest
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) January 11, 2021
Hats of to both @Hanumavihari and @ashwinravi99 to draw the test! A lot has to be said about vihari for his grit and determination even after being injured! This knock is as good as any hundred in test cricket! Ashwin always had the talent to be a main allrounder! #AUSvsIND
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) January 11, 2021
Tim Paine has now won 64% of his home Test matches as captain, the lowest figure for any Australian captain this century. #AUSvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 11, 2021
Incredible! India have done it. One of the great Test rearguards. #AUSvIND
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) January 11, 2021
Crazy how a game that good can go for five days and there not be a winner. Test cricket is silly and it's the best #AUSvIND
— Sam Ferris (@samuelfez) January 11, 2021
India have about 11 fit players, dug heels in on bubble conditions in Brisbane, called out racial abuse, and batted 131 overs against Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon for a draw so can still retain Trophy. I'm not sure there's ever been a salvage job to match that #AusvInd
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) January 11, 2021
Great knock from Pant 👏 https://t.co/HHfOTAM9jh
— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) January 11, 2021
Great effort India to draw the Test, tremendous courage and grit shown by the guys especially Pujara, Pant, Vihari and Ash
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 11, 2021
Pic1 – Till Rishabh Pant was at the crease.
Pic2- Pujara, Vihari and Ashwin.And the combination of these 2 made it a fantastic Test Match. Feel so so proud of the Team,
Pant showed why he needs to b treated differently & d grit showed by Vihari, Pujara & Ashwin was unbelievable pic.twitter.com/aU3qN6O3JF— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 11, 2021
What a remarkable determination showed by @ashwinravi99 & @hanumavihari and a brilliant game displayed by Team India with the series currently at draw. Extremely proud of your game today🙌 #AUSvINDtest pic.twitter.com/l9qUMmWBUO
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) January 11, 2021
T 3780 – CRICKET .. Ind v Aus Test .. well done India .. pulled a draw under an extremely difficult situation .. bore the brunt of injury, bore the racist abuses ..AND CAME OUT VICTORIOUS ..
India you are made of sterner stuff !!
Filled every Indians heart with immense PRIDE 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/viaGu2Zptz— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) January 11, 2021
A fitting birthday gift for Rahul Dravid 🎁
An extraordinary display of resistance, fight and patience by India today 🙌#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/5RLA5aqnQp
— ICC (@ICC) January 11, 2021
Amazing display of grit and determination by India. 131 overs is the longest they have batted in 40 years to save the match. Test cricket at its very best. #AusvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 11, 2021