KLassy KL Rahul Plays All-Important Innings, Scores 84 To Give India Fighting Chance In Brisbane

In what seemed to be another batting failure by India, one man stood above all to give his best effort with the bat. KL Rahul scored an extremely important innings of 84 in Brisbane in the middle of an Indian batting failure to put some very important runs on the board against a dangerous bowling attack by Australia. KL Rahul played a gritty innings and looked well on his way to a century but was dismissed on 84 after Steve Smith took an exceptional catch.

KL Rahul displayed admirable technical nous to withstand the stern test posed by the Australian bowlers, making a resolute fifty that formed the backbone of India’s still underwhelming 167 for six at lunch on the fourth day of the third Test here on Tuesday.

A nine toes down Rahul (84, 139b, 8×4) and an equally feisty Ravindra Jadeja (41, 77b, 4×4) raised 67 runs for the sixth wicket before the former fell to a remarkably athletic catch by Steve Smith at first slip off Nathan Lyon, as the home side regained the momentum.

Nitish Kumar Reddy (7) is the other not out batter at the end of the first session that was impeded by a short spell of rain an hour into the play. India still trail Australia by 278 runs.

Resuming from their wafer-thin overnight 51 for four, India needed someone to put his hands up and show some fight, and Rahul rose to the occasion.

There was a moment for massive fortune too for Rahul when Smith spilled a regulation catch at second slip off the first ball of the day from Pat Cummins.

Rahul was on 33 then. A quick look upwards and a silent prayer showed how much he valued that reprieve, which he exploited to the hilt. But once he woke up from a bit of morning haziness, Rahul looked a class apart from the rest of his colleagues. 

The Aussies employed three slips and gully, leaving vast expanse of the ground to play his favourite shot — drive through the cover or in front of the point.

But Rahul was prudent enough to see through that ruse. He did not bring out that shot until the bowlers pitched the ball well up in his driving arc.

The Bengaluru man’s sagacity shone bright in how he defended too — all soft hands and playing close to the body.

Cummins tested him with that fifth stump line outside off, but Rahul either left the ball wisely or merely tucked his bat behind his pads.

Perhaps, he has been watching the footages of Cheteshwar Pujara on how to tire out the Aussie pacers.