1625 IST: Ind 19/0 (6 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Second innings: Aus 137
What a day of Test cricket. Wickets, runs, grit, madness — there was a little bit of it all. India require another 87 runs with 10 wickets remaining — but given how the series has gone we’d know better than to call anyone a favourite. Who knows whether there is still a final twist in store for us all.
1625 IST: Ind 12/0 (1 over)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Second innings: Aus 137
Cummins runs in and Rahul calmly drives him for four after four after four. Three fours to start the innings and that is splendid.
1615 IST: Aus 137 all out (53.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
OUT! NOT OUT! But before the umpire’s could decide Murali Vijay was already in the dressing room. Hazlewood called for a review and it looked like the ball was grassed. A few balls later, Ashwin struck again. Gould gave it out leg-before and then it was reviewed again. Replays showed there was no bat involved. India will have to score a 106 runs to win the Test and the series. Wade remains not out on 25. India will have to face 6 overs before close of play.
J Hazlewood lbw b Ashwin 0 (9b)
1559 IST: Aus 131/9 (52 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Dropped! Ashwin dropped a lolly with Wade on 19. It went straight to him at first slip off Umesh and he said he didn’t see it. A few balls later Wade got a four and another couple of runs. Crucial miss — let’s hope India doesn’t come to regret it too much.
1553 IST: Aus 131/9 (52 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
And suddenly Wade decides he needs to score some runs. A six and a quick two followed by a single saw 9 runs come in the over. The lead is up to 99 runs.
1553 IST: Aus 122/9 (50.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! Another super delivery from Umesh, another wicket for him. Some reverse swing, an edge and well taken at second slip by Murali Vijay. Good stuff by India... really good. Australia lead by 90 runs.
N Lyon c Vijay b Yadav 0 (6b)
1549 IST: Aus 121/8 (49.1 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! O’Keefe walking back. Pujara at silly point took a brilliant catch. The ball bounced on the batsman, who pushed at it and Pujara reacted quickly to take it.
S O’Keefe c Pujara b Jadeja 0 (4b)
1542 IST: Aus 121/7 (47.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! The sustained pressure pays dividend. Jadeja gave the ball flight and Cummins decided to go for the cover drive. Got an edge instead, straight to Rahane — who made no mistake. India earned this wicket as a unit. Super. The partnership was worth 15 runs in 15.1 overs.
P Cummins c Rahane b Jadeja 12 (49b, 1x4)
1531 IST: Aus 120/6 (46 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
And that is drinks. Tough session of Test cricket — Ashwin and Jadeja are bowling superly but Wade and Cummins are digging this. Wade has scored 8 off 70 balls, a SR of 11.42 — numbers that tell you just how difficult it has been to score.
1520 IST: Aus 115/6 (42 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
8 runs in 10.3 overs since the fall of Maxwell’s wicket. Something has got to give. India’s spinners are giving nothing away.
1448 IST: Aus 106/6 (32.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! No shot offered and Maxwell is walking back. The umpire gave him out, Maxwell asked for the review and it came down to umpire’s decision. It swings both ways. Big wicket given how he was playing. Once again, superb bowling by Ashwin.
G Maxwell lbw b Ashwin 45 (60b, 6x4, 1x6)
1448 IST: Aus 104/5 (31 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Wade is having a tough time but he is soldiering on for now. The lead is now upto 72 runs. A spell from the fast bowlers might help India — a change of pace?
1433 IST: Aus 95/5 (29 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Wade survives a close, close call — India went for the review but it was the umpire’s call. Ashwin is getting some lovely drift and that is making things pretty difficult for the Aussie keeper. Maxwell is the key here.
1411 IST: Aus 92/5 (25.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! Marsh had been off the field for nearly all day due to a back injury but he will be hurting even more now. He has been dismissed for 1. And that is tea. Australia are 60 ahead.
S Marsh c Pujara b Jadeja 1 (6b)
1406 IST: Aus 87/4 (24.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! Ashwin finally into the attack and he gets the vital breakthrough. Rahane had kept the off-spinner out of the attack due to Maxwell but in his just his second over, Ashwin gets Handscomb and breaks the 56-run partnership. He pushed Handscomb on to the backfoot and then got one to go straight on, super bowling and a super catch by Rahane at first slip. Australia lead by 55 runs.
P Handscomb c Rahane b Ashwin 18 (46b, 3x4)
1356 IST: Aus 82/3 (22 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Turning out to be a vital partnership — 51 off 75 balls. Perhaps India are missing a trick by not having pace from one end. That is the need of the hour. The cracks on the wicket and the bounce were in favour of the fast bowlers. Lead is up to 50 runs now.
1341 IST: Aus 63/3 (17 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
The lead is now upto 31. How much is enough? That is the question on the minds of everyone watching this game. Maxwell is playing aggressively but there has been chances. Kuldeep Yadav is into the attack and this is a good time to be watching Test cricket. Rivetting stuff.
1329 IST: Aus 50/3 (13 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
News is that Shaun Marsh jarred his back while fielding. He will bat but that is why Maxwell and Handscomb are in the middle before him. Two lovely fours in the last over from Bhuvi by Maxwell — he is a dangerous guy especially on a wicket like this. Quick runs will hurt India.
Australia are 19 ahead.
1311 IST: Aus 31/3 (9.2 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! That’s gone. Renshaw has been beautifully set up by Umesh — what a spell of fast bowling this is. Done in by the short ball. India’s fast bowlers (am going to call Bhuvi that too, he certainly has the right attitude) have been superb. Australia still trail by 1. That is also 16 wkts for Umesh Yadav in this series - the most by him in any series.
Renshaw c Saha b Yadav 8 (33b, 2x4)
1301 IST: Aus 31/2 (8.3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! ‘It’s a big wicket, it’s a huge wicket, it’s a humongous wicket,’ said Sunil Gavaskar and he couldn’t have put it better. Steve Smith is not going to get to 500 runs in the series. He has been bowled with his total runs on 499 — the ball was short, didn’t rise as much as expected and Smith played on. Big, big, big wicket.
S Smith b Kumar 17 (15b, 3x4)
1250 IST: Aus 18/1 (7 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
Bhuvi and Umesh are bowling well but they are now faced by Smith — a man who is averaging almost 62 in Test cricket... against India his average is even better. He forces you to change the line of attack and that is the key. Can India do it before he settles down?
1233 IST: Aus 10/1 (3.1 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
WICKET! The drop didn’t cost India anything. Umesh hits the perfect line, the ball takes the thin edge onto the keeper. Saha wasn’t going to drop that. Superb bowling by Umesh — he has been a revelation this entire season. The dangerous Warner is walking back. Australia still trail by 22. Smith is in next.
D Warner c Saha b Yadav 6 (5b, 1x4)
1233 IST: Aus 10/0 (3 overs)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
DROPPED! Karun Nair drops one at third slip to give Warner a life. Bhuvi got Warner to commit with a wonderful length and then the edge went straight to Karun. Bad miss, Rahane almost got it at gully on the second try. India have come out firing. Umesh and Bhuvneshwar have Australia on the hop and that is wonderful to see. One of the deliveries from Bhuvi hit the crack and even banged into Warner’s shoulder. This is superb.
1222 IST: Aus 4/0 (1 over)
First innings: Aus 300, India 332
And here we go. 32 runs isn’t a very big lead but India will hope to get a few wickets before Australia start on setting a total for India to chase. Warner could be the key — he can score quick runs as Jadeja did. Renshaw started the series very well and will like to continue that form. That match has been set up beautifully.
1138 IST: India 332 all out (118.1 overs)
India ahead by 32 runs
WICKET! And that’s that. India are bowled out, Lyon gets his fifth. The hosts have their nose ahead but only just. This could still go either way. As Ravi Shastri would like to say — ‘All four results are still possible.’ India lost their last four wickets for just 15 runs. And that is lunch too.
Lyon also clearly loves bowling against the Indians — 5 five-fors in 14 Tests. Against all the other nations: 4 five-fors in 53 Tests.
Kuldeep Yadav c Cummins b Lyon 7 (17b 1x4 0x6) SR: 41.17
1119 IST: India 318/9 (114.1 overs)
India lead by 18 runs
Saha walking back now. Brilliant short ball from Cummins. Saha had no option but to fend it off. It popped up towards second slip and Smith timed his jump perfectly to take the catch. Just how valuable was that Saha-Jadeja partnership.
W Saha c Smith b Cummins 31 (102b, 2x4)
1119 IST: India 318/8 (113.5 overs)
India lead by 18 runs
O’Keefe back into the attack. O’Keefe gets the wicket. Jadeja’s attacking strokes kept the left-arm spinner out of the attack but he is back and gets another wicket in the first over. Bhuvneshwar edged that to first slip. Easy does it. Can India stretch the lead to 50?
B Kumar c Smith b O’Keefe 0 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
1113 IST: India 317/7 (112.1 overs)
India lead by 17 runs
WICKET! And then he falls. Cummins has been brilliant all morning and now he has got the big wicket. He set this up well — lots of short deliveries from over the wickets and then one wide from around the wicket. Jadeja went for it and the inside edge went onto the stumps. Boom. Jadeja walking back after a superb innings. The partnership with Saha was worth 96 runs in 30 overs.
R Jadeja b Cummins 63 (95b, 4x4, 4x6)
1105 IST: India 315/6 (111 overs)
India lead by 15 runs
Clocked on arm and helmet. Next bouncer left alone. Third one smacked imperiously to the midwicket fence. Then another hooked for six. Jadeja is not going to back down but he must be careful not to throw his wicket away. Australia have fielders in the deep for the short ball. This is Australia trying to play on his ego. Jadeja now has 62 off 93 balls at an SR of 67 — 4 fours, 4 sixes.
1057 IST: India 302/6 (109 overs)
India lead by 2 runs
And after a long grind, India finally have taken the lead. How much can we stretch it too? Saha and Jadeja have stayed patient. Sir Jadeja has also got to his fifty (84 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes) — a well-controlled knock by the Saurashtra batsman who finally seems to be doing his batting talent justice as well.
1040 IST: India 290/6 (105 overs)
India trail by 10 runs
India’s lower order has come to the part in this Test. Ashwin got a vital 30, Saha is on 24* and Jadeja had 41*. Crucial runs in a low-scoring match and more in line with what we have come to expect from this lower order.
1030 IST: India 285/6 (104 overs)
India trail by 15 runs
Drinks. Superb partnership for India — they have recovered from 221-6 and are now primed to take a vital lead. Saha has been solid and Jadeja is starting to look dangerous. They have both batted with great maturity. This session so far: 37 runs in 14 overs
1011 IST: India 271/6 (99.2 overs)
India trail by 29 runs
And that is the 50-run partnership between Saha and Jadeja. It has taken them 17.1 overs and they are clearly growing in confidence. Saha, now, also has a 1000 runs in Test cricket at a healthy average of 33. Perfect start to the day for India.
1009 IST: India 269/6 (99.0 overs)
India trail by 31 runs
And of course, Sri Jadeja has no respect for the spinners. Lyon back into the attack and Jadeja launched his sixth delivery into the stands for his third six of the innings. The partnership is already worth 48 runs.
1004 IST: India 260/6 (98.0 overs)
India trail by 40 runs
The DRS is currently not available in the Test due to a technical issue (power failure) and the players have been informed. Ball tracking is unavailable while Snicko is working just fine.
0955 IST: India 257/6 (96.0 overs)
India trail by 43 runs
Slow and steady. Nothing crazy at the moment. Jadeja seems to be settling in and Saha is looking sorted as well. But how much longer before ‘Sir’ decided to take on the bowlers?
Meanwhile, a splendid piece in the Sydney Morning Herald: Does cricket really need to continue using the term ‘chinaman’
0945 IST: India 254/6 (94.0 overs)
India trail by 46 runs
While the focus seems to be on Jadeja — who is playing and missing and in between hammering wonderful straight drives for four off Cummins, one can’t afford to not look at the contribution of Saha — who has almost made us not miss Dhoni. Of course, there are the horrible DRS reviews but other than that, Saha has had a stellar series — with the bat and behind the stumps too.
0932 IST: India 248/6 (92.0 overs)
First ball, play and miss, Australians appeal and the umpire gives Jadeja out. Jadeja immediately calls for a review. The third umpire gives him not out. Clear daylight between ball and bat. Replays show the bat hit the back pad. Five balls into the first over, Jadeja still hadn’t got bat on ball.
How Australia’s bowlers put in a massive shift to turn the Test around
“They bowled with pace and venom,” said Rahul about the morning’s passage of play. “It was the toughest session of Test cricket in my career. They put us under pressure, and these are the sessions to grind out and see off. Runs can come later on.”
Why it’s time KL Rahul takes a leaf out of Virender Sehwag’s book
Here is Angikaar Choudhury’s piece on why the Indian opener needs to find a way to make his starts count:
“Think about it. In a One-Day International or a Twenty20, quickfire fifties often get the job done. But in Tests, they’re criminal. You do all the hard work. You set the foundation, you get to terms with the pitch, the conditions. And then you throw it away. The complete antithesis of Cheteshwar Pujara.”
At close of play on Day 2
Australia: 300
India: 248/6 (91.0 ov)
India trail by 52 runs with 4 wickets in hand.
The match couldn’t be more evenly poised at the start of Day 3 of the last Test of this fascinating series. India looked like they had things well under control until Nathan Lyon took four wickets in a stunning spell, stunning because the wicket seemed to have little for finger spinners. But Australia were also very tight with their lines and lengths throughout the day — it helped them claw their way back into the game, time and again. Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke, now in the commentary box, kept talking about how India’s defensive approach might come back to hurt them and some might argue, that is precisely what happened.
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