India may not win this Test match from now on but after what the team achieved on the fourth day of the third Test match of the series against Australia in Brisbane on Tuesday, they are no less than winners. Going into the fourth day, the biggest question was whether India, with the score at 51/4, could avoid injury. It looked unlikely for the most part as their chances were next to nil when they lost their ninth wicket for 213, still 33 points behind. But a tremendous rearguard effort from Jasprit Bumrah and especially Akash Deep helped India breach the 246-run mark, ensured Australia could bat again and raised hopes of a draw as big as a win.

Hours after Bumrah’s batting credentials were questioned by a reporter, only to receive a befitting reply, the Indian pacer justified his comments and remained unbeaten on 10 off 27. However, the biggest surprise came from his partner Akash Deep, who scored the bulk of the runs – 27 from 31 balls – in their unbeaten partnership of 39 from 54 balls as India reached 252/9 at stumps. With just three sessions left in play and rain expected on Wednesday, India are 99.9 per cent in Melbourne and are still level at 1-1 with Australia.

Since more than 30 were needed, the chances were slim. Until Bumrah hit a six off Pat Cummins to get the crowd going. Soon the ball found the middle of Akash’s bat. The runs started coming, and with authority. Akash and Bumrah picked up a lot of doubles and ran phenomenally well to bring the required runs to under 10. An over later, with four to go, Akash Cummins hit over the slip cordon, sparking euphoria in the Indian dressing room. Head coach Gautam Gambhir remained silent until he jumped from his seat in celebration. Virat Kohli, as usual, chimed in with aggressive high-fives.

Watch Team India go crazy below:

And that wasn’t all. Akash celebrated India by smoking Cummins low and long into the stands as he avoided the follow-up while Kohli, almost like a fanboy, admired it wide-eyed. After a dot ball next, the game was stopped due to poor light, only to be abandoned moments later, giving India plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Jadeja, Rahul built the platform

Akash and Bumrah’s iron resolve was a perfect successor to Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, whose gritty half-centuries rescued India from the hole. With captain Rohit Sharma departing for just 10, Jadeja and Rahul added 67 runs for the fifth wicket to give India hope, albeit little, of staying alive in the contest. Rahul was yet to add to his overnight score of 33 when he played the first ball of the day straight to Steve Smith in the second over, but the former Australian captain, as assured as can be when it comes to catching, dropped a sitter. Rahul went ahead and completed his second half-century of the series.

Jadeja joined him at the other end. In his first Test of the series, he lived up to his reputation as the world’s No. 1 all-rounder, scoring 77 with seven fours and a six.

For the first time since their win in Perth, India have shown resilience and are expected to continue that tomorrow no matter what happens. India is still 193 runs behind. Australia will certainly be looking to get some practice in for the Boxing Day Test, which begins on December 26.