Debutant Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur punched above their weight with splendid half-centuries to keep Australia at bay and India bullish after an engrossing third day’s play in the series-deciding fourth Test at Brisbane on Sunday.
India were tottering at 186/6 when Washington and Thakur got together in the middle. Most would have expected little from them considering the form of the Indian lower order in the series and otherwise.
Watch: Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur lead India’s fightback on day three of Brisbane Test
But the two players, who had played just one Test between them before this one, stitched together a delightful 123-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Washington contributing 62 runs and Shardul 67 against a bowling attack many see as the best in the world.
In the process, they also broke a 30-year-old record for the highest 7th wicket partnership for India at the Gabba. In 1991, Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar had put on a 58-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Steel running through their veins: Reactions to India’s Gabba fightback led by Washington, Thakur
Pacer Josh Hazlewood finished with a well-deserved 5/57 for Australia but the stars of the day were undoubtedly Washington and Thakur.
Here’s a look at some of the records that were established during the stand:
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