Ravindra Jadeja broke 56-year-old record with his fifty at the Gabba; went past Sachin, Virat and Rohit to achieve a big milestone

By Karan Rawat December 17, 2024 5:27 PM UTC

Ravindra Jadeja scored his 22nd Test fifty in the first innings of the third Test at the Gabba. He scored 77 runs off 123 balls, with seven fours and one six.

Ravindra Jadeja was the most comfortable Indian batter on Day 4 of the ongoing IND vs AUS 3rd Test at the Gabba. He played a counterattacking innings that helped India to reach near the follow-on target, and then the last-wicket partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep made sure that India won't bat again due to the follow-on.

Ravindra Jadeja has been the savior of the Indian batting unit for the last few years now, and something similar, he did in the first innings. He joined the crease after the wicket of Indian captain Rohit Sharma. India were struggling at 74/5 at that moment.

But Jadeja and KL Rahul added a 67-run vital partnership for the sixth wicket. After that, Jadeja added another 53 runs for the seventh wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (16 off 61). In this period he completed his 22nd half-century. In order to score quick runs, Jadeja got out for 77 runs off 123 balls, with seven fours and one six. But he achieved a great milestone with his superb knock.

IND vs AUS: Ravindra Jadeja makes sure that India avoid the follow-on at the Gabba

Ravindra Jadeja was dropped from the first two games. India tried Washington Sundar in the first game and picked Ravichandran Ashwin for the second match. But it didn't work out well. As a result, Jaeja got his chance. Though the all-rounder couldn't buy a wicket and was a touch expensive but he made it up with the bat in his hand.

His runs helped India to show some fight, and they can go for the draw now. The all-rounder fell short of what could be a game-changing century, but he certainly achieved a big milestone on his way. He broke the 56-year-old record by Chandu Borde (63) for the highest score by an Indian no. 7 at the Gabba.

Jadeja holds this record now. Not just this, he has now achieved a better batting average in Australia than Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. Before this knock, Jadeja scored 4, 5, 81, 57, and 28* in five innings in Australia. Now, with his 77, he has a batting average of 56.75 in Australia. This is the highest average for an Indian batter with more than 400 balls.

Sachin (53.20), Virat (50.96), Cheteshwar Pujara (47.28), and Rohit (26.86) have averages lower than his. India finished Day 4 at 252/9. The unbeaten 39-run stand between Akash Deep (27*) and Bumrah (10*) helped India go past the follow-on, and now Australia will have to bat again. But there is a prediction of rain on the final day at the Gabba, and this test looks like heading towards a possible draw.

Also Read: Is playing at no. 5 hurting Rohit Sharma's game? Cheteshwar Pujara reveals reason behind Rohit's struggles

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