Debutant Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur punched above their weight with splendid half-centuries to keep Australia at bay and India bullish after an engrossing third day’s play in the series-deciding fourth Test at Brisbane on Sunday.
India were tottering at 186/6 when Washington and Thakur got together in the middle. Most would have expected little from them considering the form of the Indian lower order in the series and otherwise.
Watch: Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur lead India’s fightback on day three of Brisbane Test
But the two players, who had played just one Test between them before this one, stitched together a delightful 123-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Washington contributing 62 runs and Shardul 67 against a bowling attack many see as the best in the world.
In the process, they also broke a 30-year-old record for the highest 7th wicket partnership for India at the Gabba. In 1991, Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar had put on a 58-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Steel running through their veins: Reactions to India’s Gabba fightback led by Washington, Thakur
Pacer Josh Hazlewood finished with a well-deserved 5/57 for Australia but the stars of the day were undoubtedly Washington and Thakur.
Here’s a look at some of the records that were established during the stand:
India's partnerships from seventh wkt in first three Tests: 136 runs off 45.1 overs (16 stands)
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 17, 2021
Shardul - Sundar partnership: 123 runs off 36.1 overs #AUSvsIND
Indian pairs with 3+ wickets each in an innings and both scoring 50+ runs each in an innings of the same Test:-
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) January 17, 2021
Vinoo Mankad & Dattu Phadkar v ENG, 1951
Hanuma Vihari & Ravindra Jadeja v ENG, 2018
Washington Sundar & Shardul Thakur v AUS, today#AUSvIND
This is just the 12th time in Test history that India's No.7 and No.8 have made half-centuries in the same innings, and just the third time it's happened outside of Asia. #AUSvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 17, 2021
This is the 2nd time that the visitors' #7 & #8 have both made 50+ scores in the same innings of a men's Test at the Gabba:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) January 17, 2021
Lloyd & Marshall (WI), 1984
Sundar & Thakur (IND), 2021#AUSvIND https://t.co/0X1JJs44DW
Indians with 20+ score in Tests, ODIs and T20Is while batting at tail-ender position (No.8-11):-
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) January 17, 2021
Irfan Pathan
R Ashwin
SHARDUL THAKUR#AUSvIND
Washington 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. #AusvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 17, 2021
50 - @Sundarwashi5's half-century is the first time an Indian #7 has scored 50 on debut since Rahul Dravid notched 96 against England at Lord's in 1996. Splendid. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/JAvdpCC7WM
— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) January 17, 2021
All three of Australia's frontline seamers have bowled more than 60% of their deliveries to Washington Sundar as short balls. #AUSvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 17, 2021
This is third time Australia have taken a first innings lead of 33 against India - they ended up losing both the previous instances (Kanpur 1979/80 and Adelaide 2003/04).#AUSvsIND
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 17, 2021
in 2017 at Dharamsala a seventh wicket stand between Jadeja and Saha was crucial in India winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Yet another 7th wicket stand could do exactly the same. https://t.co/ncZiheojxy
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) January 17, 2021