Brisbane: India will have to produce a similar display of batting which showed against Bangladesh in the second Test at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur a couple of months back as they need 275 runs inside 54 overs to win the third Test of the five-match series to take 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia declared their second innings on 89/7, setting a target of 275 runs against India in the third Test at the iconic The Gabba here on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. Australia have given themselves a shade over three hours (light and weather permitting) to try and dismiss India a second time around inside a minimum of 54 overs, but in all honesty, they'll be lucky to face more than 40 overs.
Innings Break!
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 18, 2024
Australia have declared after posting 89/7 in the 2nd innings.#TeamIndia need 275 runs to win the 3rd Test
Scorecard - https://t.co/dcdiT9NAoa#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bBCu6G0pN5
Australia came out of the blocks, played shots, lost wickets and added 89 runs in 18 overs, at just under 5 runs per over. They've three fit frontline bowlers, Mitchell Marsh and part-time spinners in the likes of Marnus Labuschagne, who can bowl medium pace if needed, and Travis Head, but a lot will depend on Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon if they're to pull off something magical.
A target set for India on day five 👀#AUSvIND live 👉 https://t.co/EhtJs4Y3OO#WTC25
— ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2024
For 4 days, India were never in the hunt to secure a win, they've now been given a target, it does look steep, and the fickle weather will add to the chaos, will they be tempted at a chase? Or will they draw curtains and prefer a 1-1 score-line going into the Boxing Day Test?
However, it's not that India have never scored runs that quick. India holds the record for scoring the fastest 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 total in Test cricket, having registered nearly two months back. India had whacked everything that came their way, reached the 50-run mark in just 3.1 overs, then converted it into a century taking only 42 more deliveries. The Men in Blue didn't stop there and achieved 150, 200 and 250 runs and reached the milestone in just 18.2, 24.2 and 30.1 overs respectively.
The only question here is whether India will go for a win or not and will an out-of-form lineup again take chances against Australian bowlers in the likes of Cummins, Starc and Lyon? And if yes, would they go bang bang from ball one or keep going with the required rate, finding a boundary every over?
