AUS vs IND Day 3 Review
AUS vs IND Day 3 Review: Australia was 318 runs ahead at the start of day 3. They had already dismissed 5 of India’s top-order batters. There were speculations on whether Australia would want to enforce a follow-on. It was their game to decide even at the beginning of the day. Such was Australia’s superiority that they appeared to be bossing the Test just two days into the final. Will India survive the quest to avoid the follow-on, will Australia get to a 400-run lead at the end of day 3? These were the questions that looked likely before the start of day 3.
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We look at the defining moments of day 3:
#1 Bharat goes for a blob
All it took was one ball for Australia to make an inroad on day 3. Scott Boland continued his attack the stumps line to bowl Srikar Bharat neck and crop. India’s score at the time of his dismissal read 152-6. A follow-on appeared imminent. In the absence of Rishabh Pant, Bharat the batter hasn’t yet fired in 5 Tests so far.
#2 The surprising rearguard
India’s top order presented a spineless display of batting on day 2. None of the top four went on to build on their starts. They were all guilty of throwing away their wickets showing little application. At 152-6, a big deficit and a subsequent defeat loomed large for India. But Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur combined forced. The pair took multiple blows but continued to fight. Pat Cummins and Boland tested the pair severely. They fought on gamely.
#3 The hour-long counterpunch
After treading with caution for the first hour of the opening session both Rahane and Thakur opened up. They played delectable drives and ferocious cuts to transfer some pressure back onto the bowlers. Rahane reached his fifty with a massive six of Cummins pulling him into the fine leg stand. India went into lunch the happier team losing just the solitary wicket but showing a lot of gumption.
#4 The wrap post lunch
Rahane lost his wicket soon after lunch. Cameroon Green plucked out a blinder to dismiss Rahane on 89. The middle-order batter certainly deserved a century. Thakur in the company of Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami brought up his 50. He joined an elite club of batsmen to score three successive fifties at the Oval.
Only Sir Don Bradman and Allan Border previously had achieved this feat. India kept scoring quickly but were all out for 296. Australia gained a massive 173 runs lead. The lead could have been bigger and even a follow-on could have been enforced but India salvaged a moral win. They forced Australia to bat again!
#5 India’s spirited reply but Australia in the ascendancy
India’s new ball bowlers once again breathed fire. They kept bowling unplayable balls to the Aussie openers. Mohammad Siraj removed David Warner while Umesh Yadav dismissed Usman Khawaja. Steve Smith tried to counterattack but he fell to a wild slog with Thakur taking a fine catch off Ravindra Jadeja. The spinner then prised out Travis Head to keep the run-flow in check. Australia finished the day with the scoreboard reading 123-4. They lead by 296 runs with 6 wickets in hand.
#6 The day’s verdict
On a wicket that is getting increasingly difficult to bat, Australia would want to believe they already have a match-winning lead. It will be interesting to see how they approach the game from here. On a day that saw India fight right throughout the day, the game still is in Australia’s control. The profligacy that the team showed while bowling and batting in the first half of the innings has cost them big time already. And it is mainly owing to this reason that even though day 3 might have been India’s day but the Test is firmly in Australia’s grip.
