Watch highlights: Well set Rohit’s dismissal leaves India with a stiff challenge to save Sydney Test
STUMPS: So, this is the moment that is going on top of Indian cricket fans’ minds as we wind down for the day. Join us tomorrow morning for another 4.30 am start.
STUMPS: If (pointless now) Rohit Sharma was still around now, 309 runs from 97 overs would have made for a better situation tomorrow. But still, there is an exciting finale coming up.
India 98/2 after 34 overs: India need 309 more runs to win and there are potentially 97 overs to get those. But at this point, with Rohit back in the pavilion and India short on fit batsmen, it’s a question of whether they can bat out three sessions on Monday.
Last over, Lyon.
Ashish Magotra chimes in with his sarcasm: “At least no one can say Rohit got out because of Pujara #SmallWinsForTeamChe.”
India 98/2 after 33 overs: Cummins is done for the day. What a shift he has put in again. Lyon will bowl the last over now.
Aditya Chaturvedi: Feel it’s such a fight for rohit to not attack.. like the opposite for Pujara.. and that’s always held Rohit back in Tests.
India 92/2 after 30 overs: Pujara almost gloves a short ball from Cummins to the trap set for him on the leg side. India would do well to reach stumps without a wicket added to their tally .
WICKET! Rohiit Sharma delights with the pull shot, Rohit Sharma frustrates with the pull shot. Goes after a short ball from Cummins and finds the fielder in the deep. Disappointment for him and India.
HALF CENTURY! Opening the batting away from phone for the first time in his Test career, Rohit Sharma has a 2nd innings fifty to his name. Some glorious shots in this innings, as you’d expect.
India 87/1 after 29 overs: Maybe it is just this blogger, but just feel almost every delivery from Cummins at the moment feels like a potential wicket-taker.
Cummins is back. We repeat, Cummins is back.
After 28 overs, India 86/1: A three for Pujara in that Lyon over. Continues to strike at a good rate against spinners.
After 27 overs, India 82/1: Oh dear. Rohit Sharma goes for a pull (he always will) and completely mishits it. It could have gone anywhere, fell short of the midwicket fielder.
The Gill dismissal:
India 80/1 after 26 overs: Hasn’t taken 100–plus balls to hit a four, Pujara. Loves using his feet against spin, drives one for four.
India 71/1 after 25 overs: Hazlewood, it must be said, is in the middle of a quite sensational spell. And Lyon is supporting him well from the other end. Gripping, gripping cricket this!
India 71/1 after 23 overs: Not for the first-time, two reviews in one Hazlewood over today. Good review, Not-so-good umpiring. Almost two wickets in one over for Hazlewood as Pujara is given out LBW. He immediately reviews and it’s high. \
WICKET! Shubman Gill is given out caught behind off a peach from Josh Hazlewood. For some reason, he reviews it too and the edge is fairly evident. India lose their first review. Maybe Gill reviewed that because he was not sure if it was within rules for a bowler to bowl such a difficult ball to face. No other explanation! The ball tailed in a bit and then straightened at the last moment, sensational bowling.
India 71/0 after 22 overs: The 70-run stand of the previous innings has been bettered by this duo. An appeal for a bat-pad catch in that Lyon over but not serious.
India 70/0 after 21 overs: The SCG has now been graced by the front-foot pull shot by Rohit Sharma for six. One of the purest things in to witness in cricket.
India 64/0 after 20 overs: Two gorgeous cover drives by Rohit Sharma in Starc’s over for four.
MILESTONE: Back-to-back 50-run opening partnerships in this match for India. Shubman Gill brings it up with an authoritative hit down the ground off Cameron Green.
Cam Green replaces Cummins. Interesting, could be a spell of bouncers this.
India 47/0 after 18 overs: Starc continues after the drinks break and he produces a wicket-taking delivery that somehow, Gill manages to get an edge on. Thuds into the pads but no appeal because Starc knew.
Ind 46/0 after 17 overs: Time for a drinks break. India have done well. There have been inside edges. There have been reviews but the openers are still there in the middle.
Ind 42/0 after 16 overs: Starc coming from round the wicket now. A different angle for the batsmen to contend with. Tough, gritty battle in the middle.
Australia go back to Starc. All pace again.
Ind 40/0 after 15 overs: Cummins in the middle of another great spell. He simply does not relent. Some big movement for him.
Ind 40/0 after 14 overs: Steady. Australia’s bowlers have shown that they will keep chipping away. India need to make sure their concentration stays up – they can’t let it drop as it did while they were fielding.
Ind 39/0 after 13 overs: Cummins errred with the line of one ball and Gill got it away to fine leg for a four. Then, off the last ball, there was a genuine edge that went past where second slip would have been.
Ind 31/0 after 12 overs: And Lyon into the attack. A crucial phase in the game. He will keep plugging away but Rohit and Gill look to be aggressive against spin. Some turn there.
Ind 29/0 after 11 overs: Another tight over by Hazlewood. Lyon is warming up. The off-spinner against Rohit is always an interesting battle.
Ind 28/0 after 10 overs: With Starc out of the attack, runs are harder to come by.
Ind 26/0 after 9 overs: Good over by Cummins. He just makes the batsmen work that little bit harder on each ball. There are no freebies.
Ind 25/0 after 8 overs: The ball suddenly doing a lot more. Some swing and seam. A stump-to-stump line will make things difficult for the batsmen.
Ind 24/0 after 7.4 overs: Another review, this time by Australia against Gill. The umpire gave it not out. Once again, bouncing over the stumps. Review lost.
Ind 23/0 after 7.2 overs: SUCCESSFUL REVIEW! Hazlewood trapped Rohit LBW. India went for the review and it showed that height was the issue. Missing by a fair margin.
Ind 23/0 after 7 overs: Off the fifth ball, Gill hits a lovely back foot punch for four. Straight out of the sweet spot. He makes batting look good.
Cummins replaces Starc in the attack.
Ind 19/0 after 6 overs: Hazlewood sticking to a line closer to the stumps. That clearly seems to be the one that batsmen have to be more wary of.
Ind 18/0 after 5 overs: A four for Rohit to start the over. Starc not getting too much swing at the moment. Not enough to trouble the batsmen at least.
Ind 10/0 after 4 overs: Rohit and Gill doing well to keep rotating the strike even at this early stage.
Ind 6/0 after 3 overs: Better over from Satrc, just two runs off it and those came off the edge of Rohit’s bat. He closed the bat face a bit too early.
Ind 4/0 after 2 overs: Hazlewood, from the other end, starts off with a maiden over.
Ind 4/0 after 1 over: Rohit and Gill haven’t come out thinking that they are going to block everything. And that is a good sign. They need to play their natural game. Starc’s radar was a bit off in the over though.
Ind 0/0 after 0 overs: Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill walking out to the middle. Survival against the new ball will be key.
UPDATE: Australia have declared. India need 407 runs to win. Or four sessions of batting to save this Test.
Session break: Cameron Green hit some massive sixes!
TEA, DAY 3: Australia 312/6 and are ahead by 406 runs.
Session: 130 runs in 23 overs. RPO of 5.65.
WICKET: FOUR, SIX, OUT! Green won’t get his century after all. After a straight drive for four and a massive hoick over square leg for SIX., Bumrah gets a wicket he has absolutely deserved today. Given out caught behind, Green reviews it. But there is a spike on RTS.
HALT IN PLAY: Siraj, Rahane and Co stand together as umpires have been told about the issues. Security is asking some fans to leave. Boos heard.
Australia 301/5 after 86 overs: Back-to-back sixes! Green is going after Siraj and with some authority. Massive bat-swings, the ball is clearing the fence with regularity now. A Test century on the cards?
Australia 286/5 after 85 overs: Bumrah doing his best to keep things tight. Two runs from his over.
Australia 282/5 after 84 overs: Green hits a huge six over long on. 95 metres! Typical length ball from Siraj, just a brutal shot by the big man as he dances down the ground and lofts it.
Australia 274/5 after 83 overs: The shot to get to fifty was an outside edge that flew past Rahane at gully. Whisper it but that’s another chance missed off Bumrah’s bowling. Tough one alright.
HALF CENTURY! Cameron Green, who has looked very good with the bat indeed during this series. gets to his first Test fifty. A great young talent on the rise for Australia.
New ball has been taken and Bumrah is back into the attack.
Australia 266/5 after 81 overs: Just a single in Saini’s over, and it’s Siraj from the other end. But no new ball yet
Australia 264/5 after 80 overs: Ashwin bowling carrom balls into the rough from around the wicket, not for the first time today.
Ashwin to continue after drinks break...
Australia 258/5 after 79 overs: A 50-run partnership that’s come off just 67 balls. Saini comes back and Green plays a punishing pull for four. Drinks break,.
Australia 252/5 after 78 overs: Paine for Ashwin, as a reverse sweep is nailed for four.
Australia 247/5 after 77 overs: Both batsmen now looking to move around at the crease, manufacture shots. 65 runs in 13 overs in this session so far.
DROPPED! Not for the first time, we saw the hands-on-face reaction from Jasprit Bumrah. Now, Rohit Sharma puts down a catch at wide slip. Paine should have been out, instead he gets 10 runs in that over.
Australia 220/5 after 73 overs: Bumrah is back into the attack and he almost creates a wicket-chance. Leading edge off Green and the ball lobs, but falls short off Vihari at silly mid-off.
Australia 217/5 after 71 overs: Paine and Green in the middle now, and the latter gets a boundary through third man to get his innings moving in this session. With the captain in the middle, will be interesting to see Australia’s scoring rate here.
Australia 208/5 after 68 overs: The ball pitched outside off, turned sharply and hit the sweet spot on the DRS. Steve Smith didn’t seem pleased, but along with the Indians, Nathan Lyon will also be celebrating one would guess.
WICKET! Well, well. Out of nowhere India have the wicket. And once again, R Ashwin dismisses Steve Smith in this series. LBW appeal, given not out but overturned on India’s review.
Australia 206/4 after 67 overs: The boundaries are starting to flow with another four in the Siraj over. 200 up for Australia. The lead crosses 300. Smith-Green partnership past 50. And Steve Smith into the 80s.
Australia 199/4 after 66 overs: Another over, another four. Powerfully swept by Smith off Ashwin. He is starting to motor on.
Australia 194/4 after 65 overs: SIX, FOUR! Well, there we go. Steve Smith makes his intentions clear with a hook for six over fine leg and then a leg glance for four. A sign of things to come in this session for India?
Mohammed Siraj runs in to start off the second session
SESSION BREAK: Australia did not really look to score at a great rate in that first session and fair enough, they might already have enough on the board. Will still be interesting to see their approach in this middle session. For India, time is all that matters from here on pretty much.
SESSION BREAK: Steve Smith just carries on in his merry way as India haven’t really created even half chances against him for most of this match. He might look to up the tempo in the 2nd session and is more than capable of course, given this is the venue where he hit back-to-back 62-ball centuries in the ODIs.
LUNCH, AUSTRALIA 182/4 after 64 overs: 35 overs, 79 runs and 2 wickets in that session. India kept things relatively tight and it has not been a leather hunt by any means. But yes, Australia still firmly in control with a lead of 276 runs.
After 63 overs, Australia 180/4: Eventful over from Siraj. A delightful off-drive from Green for four followed by a huge LBW appeal. Siraj really wanted that wicket, wanted a review. Rahane says no, not for the first time. Inside edge, replays show.
Australia 176/4 after 62 overs: Siraj wasn’t too happy at all in that over with the landing. But gets through it. Ashwin continues, operating around the wicket for both right-handers now.
Break in play as Siraj is not happy with the landing area. Some levelling needed. SCG curator should send the bills to Steve Smith for the bumps.
Australia 170/4 after 59 overs: After Siraj’s over, Ashwin will continue...
Australia 168/4 after 58 overs: Just leaving this here.
Australia 166/4 after 57 overs: Siraj returns to the attack with a maiden over to Green.
Australia 166/4 after 56 overs: Ashwin returns to the attack and bowls a tidy over. Green still trying to find a solid footing in this innings.
Vinayakk Mohanarangan: Credit to India that it’s taken this long since Adelaide for the contest in this series to look like Australia’s best side vs a patched up Indian team. And even now, like Saini has shown, they have found a way to stay competitive, keep fighting. He could have easily gone for runs here if he bowled too many loose balls, but hasn’t allowed the lead to swell up and picked up a couple of wickets to boot. On so many occasions, the wheels could have come off for India. They haven’t yet.
Australia 165/4 after 55 overs: Saini is doing a great job for his captain, it must be said.
HALF CENTURY! After a century in the first innings, Steve Smith has followed it up with another good knock in this match. Man really does love batting against India, doesn’t he? He’s starting to play more shots now and taking on the fielders in the leg side. Aus 165/4.
Australia 157/4 after 52 overs: A boundary for Green in that Bumrah over as an outside edge goes past the fielder at wide, solitary slip.
Australia 153/4 after 51 overs: Smith creams another cover drive for four off Bumrah’s over but the Indian pacer returns with one that keeps low and generates some ooohs, aahs. Saini with another good over at the other end and finishes that with one that rears up at Smith from good length. All happening at the moment....
Bumrah back into the attack, India sensing a few quick wickets here.
WICKET! Navdeep Saini again. Well, well. A very good delivery to induce the edge from Matthew Wade who edges to Saha. India have a couple of quick wickets. Just earlier in that over, Smith had creamed one through point for four, and this wicket might slow him down a bit again.
Time for the first drinks break and India have done alright to not let Australia run away with this. 143/3, lead by 237 runs. Will we see a shift in gears from Smith? He’s batting on 39 off 118.
Australia 142/3 after 47 overs: Smith is batting on 38 off 117 balls and it was Labuschagne who looked more positive today. Wade meanwhile, under pressure, gets going with a good cover drive for four.
WICKET! Labuschagne is caught behind down the leg side and Saini strikes for India. Saha takes a good catch.
Australia 131/2 after 45 overs: A change of gears has not come about but sign of positive intent against Saini in that over and now Australia will maybe kick on.
Australia 128/2 after 44 overs: Saini has bowled a good first over followed by another one-run over from Ashwin.
Australia 126/2 after 42 overs: Maiden from Ashwin
Australia 126/2 after 41 overs: Australia’s plan would likely have been to see out the first hour without damage and they are nearly there. Lead is 220.
Australia 125/2 after 40 overs: A gear change could be around the corner. Labuschagne dances down the pitch and lofts one past mid-off for four against Ashwin. He’s India’s only spinner now, Australia will benefit a great deal by unsettling him.
Australia 119/2 after 39 overs: Siraj continues and the Aussie batsmen in not great hurry at the moment, rightly so. Plenty of time left in the match for them.
Australia 117/2 after 38 overs: Ashwin with a Jadeja-esque rushed through over. He usually is a bit more measured than that. An appeal for LBW, not reviewed.
Australia 114/2 after 37 overs : Labuschagne gets a full length ball from Siraj and he’s not going to miss out on that. Driven handsomely for four down the ground. That’s the cue for the first change as Ashwin is brought on.
Australia 109/2 after 36 overs: Another maiden over from Bumrah.
Australia 109/2 after 35 overs: Siraj and Bumrah have done their part this morning, you’d have to say. Bowled to their fields, not given loose balls, beaten the bat a couple of times. But Australia continue to extend their lead.
HALF CENTURY! For the second time in the match, Marnus Labuschagne reaches 50. Quite possibly Australia’s best batsman in this series overall.
Australia 107/2 after 33 overs: The lead has now crossed 200, by the way.
Australia 106/2 after 32 overs: Quiet couple of overs after that shocker of a moment in the first. Vihari gets some cheers after he dives to stop a single at square leg. Siraj and Bumrah seem to be in decent rhythm early doors.
Australia 105/2 after 30 overs: OH DEAR! DROPPED! Second ball of the day, Hanuma Vihari puts down an absolute sitter. Labuschagne flicks uppishly and for a minute, it looks like India’s best laid plans have borne fruit early. Jasprit Bumrah cannot believe this, but he somehow manages to mix anger, frustration and smiles all in a matter of 3 seconds
First things first, day 3 highlights:
04.15 am: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the fourth day of the third Test between Australia and India, where Ajinkya Rahane and Co are not in the pink of health.
First innings heroes Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith steered Australia to an commanding 197-run lead in the high-stakes third Test Saturday, leaving an injury-hit India with a mountain to climb.
They came to the crease after Will Pucovski and David Warner fell early, pushing them to 103 for two at stumps and a strong position with the four-Test series locked at 1-1.
Labuschagne, who scored 91 in the first innings, was not out on 47 and Smith, who blitzed 131 in his first knock, unbeaten on 29.
Australia padded up again after taking eight wickets on day three to dismiss India for 244 in reply to the hosts’ 338.
(With AFP inputs and statistics courtesy ESPNCricinfo Statsguru)