On Rahul Dravid's Birthday As a Fitting Tribute Team India Shows Grit and Determination to Secure a Famous Draw

Team India defied all the odds at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) to secure a historic draw. With Aussies needing eight wickets on Day 5 and the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin dealing with injuries, Tim Paine’s men looked all set to cross the line. However, that didn’t happen as the visitors lost just three wickets on the final day. Interestingly, India pulled off this emphatic draw on January 11 – which is Rahul Dravid’s birthday. While it may be a coincidence, ‘The Wall’ wouldn’t have got a better birthday present than India making a mark against Aussies down under. India vs Australia Stat Highlights 3rd Test 2021 Day 5.

Resilience, patience, mental grit, determination and perseverance are some of the many qualities associated with Dravid and Team India showed all these characteristics to save the game. While Rishabh Pant went for the glory, the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin got under Australia’s skin with their defensive approach – something which Dravid did throughout his career. In fact, the Aussies were on the receiving end of Rahul’s prowess on many occasions. While his 180-run knock in Kolkata scripted history, his 233-run heroics guided India to a memorable four-wicket triumph in Adelaide Test. Rahul Dravid Birthday Special: 233 vs Australia & Other Sensational Knocks by the Wall.

While ‘The Wall’ gave relief to oppositions by announcing retirement in 2012, Team India celebrated his 48th birthday in the most emphatic manner. As Dravid is staying away from the social media world, he can’t express his delight with a tweet or post. However, there’s no doubt that he would be on cloud nine with his countrymen’s performance.

Meanwhile, the four-match series remains poised at 1-1 with the third Test ending in a draw. Notably, nine games have been played in this tour so far, and both sides are standing at the same position with four wins each. The final showdown will take place at The Gabba in Brisbane, and both teams have everything to play for.

While Aussies will have to win to get a Border Gavaskar trophy, India can retain the title by even securing a draw in the fourth Test. However, they face an uphill task with Jadeja, Vihari and Pant in doubt for the fixture. On the other hand, Tim Paine and Co will be gutted with a result and will come all guns blazing in the final game. The fourth Test gets underway on January 15.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2021 04:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).