Australia grabbed the early advantage with a lead of 47 on Wednesday after Matthew Kuhnemann’s five-wicket haul helped dismiss India for 109 on a dramatic first day of the third Test.
The tourists were 156-4 at stumps after Usman Khawaja hit a gritty 60 to drive his team’s reply on a turning pitch in Indore.
Here’s a session-wise report of the day:
India won the toss and opted to bat first in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Indore on Wednesday. Although India captain Rohit Sharma played down Rahul’s removal from vice-captaincy on the eve of the Test, the opener also lost his spot in the playing XI and was replaced by the in-form Shubman Gill. Additionally, Mohammed Shami was rested, with Umesh Yadav coming in for him.
India sit pretty with a 2-0 lead at the halfway stage in the series, having retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but they are eyeing the bigger picture - a spot at the World Test Championship final at The Oval in June. They are one win away from securing that berth.
Indore Test: Rohit Sharma-led India eye WTC Final spot, Steve Smith and Co seek revival after break
Meanwhile, Steve Smith’s Australia, who are looking to salvage the series, also went in with two changes. In the absence of David Warner, fit-again all-rounder Cameron Green was back into the side. Fit-again Mitchell Starc also returned to bolster the pace attack in the absence of their leading pacer and regular captain Pat Cummins.
Indore Test: Steve Smith-led Australia aim to bounce back against high-flying Indians
Morning session
If the Australian collapse at Delhi stunned you, Indore had a surprise in store for you. Because this time, it was hosts India who collapsed to a mighty performance by the Australian spinners.
A deceptive, dry pitch that had India thinking batting first would be a good idea came back to bite them early in the Test. The entire session belonged to Australia - from the first over to the last, quite literally.
Rohit was given two lives in Starc’s first over itself. He was caught behind in the very first delivery and he was plumb LBW the second time and both times, umpire Nitin Menon’s decision could have been overturned.
Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon took three wickets each to leave hosts India reeling at 84-7 at lunch on day one of the third Test on Wednesday. Kuhnemann eventually got the Indian skipper stumped for 12 off his left-arm spin. Gill attempted to hit back with three fours but also fell to Kuhnemann for 21.
Lyon then bowled Cheteshwar Pujara for one with a delivery that spun hugely and stayed low. The wickets kept tumbling with Ravindra Jadeja out for four off Lyon and Shreyas Iyer bowled by Kuhnemann for a duck, as India slipped to 45/5 in the first hour of play.
Post-lunch session
Umesh Yadav took India past 100 after lunch with an entertaining 17, hitting two sixes and a four, before he was trapped lbw to give Kuhnemann his fifth wicket. The innings then ended shambolically when Mohammed Siraj was run out after a mix-up with Axar Patel, with the latter left stranded.
Australia made a solid start with the bat on day one of the third Test against India on Wednesday, reaching 71/1 at tea after bowling out the hosts for just 109. This session belonged to Australia as well with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 33 at the break alongside Marnus Labuschagne who survived a scare to be on 16, with the tourists trailing by 38.
Travis Head had fallen lbw to Ravindra Jadeja for nine when Labuschagne chopped the ball onto his stumps on nought off the same bowler. But the world-number-one Test batter won a reprieve when the spinner was adjudged to have overstepped the crease. He would received another reprieve when India didn’t review a LBW appeal off Ashwin’s bowling. India did go on to lose all their reviews on the day.
Post-tea session
Australia finished Day 1 with a valuable 47-run lead with six wickets in hand, amidst Jadeja’s persistent bowling. Although India lost all three reviews off his bowling, Jadeja ended as the sole wicket-taker for India.
Usman Khawaja played a chanceless innings to become the top-scorer of the match so far to register his second fifty on the Tour, before falling to Jadeja for 60 runs. Earlier, Labuschagne, who scored 31, combined with Khawaja and compiled 92 runs together, which is Australia’s highest partnership of the series.
However, Jadeja dismissed both the well-set batters in a span of 9 overs. Even Smith, who was looking promising in his 38-ball stay, succumbed to the left-arm off-spinner. At Day 1 Stumps, Australia were 156/4 with Cameron Green and and Peter Handscomb batting at 6 and 7 respectively.
Teams:
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
With inputs from AFP
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