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India vs Australia: 'India fought really hard,' says Steve Smith after Sydney Test draw
India vs Australia: Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin batted through the final session to push the Sydney Test to a draw.
Australia batsman Steve Smith praised India's efforts on Day 5 of the Sydney Test and said that the opposition fought really hard in the middle. Smith's remarks came at the post-match presentation ceremony after Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin put on a brave stand in the final session to push the match to a draw.
India needed over 300 runs to win with 8 wickets in hand, and it seemed like Australia will have their way once again when skipper Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed in the 2nd over. But the visitors were stunned by a fiery show from Rishabh Pant who was promoted up the order, and the 148-run stand between Cheteshwar Pujara and Pant reignited India's hopes.
But after Pant was dismissed for 97 and Pujara fell down for 77, India had a hard task in front of them to get 135 more runs with an injured Vihari and Ashwin in the middle. Ravindra Jadeja was also out of the equation with a finger dislocation, so India had no choice to push for a draw, which Vihari and Ashwin achieved successfully. The duo stitched an unbeaten 62-run stand as India posted 334/5 at stumps on Day 5.
"India fought really hard. Our bowlers kept coming and coming, did their hardest today. On day three or four, we felt that a few kept low, few that bounced a bit more. But there was not much of it today. They fought really hard," Smith said after the match.
Speaking on his hundred he added: "Always means a lot when you score a hundred for your country. To be able to do that here on my home ground is pretty special. Doesn't mean a lot now as we didn't win the game."
The two teams will now meet in Brisbane for the series decider. Speaking on the upcoming encounter, Smith said: "(We'll) move on now to Brisbane, we have a very good record there. Looking forward to playing there in a few days time."
