Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey and Voot Select have announced the web documentary "Bandon Mein Tha Dum", which will tell the story of how the Indian cricket team won the Test series against Australia in 2021 against several odds. The series has been directed by Neeraj Pandey, who has previously made movies like A Wednesday and MS Dhoni: An Untold Story.
As per a report in the Press Trust of India, ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’ will feature behind-the-scenes footage from cricketers Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Siraj, Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari. The support staff and journalists who covered the India-Australia series have also been interviewed.
India toured Australia from November 2020 to January 2021 to play four Tests along with other limited-overs games. Australia won the ODI series while India won the T20I series. But the biggest spectacle was always going to be the Test series.
In the first Test, India were bowled out for 36 runs in the second innings, which still remains their lowest team total in red-ball cricket. The hosts went on to win the match by eight wickets before India made a strong comeback to win the second Test and level the series. The third Test ended in a draw, and it was upon the fourth and final Test to decide the winner of the series.
On day one, Australia ended on 5/274 in absence of some of India’s key bowlers. T Natarajan and Washington Sundar made their debuts following injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin. On day one of the game, Navdeep Saini also suffered an injury and left the field.
On day two, the Indian bowlers dismissed Tim Paine early before Australia reached 369 all out at lunch. In reply, India lost opener Shubman Gill early but Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara brought some stability to the innings. Shortly after Rohit’s wicket fell, rain wiped out the last session and India finished the day on 2 for 62.
Pujara and Rahane started day three for India. But wickets kept falling at regular intervals and India were on 6 for 186. But from there on, debutant Washington Sundar and all-rounder Shardul Thakur showed tremendous grit to score a 123 run partnership. The day’s play ended with Australia’s score reading 21 runs for no wickets.
Next day, Australia ended on 4 for 149 at lunch and 7 for 243 at tea. But Mohammed Siraj put up a performance to remember in the final session of the day's play. The pacer registered his maiden five-wicket haul which helped bundle out the hosts for 294. In reply, Team India needed 328 runs to win or see out the remianing match to create history. Rain ended fourth day's play early with India at 4 for no loss at stumps.
The final day of the game was perhaps what largely inspired the web series. After losing Rohit Sharma early on day five, Shubman Gill and Pujara shared a 114-run partnership. After Gill was dismissed for 91 - Rahane scored 24 runs to help India end the second session on 183 for 3. After tea, Pant and Pujara led India's incredible fight before the latter fell for 56. However, Pant was unstoppable and led India to a historic win with three overs still remianing. He remained unbeaten on 89 and was also named the Player of the Match for the same.
This was Australia's first loss in a Test match at the Gabba in 32 years, while India became the first Asian team to win a Test match at this venue. There are a lot of untold stories behind this historic win, which will be told in Bandon Mein Tha Dum.
Image credit: ICC
