‘You should celebrate’ – Ravi Shastri gives his take on India’s follow-on celebrations at Gabba

Ravi Shastri – Gautam Gambhir. (Photo Source: Getty Images & Jio Cinema)

The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has been a roller coaster ride for both Australia and India. The Indian team won the first Test of the series in Perth, with Australia winning the second Test in Adelaide and the third clash ending in a draw. 

The third game of the series was taken from the grasps of Australia. After the hosts posted a total of 445 runs in the first innings, the Indian team’s top order was dismissed cheaply. However, thanks to the knocks of Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep, and Ravindra Jadeja, the Indian team managed to avoid the follow-on. 

The celebrations that followed the avoiding of the follow-on quickly became a topic of discussion amongst experts. Talking about the same, former India cricketer Ravi Shastri came forward and gave his take on the same as well. 

“You should celebrate. It required a lot of character from the last pair with 35-36 runs needed. That celebration showed, they knew the importance of that effort within the dressing room in the context of the series. It’s one thing following on, it’s one thing then again being 2-3 down as opposed to you going ahead and rattling the Australian top-order. It is fully justified,” Shastri was quoted as saying by ICC.

It reminded me of the celebration at Lord’s: Shastri

Furthermore, Ravi Shastri revealed that the celebration reminded him of the moment when Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami’s partnership at Lord’s during the 2021 series against England turned the match in India’s favour.

“It reminded me of the celebration, when in COVID times, when Jasprit and Mohammed Shami were involved in a partnership at Lord’s, which turned the game on its head,” Shastri said.

“England were odds on favourites on the final day to win the Test. And that partnership, I think of about 80 or 90, suddenly turned the game on its head and by the end of the day, India had won the Test match,” he added.