Ind vs Aus, Boxing Day Test: Rahane, Jadeja partnership was really important, reckons Gill
Dec 27, 2020
Melbourne [Australia], December 27 : Indian opener Shubman Gill feels that the unbeaten stand of 104 runs for the sixth wicket between skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja was really important as it didn't allow Australia to come back in the game.
Australia might have scalped wickets of India's top-order, but in the final session, Rahane and Jadeja showed grit and determination to give India firm control of the match. Rahane and Jadeja stitched an unbeaten 104-run stand.
Both Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant's wicket came just when India started looking good in the game. However, Jadeja hit a well made 40 and stitched a crucial partnership with Rahane to put India back on top.
Gill said Jadeja played a valuable knock as he came to bat when India were five down.
"I think it (Jadeja's innings) was a really valuable knock. He went into bat when we were 170 something for five. It's very easy for us to loosen up and let opposition back in the game. So the partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Jadeja was really important for us," said Gill while replying to a query from ANI.
Gill praised skipper Rahane and said he played a patient knock against the high-quality Australian bowling.
"The way he was so patient. This knock was all about patience. More importantly, when you are playing such a high-quality bowling attack sometimes you go in that shell and you are not able to score runs. It was a magnificent knock to watch from outside," Gill said.
At stumps on day two, the visitors' score read 277/5 and the side has taken a lead of 82 runs over Australia. The hosts might have scalped wickets of India's top-order, but in the final session, Rahane and Jadeja showed grit and determination to give India firm control of the match. Rahane and Jadeja have put on an unbeaten stand of 104 runs for the sixth wicket.
This is Rahane's eighth Test ton overseas and this is his first hundred as captain of Team India. With this knock, Rahane also became the second Indian batsman to score a century on his first match as captain in Australia.
Kohli was the first one to achieve the feat in 2014 when he registered a century in Adelaide. Kohli had gone back home after the first Test against Australia after being granted paternity leave by the BCCI.
On day one of the second Test, India had bundled out Australia for 195 as Jasprit Bumrah scalped four wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin took three wickets.
