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Fightback, grit, courage and extreme patience have been the story of Indian cricket team ever since they faced the embarrassing loss in the Adelaide Test of the Border-Gavaskar Troಌphy against Australia.
Another display of solid performance was seen in the ongoing fourth Test at The Gabba in Brisbane. The Indian🅺 lower order showed bravery after they lost their fi💃rst 6 wickets for 186.
Debutant Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur,𒆙 who is p🌄laying his 2nd Test match, teamed up to get India to go past 300.
In the process, the duo put up a record partnership of 123 runs. When the stand touched 59 runs, it was already the highest 7th wicket partnership for an Indian pair at the Gabba. By doing that, they broke the 30-year-old record that was held by Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar in 1991.
The last time India played at this venue, was during India’s 2014-15 tour of Australia when MS Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin had stitched a partnership of 57 run🥃s iꦗn the 1st innings.
Highest 7th wicket partnership for India (vs Australia) at the Gabba:
- 123 – Washington Sundar – Shardul Thakur (2021)
- 58 – Kapil Dev – Manoj Prabhakar (1991)
- 57 – MS Dhoni – Ravichandran Ashwin (2014)
- 49 – Manoj Prabhakar – Ravi Shastri (1991)
- 44 – M.L. Jaisimha – Bapu Nadkarni (1968)
Shardul and Sundar both scored the half-centuries and took the partnership to 123 runs, in the 3rd session of Day 3, before Pat Cummins made a breakthrough for the home team by cleaning up Sh🐻ardul for a well-made 67. On the other hand, Sundar scored 62, and it was the highest score by a debutant at Number 7 in Australia.
The last time India’s numbers 7 and 8 scored half-centuries in same innings during an away game, was at Manchester in 1982, when Sandeep Patil had scored an unbeaten 129 while Kapil Dev made 65.
Sundar also became the second Indian player to hit a half-century on debut and take three wickets after Dattu Phadkar (51 & 3/14 vs Aus, SCG, 1947/48).
100+ partnership for 7th wicket for India in Australia:
- 204 – R Pant – R Jadeja at Sydney (2018/19)
- 132 – V Hazare – H Adhikari at Adelaide (1947/48)
- 123 – W Sundar – S Thakur at Brisbane (2020/21)*
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Outstanding application and belief by and . This is what test cricket is ൲all about. Washy top composure on debut and tula parat maanla re Thakur! 👏👌
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli)
Indians on Test debut – all-round performers….
51 & 3/14 – Dattu Phadkar (Sydney) 1947
56 & 3/37 – Hanuma Vihari (The Oval) 2018
50* & 3/89 – S Washington (Brisbane) 2021— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
Congrats & on ur maiden Test 50’s. Loved the fight, technique and will power you both exhibi🐭ted. Also a good example for young bowlers to work on their batting as you never know when your contribution with the bat will help the team.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
What 🐟a test debut for @Sundarwashi. Love the way he has gone about minding his business
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani)
👌 + 🚫 👐 =
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
Washi🦋ngton Sundar is third India player to score 50 and take 3 wickets in an inns on Test debut. Dattu Phadkar vs Aus in 1947 and Hanuma Vihari vs Eng in 2018 were the first two.
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad)
Wow k🌱ya baat hai top class 🇮🇳🇮🇳🗹 and 💥💥🙌🇮🇳👏👏
— Rahul Sharma (@ImRahulSharma3)
Niche stat: Washington Sundar's 45no is the highest Test score by a No7 debutant visiting Australia since December 1911
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09)
💫Australia have pushed India into a corner quite a few times this series. But in every corner, India have found a hero, or two. Story of this incredible Test tour for India
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
A standing ovation for Shardu🅘l Thakur from his teammates
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket)
From net bowlers who arrived for practice to the highest scorers in the innings.
We have to stand up and appreciate o💫ne of the most resilient fightbacks!— DK (@DineshKarthik)
No look slog sweep for six. Noꦓw I’ve seen everything.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell)
Shardul and Washington: India’s best seventh wicket stand at the Gabba (last was in 91༺/92, Kapil Dev/M Prabhakar, 58 runs). How good! 😍🇮🇳🇦�🌠�
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB)
Full credit to India … The character they have had to show on this tour has been remarkable … also the resilience with so many injuries … a team is only as good as its bench many say … Well India have a very strong bench of players now …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Half a ton for Washington….what a debut!!!
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
WinViz as it stands:
Australia – 14%
India – 15%
Draw – 71%— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst)
Nathan Lyon King George
🤝
underestimating Washington and getting smashed— Nick (@SharlandNM)
86% Border-Gavaskar to stay with India
— Rick Eyre on cricket (@rickeyrecricket)
In the end, India were bundled out on 336. For the hosts, Josh Hazlewood picked up five wickets for 57 runs while Mitchell Starc and Cummins bagged two scalps each. Nathan Lyon earned one wicket.
In reply, Aust🔥ralia have managed to score 21 without a🌄 loss, leading India by 54 runs.