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Xtra Time Web Desk: KL Rahul, along with the rest of the team, was ecstatic after Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah's vital 10th-wicket partnership helped India avoid the follow-on in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane. Following the euphoric celebrations in the dressing room, led by coach Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, Rahul shared the emotions of the camp, emphasizing the significance of avoiding the follow-on as a morale booster ahead of the final two Tests.

India found themselves struggling at 213 for 9, still needing 33 more runs to avoid the follow-on when Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed for 77. At that moment, the team's hopes seemed dashed. Rahul, however, revealed that he was preparing to bat again, even as uncertainty lingered over Australia's decision to enforce the follow-on after losing senior pacer Josh Hazlewood to injury. He credited the lower-order batters for their hard work in the nets, which paid off in a crucial situation.

Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah defied the Australian bowling attack, putting together a gritty 39-run stand across 9 overs. India reached 252 for 9 at the end of the day's play, a position where they could not lose the Test.

Read More: BGT 2024-25: Jasprit Bumrah silences critics with a gritty knock as India avoid follow-on at the Gabba

"Yes, it's very good to see when the lower-order chips in and scores runs. That's something we discuss in our meetings. The bowlers work hard on their batting. It's really good to see that they could go there and get that little partnership. Avoiding the follow-on makes a huge difference. Knowing that there's a little bit of rain around, we needed to find a way to stay in the game. Akash and Bumrah did that, and it was a great way to end the day for us," Rahul told the press in Brisbane.

#TeamIndia have avoided the follow-on. AUSTRALIA WILL HAVE TO BAT AGAIN!#AUSvINDOnStar ???? 3rd Test, Day 5 | 18th DEC, WED, 5:15 AM on Star Sports! #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/DqW3C9DMJX

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 17, 2024

He further praised the duo for their resilience, stating, "It was a great contest in the last half-an-hour. Not just the runs they scored or the way they batted, but the heart that they showed to keep away the bouncers, to get behind the ball, to defend the ball well and play some shots. It's really good. It will give them a lot of confidence and will give the group a lot of confidence."

The contrasting emotions between the two camps were evident. While the Indian players celebrated, Australia’s shoulders slumped, realizing they had squandered a golden chance to dominate India after posting a daunting 445 in their first innings.

Message from the Dressing Room

Rahul also shared the message that was sent from the dressing room to Akash and Bumrah as they neared the follow-on threshold. He explained that both the captain and coach felt Akash was playing too many shots and needed to calm down. "It's very simple. Try and get those runs and don't have to try and do it with a boundary. You can just knock it around. They had spread the field and there were singles to be taken. Just before the message was sent out, we saw Akash try to hit a boundary. It was just a message to calm them down," Rahul explained.

Read More: BGT 2024-25: Greatest slip catch by Steve Smith? brilliant redemption to dismiss KL Rahul

Akash responded by hitting a boundary, ensuring India surpassed the follow-on mark, and later launched a huge six off Pat Cummins, further delighting the dressing room. However, before Akash could add more runs, play was called off due to bad light.

Earlier in the day, Rahul's gritty 84 was pivotal in helping India recover from a precarious 74 for 5. Despite being dropped by Steve Smith on the first ball of the day, Rahul shrugged off the lapse and played a fluent knock, forming a crucial 67-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket. Rahul's concentration stood out as he tackled the Australian bowlers and managed the frequent rain delays. His pursuit of a well-deserved century was thwarted when Steve Smith redeemed himself with a stunning catch in the slip cordon.