IND vs AUS 2024: 3 players who starred and 2 who flopped in the 3rd BGT 2024/25 Test ft. Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli
The third Test between India and Australia ended in a draw on Wednesday, December 18. After the hosts set Rohit Sharma and Co. a target of 275, rain played spoilsport once again to prevent the chase from being played out.
The series remains all square at 1-1, and news surrounding the result has been dominated by the surprise retirement of the legendary Ravichandran Ashwin. Nevertheless, India will need to focus on the remainder of the rubber, with many of their players struggling to find form.
On that note, here are three players who starred and two who flopped in the third Test between India and Australia.
#5 Star - Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja's bowling was far from acceptable in Australia's first innings. He lost his lines and lengths very often against Travis Head and Steve Smith, leaking 95 runs in the 23 overs he bowled. The left-arm spinner couldn't get any purchase from the Gabba wicket.
However, Jadeja made an invaluable batting contribution in India's first innings to help them avoid the follow-on. The southpaw hung in there as wickets fell at the other end, making a splendid half-century that featured assured shots on both sides of the wicket.
Jadeja was dismissed while trying to pull one over the boundary, but not before he had brought India close to saving the Test.
#4 Flop - Rohit Sharma
Continuing to bat in the middle order, Rohit Sharma looked completely at sea once again. A threatening delivery from Pat Cummins saw the Indian skipper play unconvincingly away from his body, with his feet going nowhere.
Rohit's captaincy was also sub-par, with India not testing Head with enough short balls at his body. His fields were overly defensive once Head and Smith started to stitch together a partnership, and runs flowed without any real wicket threat.
#3 Star - Jasprit Bumrah
India's skipper from their victorious Perth outing, Jasprit Bumrah, has been by far the best bowler on display in the series so far. The ace spearhead conjured another magical performance in Brisbane, picking up nine wickets in the Test to put the visitors' bowling attack on his shoulders for the umpteenth time.
Bumrah's six-fer in the first innings, including his burst to dismiss Head, Smith and Mitchell Marsh, prevented Australia from totally batting their opponents out of the contest. He also helped himself to three scalps in the second innings to give India a slight glimmer of hope in the chase.
What a genius!
#2 Flop - Virat Kohli
Not much needs to be said about Virat Kohli. The superstar batter drove at one away from his body and nicked off once again, leaving India in a heap of trouble in the first innings.
Without any reliable backfoot scoring options through the off-side, Kohli is overly reliant on the drive to fetch results. And it's a shot that has consistently brought about his downfall against quality bowling attacks. The 36-year-old's refusal to change his failing methods has been puzzling, to say the least.
#1 Star - KL Rahul
For all the criticism KL Rahul has had aimed at him in recent times, he has come up with some valuable efforts for the Indian team. In the Brisbane Test, he notched up an assured 86 to help the visitors avoid the follow-on.
Rahul was given a lifeline when he was in his thirties, but he didn't look back from then. Knowing exactly where his off-stump was, the classy right-hander left superbly and waited for the Australian bowlers to feed him deliveries in his arc. His knock kept India afloat during a period of the game where conditions were extremely tough for batting.