Indore: Nathan Lyon grabbed eight wickets as India were bundled for 163 in 60.3 overs in the second innings on day two of the third Test against Australia here on Thursday. The hosts are staring at a big defeat as Steve Smith's side has been set a target of just 76 runs to win the Test and secure a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Lyon spun a web around India batters, returning figures of 23.3-1-64-8. Cheteshwar Pujara batted resolutely but fell after making 59 runs. The veteran batter's departure, with Smith taking a blinder of a catch at leg slip off the bowling of Lyon, virtually ended India's resistance.
Umesh Yadav lasted just two balls, caught by Cameron Green in the deep for a duck as India's batting went down without a whimper. India are leading the series 2-0 having won in Nagpur and New Delhi.
Brief Scores:
India 109 and 163 in 60.3 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 59; Nathan Lyon 8/64) in 60.3 overs.
Australia 1st innings: 197 all out in 76.3 overs.
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- India were 79 for four at tea in their second innings on the second day of the third Test against Australia. India still trail Australia by nine runs with three full days play remaining in the match. Cheteshwar Pujara was batting on 36 in the company of Shreyas Iyer, who is yet to open his account.
Nathan Lyon (3/27) picked up three wickets for Australia. Umesh Yadav bagged three wickets in the morning session as India bowled out Australia for 197 in their first innings in reply to the home team's 109.
Earlier, Usman Khawaja top-scored for the visitors with a 147-ball 60, while Marnus Labuschagne made 31. For India, Ravindra Jadeja (4/78) picked up four wickets while Umesh (3/12) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/44) took three wickets apiece. (PTI)
Brief Scores:
India: 109 all out & 79 for 4 in 32 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 36 batting; Nathan Lyon 3/27).
Australia 1st Innings: 197 all out in 76.3 overs (Usman Khawaja 60, Marnus Labuschagne 31; Ravindra Jadeja 4/78, Umesh Yadav 3/12, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/44).
- Shubman Gill (5), skipper Rohit Sharma (12) and team's best batter Virat Kohli (13) are all back to the pavilion with India still traililng by 34 runs. While Nathan Lyon dismissed Gill and Sharma, Kohli was adjudged lbw to M Kuhnemann's delivery by the umpire.
- India lost Shubman Gill (5) to a flighted ball which Gill tried to step out and hit it for a six but the ball had more drift, turned and crash onto the stumps.
Indore: The pace-spin combination of Umesh Yadav and R Ashwin ran through the Australian batting line-up as India clawed their way back into the third Test here on Thursday. After a rather quiet first hour, when only 30 runs were scored in 16 overs without any wicket, India bowled Australia out 197 as the visitors lost their last six wickets for just 11 runs after starting the day at 156 for four.
Ashwin and Yadav took three wickets each to script India's fightback after a forgettable opening day when the hosts were all out for 109. Considering the conditions, Australia have done well to take a crucial 88-run first innings lead. Rohit Sharma (5) and Shubman (4) Gill took India to 13 for no loss in four overs at lunch, reducing the deficit to 75 runs.
Though India did not pick up any wicket in the first hour, they did not allow Peter Handscomb (19 off 98) and Cameron Green (21 off 57) easy runs with Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja keeping things tight. As it has been the case throughout the series, the wickets came in a heap after India broke the resistance of Handscomb, whose ultra defensive innings came to end with an inside edge flying to Shreyas Iyer at short-leg off Aswhin.
Ashwin surprisingly had to wait for almost an hour to get his first over of the day and when he did, the wily operator made the ball talk. He got also rid of Alex Carey (3) and Nathan Lyon (5) to end with figures of three for 44 in 20.3 overs. Umesh, who targeted the stumps successfully, trapped Green in front by getting one to straighten slightly off middle-stump in his very first over.
He cleaned up the tail by bowling fast and straight from round the wicket, leaving Mitchell Starc (1) and Toddy Murphy clueless (0). Compared to the opening day, the ball did not do too much in the first hour with Handscomb and Green focussed on playing the forward defence.
It was only in the 10th over of the day that Green decided to step out and hit Jadeja over mid-on for a boundary. Siraj opened the bowling with two short mid-wickets in place. The plan was to bowl straight and stem the flow of runs. (PTI)
Brief Scores:
India 1st Innings: 109 all out & 13 for no loss in 4 overs (Rohit Sharma 5 batting, Shubman Gill 4 batting).
Australia 1st Innings: 197 all out in 76.3 overs (Usman Khawaja 60, Marnus Labuschagne 31; Ravindra Jadeja 4/78, Umesh Yadav 3/12, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/44).
- India goes to the lunch at highs provided by Umesh Yadav and R Ashwin, who folded Australia for 197. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are on the wicket and have looked positive so far.
Here's what happened in Australia's first innings:
Indore: Umesh Yadav scalped three batters as India bowled out Australia for 197 in their first innings on the second morning of the third Test here on Thursday. Australia have taken a vital 88-run first innings lead on a tricky pitch that came under fire for offering sharp turn in the first hour of the match.
Usman Khawaja top-scored for the visitors with a 147-ball 60, while Marnus Labuschagne made 31. For India, Ravindra Jadeja (4/78) picked up four wickets while Umesh Yadav (3/12) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/44) took three wickets apiece.
Brief Scores:
India 1st Innings: 109 all out in 33.2 overs (Virat Kohli 22; Matthew Kuhnemann 5/16, Nathan Lyon 3/35).
Australia 1st Innings: 197 all out in 76.3 overs (Usman Khawaja 60, Marnus Labuschagne 31; Ravindra Jadeja 4/78, Umesh Yadav 3/12, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/44).
- Australia are ahead in the game after folding India for an under-par 109 runs with the visitors losing four wickets. Cameron Green and Peter Handscomb are on the crease and will look to take the game ahead for their team, who has been down and out in the first two Test matches having lost both of them. From India's perspective, a win will cement their place in the World Test Championship finals and seal the series. The pitch is rough, looks rugged, more like a Day 4 pitch, and will assist more to the spinners as the day progresses.
Earlier yesterday, Indian batters' longstanding struggles against spin were thoroughly exposed before Australia applied themselves on a rank turner to take control of the third Test on a frantic opening day of the match. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemman (5/16) picked up his maiden five-wicket haul as Australia skittled India out for a paltry 109 shortly after lunch on day one. Virat Kohli top-scored for India with 22 off 52 balls.
Trailing 0-2 in the series, Australia came out with a strong resolve and purpose to end the day at 156 for four, taking a 47-run lead. Ravindra Jadeja (4/63) took all four wickets for India including that of stand-in captain Steve Smith (26 off 38) before close of play. Usman Khawaja (60 off 147) was the standout performer for Australia as he tackled the skill-full Jadeja and R Ashwin with a straight bat and soft hands. (With inputs from PTI)
