Indian cricket team may have lost their ace players because of injury, but even their back up players are putting on a fight against Australia. On day three of the fourth Test at Brisbane, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur put on a partnership of 123 runs for the seventh wicket to keep India in the game.
India were 6 down on 186 runs but they still managed to end up with a score of 336 because of a huge contribution from the lower-order. Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was all praise for the Indian team for their strong character.
“Most of their players are injured but this is the beauty of the Indian team that despite all the setbacks, they are playing with kids (referring to debutant T Natarajan and Washington Sundar, along with Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj) who never would have thought in their wildest of dream that they'll have to play against Australia in such a scenario.
"With Australia coming with full strength and India stopping their onslaught, I’d believe that this half Indian team is better than fully-fit Australia,” the former quick said on a video on his YouTube channel.
India are playing the third Test with a relatively weak bowling line-up than their previous attacks. The inexperienced bowling line-up still managed to get Australia all out under 400 (369) in the first innings.
Despite the injury to key players, they have still managed to stay in the competition. Akhtar has been impressed with the 'never give up' attitude. “With so many injuries, only two big name players are left - Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. Inexperienced Indian players are up against a ball of fire but they are making sure that Australia is being tested. Now imagine, if with this team, India can grab hold of this Test match, I would assume this would become India's biggest Test series in history,” he said.
Ravindra Jadeja, Hanuma Vihari, R Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah were ruled out for India after the Sydney Test. “You enter the final Test but you don't have the team. And yet, they're fighting. This is the character I'm talking about. I won't call it a B team, but if with this they are able to strengthen their grip on the Test, and even if are able to draw, I'd believe it will be a historic moment. There's a lot to be proud of,” Akhtar said.
