Former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed his strong support for India’s celebrations after avoiding a follow-on in the third Test against Australia in Brisbane.

Shastri believes that this moment was a crucial turning point in the series and that the celebrations were fully justified given the context of the match.

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Shastri justifies India’s celebrations after avoiding a sequel

Speaking at The ICC Review, Shastri emphasized the importance of India’s resilience on the last day, particularly the contributions of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, who were instrumental in preventing India from falling further behind. He noted that the celebrations were a testament to the character shown by the team, especially by the final couple, who played a crucial role in the effort.

“You should celebrate. A lot of character was required from the last pair and between 35 and 36 runs were needed. That celebration showed that they knew the importance of that effort within the locker room in the context of the series,” Shastri said.

Shastri highlighted the importance of the distinction between being forced to push forward, which would have put India at a disadvantage, and taking charge by disrupting Australia’s top order. He highlighted that avoiding the follow-through and challenging Australia’s batting was a key moment, making the celebrations completely justified.

“It’s one thing to keep going and another thing to be 2-3 down and another thing to go ahead and shake the Australian top spot. “It is fully justified,” he added.

Shastri compares Brisbane fight to Lord’s heroic acts

Drawing a comparison with another memorable moment in India’s recent Test history, Shastri referred to the iconic 89-run partnership between Bumrah and Mohammed Shami at Lord’s during the 2021 England series.

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He watched as that partnership turned the tide in India’s favor, much like the Brisbane fight. Shastri highlighted that in both cases the efforts of the players were essential in changing the course of the match and raising the team’s morale.

“It reminded me of the celebration, in COVID times, when Jasprit and Mohammed Shami were involved in a partnership at Lord’s, which turned the game on its head. “England were the favorites on the last day to win the test. And that partnership, I think around 80 or 90, suddenly turned the game around and at the end of the day, India had won the Test match,” Shastri added.

The series between Australia and India is tied 1-1 after the draw in Brisbane, with two games remaining in Melbourne and Sydney. The Boxing Day test in Melbourne begins on December 26.

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