Australian assistant coach Vettori praises batting skills of Bumrah and Akash Deep

The only way a dominant Australia could have forced a result in the rain-hit third Test at Gabba was by enforcing the follow-on against India.

Despite valiant knocks from KL Rahul (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (77), Australia, who scored 445 in their first innings, looked set to pile the misery on India when the visitors were reduced to 213 for nine.

But Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep mounted a defiant 10th wicket stand to help India avoid the follow-on as Australia's slight hopes of victory were further diminished by an injury to Josh Hazlewood.

With a gloom falling over the stadium, Deep sent a thick edge off Pat Cummins flying over a leaping fielder at gully for four runs to push India to safety, sparking celebrations among teammates watching in the stands.

Number 11 Deep smashed the Australia captain for six two balls later with a touch of arrogance, then blocked another delivery before stumps were called due to failing light.

In what could be a very important moment with both teams halfway through this series, Bumrah and Deep prevented a likely and embarrassing innings defeat.

Australian assistant coach Daniel Vettori said pacers Mitchell Starc (3/83) and Pat Cummins (4/80) bowled well but the ball got older and softer as the game progressed.

"I think to give us our best chance to win the game, then I think enforcing the follow-on is the logical thing to do. Look, I think the way that Starc and Cummins bowled throughout the day was exceptional and I don't think there was any critique at all around the back end, I think it is just that the ball got incredibly soft and it was hard to find your exact length, but they are always challenging and they are the main reason that we are in the situation where we had such a great day," he said.

He also said that the team expects everything since Bumrah has shown his ability to tonk some fours and sixes in the past and also noted that Akash Deep is "better than a number 11".

"I think we expect everything (on if the team expected Akash-Bumrah fightback), I think we understand that any batsman on any given day can step up and deliver, so I do not think we assume that anyone's going to live up to the average," the former New Zealand spinner said.