Now this is what you call gritty.

So, what do you do when your side is 7 down for 177, trailing by 176 runs on a spinner-friendly pitch, with an off-spinner and a left-arm orthodox on top of their game? One of the things is, to get bowled out for around 210, handing a lead of over 100 runs. But no, that did not happen.

In the last 8 years and a half, #India have surprisingly struggled at times at home against visiting spinners! That has something to do with an improvement in the side's fast bowling maybe, and also something to do with unavailability of regular #Test batters in domestic matches. But, a batting line-up known for facing spin successfully, has not been above average on a number of occasions on home soil in the aforesaid time span.

It was not supposed to change late on Day 2 and early on Day 3, in #Ranchi. Just that inexperienced wicketkeeper-batter #DhruvJurel and tail-ender #KuldeepYadav had other ideas!

Get a hold of this friends. They batted together for 33.1 overs i.e., 199 deliveries. That, after the first 7 partnerships lasted 55.2 overs, or for 332 deliveries only! Not only that, but the pair put together 76 runs also. So, when the 8th wicket did fall, the #England lead was 100.

There were lots and lots of straight-bat strokes played. Some to score of, some to defend. There were a few leaves too. Yes, there were plays-and-misses, but those didn't get either batter out. Slowly but surely, they managed to get under the opposition's skin and frustrate them.

So much so, that the 9th wicket partnership between debutant #AkashDeep and Dhruv resulted in 40 runs. Those 40 runs came in a span of 17.3 overs, or 105 balls. The last wicket stand between #Siraj and Dhruv again was of 14 runs, off 20 deliveries.

Therefore, in total, the last 3 wickets for India scored 130 runs off 324 balls. They went at 40.12 runs per 100 balls, which, by Test match standards is a more than decent effort lower down the order under pressure.

No praise is too high for the way both Dhruv and Kuldeep batted. Dhruv did not give the impression of a newcomer and Kuldeep did not throw in the towel, one bit. They hung in there, took their time and kept the scoreboard ticking over. Their defense was as solid as it could get!

This is the best part of it - they defended pretty well! As is very much the norm these days, the only way of getting out of trouble against spin is to hit your way out. But these two batters defended their way out. They were tight in their technique. They were fully in tune by their temperament. They were dedicated to their cause of taking the team out of danger.

As much as the credit goes to the Indian spinners in the 3rd innings of the match and the 6th wicket 2nd innings partnership between #ShubmanGill and Dhruv again, that 1st innings left-hand, right-hand duet needs to get its deserving dues!

It actually is a massive reason why India are 3-1 ahead in the series with a game to go, unassailably.

#indvseng #4thTest