Australia v India: fourth Test, day three – as it happened

17 Jan 202102.57 EST

Summary

Scott Heinrich

India’s fighting qualities were again on display on a day that started with Australia looking likely to dominate, but ended with them ruing a failure to deliver the killer blow. With Australia needing to win the fourth Test to regain the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, they will begin day four 54 runs to the good and on paper in an advantageous position.

But with rain on the way, and India’s defiance to draw the Sydney Test still fresh in the mind, Australia will fear they are running out of time to set a defendable score, and to bowl India out twice. That they are now hurried is down to India’s middle-order backlash on the third day. When Rishabh Pant fell it reduced India to 186-6, but in Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar the visitors conjured an unlikely alliance that might well have tipped the balance of the series in their favour.

Thakur (67) and Sundar (62) - who prior to this match had a combined experience of a solitary Test - put on 123 runs together, the second highest stand of the series and comfortably India’s best ever for the seventh wicket at the Gabba. And they did it in style, not merely playing for time but sucking confidence from Australia with their daring strokeplay. When Josh Hazlewood took the last wicket to claim his ninth Test five-wicket haul, Australia were relieved more than jubilant.

Australia need runs, lots of them, and they need them quickly on day four. A draw is no good to them. India’s resoluteness, and the weather, stand in their way.

Yet another engrossing day of cricket in this wonderful Test series. Australia might be ahead but day three belonged to India and the pivotal seventh-wicket stand of 123 runs shared by Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar. Australia now need runs. Fast. David Warner looked in good touch prior to stumps and will have a big part to play on day four.

At least we know his groin is fine.

6th over: Australia 21-0 (Harris 1, Warner 20) The final over of the third day and it’s Natarajan to Warner, who leaves when he can and defends when he has to. And even allows himself the luxury of a single to midwicket, handing Harris the honour of facing the last delivery. It’s wide outside off and Harris leaves it for the keeper. That’s stumps.

5th over: Australia 20-0 (Harris 1, Warner 19) Just four overs in and Rahane makes a change, with Siraj making way for Sundar. And why not? He has a president’s name and a Midas touch. Warner cuts behind point for three. Just one over remaining in the day.

4th over: Australia 17-0 (Harris 1, Warner 16) Harris gets off the mark with a single before Warner picks up three more but he didn’t know much about it, driving uppishly and fortuitously in the gap between gully and point.

“Good morning Scott,” writes Steve in Malta. “Something needs updating I feel - 62 - 2??”

Steve in Malta is referring to the scorecard at the top of the page, which is rather out of date. Apologies. We are experiencing “technical difficulties”. Our “best men and women” are working on it. I’m serious.

3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Harris 0, Warner 13) Siraj is far too short to Warner, who plays his first shot in anger over midwicket for four. We see a more cultured Warner next delivery as he leans into a fuller ball and punches Siraj past mid-off for another boundary. And now four more! Siraj changes to around the wicket but is too wide this time as Warner cuts to make it twelve runs in three balls.

2nd over: Australia 1-0 (Harris 0, Warner 1) Natarajan to Warner. Also some swing for the left-armer, away from Warner. Full and wide, Warner reaches for one and gets off the mark with a very quick single to cover. Warner runs hard and dives to make his ground. A ballsy effort from a man with a dodgy groin.

1st over: Australia 0-0 (Harris 0, Warner 0) Siraj with the new ball for India, over the wicket to Harris. Australia can’t afford to simply play out these 10 overs. They need to win this Test match. They needs runs. And rain is on the way tomorrow and Tuesday. A little bit of movement in the air from Siraj, who starts with a maiden.

India are not short of character and they showed plenty of it to get close to Australia’s first-innings total, having been reduced to 186-6 earlier in the day. The 123-run partnership for the seventh wicket, shared by rookies Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar, was the defining stand of the innings, and the second-highest from either team this series. Australia now face thirty or so minutes before stumps.

Siraj knows his way around a bat more than his partner and he sends Hazlewood to the fence with a ramp shot straight out of the T20 textbook. A few inches more and it would’ve been six. And then finally - finally! - Hazlewood bowls straight, taking Siraj’s off-stump to register his ninth Test five-wicket haul. India’s brave, fighting innings is over.

111th over: India 332-9 (Siraj 9, Natarajan 1) Starc again. Natarajan is clearly not in the team for his batting but swinging and missing is fine if the ball isn’t aimed at the stumps. Not sure why Australia are trying to get the edge of this No 11. Starc finally bowls fuller, and nearer the stumps, but Natarajan keeps the left-armer at bay in a maiden over.

110th over: India 332-9 (Siraj 9, Natarajan 1) Hazlewood to Siraj, another five-wicket haul in sight. After, somewhat hilariously, muffing a scoop shot, Siraj takes a single past point before, somewhat miraculously, Natarajan drives past mid-off for a single. Siraj swings with intent to collect two more to end the over which, somewhat bafflingly, did not feature one ball on the stumps. It’s somewhat amazing that Australia aren’t batting yet.

109th over: India 328-9 (Siraj 6, Natarajan 0)

Cummins is rested as Paine turns to Starc to finish off the tail. The move pays instant dividends as Washington tries to guide the ball to third man but succeeds only in picking out Green, who takes a very nice catch low to the ground at gully. Take a bow, Sundar. A quite exquisite debut knock.

108th over: India 326-8 (Sundar 60, Siraj 6)

Hazlewood to Saini, Over the wicket. Two slips, gully, short square, leg gully. Catchers everywhere you look. And Hazlewood works the No 9 over with reward for effort as Saini clumsily edges into the hands of Smith at second slip. Four wickets for Hazlewood. Now deep into the tail. Australia need to finish it in a hurry but honours, for now, go to Siraj, who backs away and almost dismissively cuts over point for four. A similar shot ends the over but this time picks up only two runs.

107th over: India 320-7 (Sundar 60, Saini 5) Looking more comfortable, against the fuller ball at least, Saini steers the first ball of the Cummins over down to third man for a single. Back on strike, Sundar underlines how it is soooooooo his day as he unwittingly deflects a Cummins short ball off his body and, even more unwittingly, looks the other way as the ball trickles past the stumps. The over ends with Sandur turning Cummins off his hip just in front of the fielder at leg gully, Yup, it’s his day alright.

Here’s that Sundar six from the 104th over.

106th over: India 319-7 (Sundar 60, Saini 4) Lyon gets a well-earned rest as Hazlewood returns to the attack. The Cummins strike has clearly lifted the mood of Australia in the field, but more - much more - is needed for the hosts to get back on top. Sandur farms the strike in a maiden over, which importantly for Australia puts Saini back on strike to face Cummins.

I concur. It’s had the lot, not all of it savoury, but it’s had the lot. And it’s not finished.

105th over: India 319-7 (Sundar 60, Saini 4) Saini gets off the mark with a boundary but Cummins is the moral victor as the No 9 fends, quite obliviously, a venomous short ball that speeds off the edge and over the slip cordon. Cummins then beats the outside edge, Saini jumping around his crease like a man under extreme sufferance. Lethal fast bowling from a man doing his utmost to lift his team. India trail by 50 runs.

Gotta say, there've been some very enjoyable tours by India in recent years.

The 2003-04 vintage remain my favourite. I had the pleasure of seeing the sublime VVS Laxman a couple of times here in Brisbane during that tour - once in the test when he made 75, another in a later ODI when he made a century. I never got to see Lara live - circumstances conspired against it a couple of times - Laxman remains the best batsman to watch I've seen in the flesh.

Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Agarkar, Pathan and Kumble all excelled during that tour. The Adelaide test was a classic.

The 2007-08 tour was pretty good, even with the ugliness during and, especially, toward the end of the Sydney test.

Two years ago wasn't a great test series, although Cheteshwar Pujara gave the not very spiritual among us some idea of eternity ;)

This Indian team has been outstanding - the 2003-04 vintage are still my favourite, but not by much.

CrocodylusPontifex17 January 2021 6:13am

Yes, this Indian vintage is one to cherish. And to think Kohli isn’t here at the moment.

104th over: India 315-7 (Sundar 60, Saini 0) Paine persists with Lyon instead of opting for pace from both ends. Sundar premeditates an ambitious sweep but fails before getting it right later in the over with a slog version of the shot, hoicking the spinner high over cow corner for a big six. Wonderful shot. Wonderful cricketer on all evidence to date. After all that, it’s time for drinks.

103rd over: India 309-7 (Sundar 54, Saini 0)

Commeth the hour, commeth Pat Cummins. When Australia need a wicket he’s usually the man and it’s again the case today as he bamboozles Thakur with a lethal off-cutter that takes off-stump. Excellent bowling to entice the drive and strike when his country needed him most. Thakur’s superb knock comes to an end as does the seventh-wicket partnership, which at 123 runs is the second best of any team this series. The over also includes a review as Cummins whizzes a short one past Saini that Paine thinks took the glove, but nothing doing on that front. Two burned reviews for Australia. But, importantly, one breakthrough.

102nd over: India 307-6 (Sundar 54, Thakur 65) Lyon continues into his 27th over. He’s not exactly going through the motions, and he has been remarkably consistent through a long spell, but there is little threat to go with his economy.

101st over: India 307-6 (Sundar 54, Thakur 65) Thakur helps himself to another meaty drive but mid-off is deep and the result is no run from a very good shot. Elsewhere Cummins does very little wrong but very little to suggest a breakthrough is somewhere around the corner.

100th over: India 305-6 (Sundar 53, Thakur 64) A regulation over from Lyon save for the fourth delivery which keeps very low, forcing Thakur to get his bat down in a hurry. What now, Australia? What do you have?

99th over: India 304-6 (Sundar 53, Thakur 64) Starc’s sincere but fruitless spell comes to an end. Cummins takes his place and carries on the short-pitched theme. He gets Thakur hooking but luck is on India’s side as the right-hander skies a top edge over the keeper’s head for four more. That’s the 300 up for India, who now trail by just 65 runs.

98th over: India 297-6 (Sundar 53, Thakur 58) The better this pair get, the luckier they get. A couple of singles pave the way for Sundar to give himself room outside off-stump, miscuing a crude heave but living to fight on as the ball lands safely out of reach of the fielders.

97th over: India 292-6 (Sundar 50, Thakur 56)

And now it’s Sundar’s turn to raise his bat, squirting Starc to mid-off for a quick single. What an assured debut from the man with the presidential name, with both bat and ball. Starc and Lyon are asking questions, no doubt about it, but these two have all the answers.

96th over: India 289-6 (Sundar 49, Thakur 54)

It’s been a stylish innings from Thakur so why not register your maiden Test fifty in style? Dance down the pitch and loft Lyon high over long-on for six? Don’t mind if I do, says Thakur. Sundar then gets in on the act, driving through the covers for four more to take this partnership into triple figures.

95th over: India 278-6 (Sundar 45, Thakur 47) Starc steams in again. India collect four leg-byes as Thakur offers no shot but instead his buttocks to a ball just outside leg. “Worst rule in cricket,” Ricky Ponting says on the telly. No argument here. You don’t play a shot, you should get no runs.

94th over: India 273-6 (Sundar 45, Thakur 46) Lyon again. Another tight, probing over - possibly a little quicker at times - goes for just a single. Again, better from Australia.

Here’s that ripping Thakur cover drive from a few overs back.

93rd over: India 272-6 (Sundar 45, Thakur 45) Starc might have been banished after that shot from Thakur, but he continues. A short square and leg gully back in place, he mostly peppers Sundar with the short stuff but threatens best when he’s fuller, first of all squaring the left-hander up and gaining the edge - which splits slip and gully en route to the fence - before enticing Sundar into a play and a miss outside off. Much better over from Starc. Quicker and with a bit more ticker.

92nd over: India 268-6 (Sundar 41, Thakur 45) Just a single off Lyon’s over. If the India bats have a taste for the faster ball, they have remained circumspect against Lyon. Might be time to bring Labuschagne back on?!

“Anyone wondering why he is called Washington?” asks Fantie Cam. “Heartwarming story ...In an exclusive interview with The Hindu, his father said - “I am a Hindu and come from a very humble family. Two streets away from my home in Triplicane lived an ex-army man called P.D. Washington. Washington was extremely fond of cricket and would come to watch us play at the Marina ground. He took a liking for my game. I was poor and he would buy a uniform for me, pay my school fee, get me books, take me to the ground in his cycle and constantly encourage me.” Normally Hindu kids in Tamil Nadu are named after Gods. Question now is - Who is P.D. Washington?”

91st over: India 267-6 (Sundar 40, Thakur 45) The confidence levels are so high with these two they’re now taking quick singles, the seventh-wicket pair almost mocking Australia with their chattiness and their chirpiness as they cross paths. And oh my lord, if Starc and Australia weren’t bereft of their own confidence they are now as Thakur clamps down his front foot as rockets a cover drive to the boundary. Shot of the day, without question. Possibly the shot of Thakur’s life. Starc trudges back to his fielding position, head bowed. What is going on here?

90th over: India 262-6 (Sundar 39, Thakur 41) Lyon again. It’s a decent enough over, during which Sundar collects a single to mid-off, but the bottom line is Australia can’t buy a wicket at the moment.

“This Indian team has shown something which even the mightiest elevens from the past have not been able to show - grit and gumption,” writes Abhijato Sensarma. “They have had a historical tendency to collapse like a house of cards on foreign pitches against any potent attack. Now, with depleted resources and up against the best bowling side in the world, they’re putting on a show for the ages. They’ve been an inspiration over the past month with their personal stories, stands against racism, and pandemic struggles. Cheers and thanks for the cricket, fellow countrymen!”

Can’t argue with that.

89th over: India 261-6 (Sundar 38, Thakur 41) Finally we see Starc. If there’s any movement in the air, we’ll now find out. First delivery and the ball moves alright - fast across the ground as Thakur drives sumptuously wide of mid-off for four. Two balls later the right-hander goes again, waiting on a shorter ball and swatting it over gully for another boundary. Worrying signs for Australia. Starc can’t get the ball to mumble let alone talk. The life in this pitch looks to be expiring by the minute.

88th over: India 253-6 (Sundar 38, Thakur 33) Lyon continues after tea, around the wicket to the left-handed Sundar. Both protagonists are circumspect - Lyon gently asking the question, Sundar defending well. The first over of the session, which will have 37 in it, is a maiden.

Australia looked to be tracking nicely with the dismissal of Rishabh Pant reducing India to 186-6, but from that point on the second session belonged entirely to the visitors. Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar - with a combined experience of one Test match - put on 67 unbroken runs to the break (a seventh-wicket record for India at the Gabba) and rarely looked troubled, even against the second new ball. Australia still have runs up their sleeve, but with memories of Sydney still vivid, they will be restless until these two are separated.

87th over: India 253-6 (Sundar 38, Thakur 33) Boundaries and more boundaries. Thakur plays possibly the shot of the session, driving Cummins down the ground, before adding four more with a flash outside off that he almost pulls out of, but softens his hands enough to not present a catching chance. Excellent batting. This partnership is now getting out of hand from an Australian point of view. Worth 67 runs in good time, it’s now beyond nuisance value and just what India need. Time for tea.

86th over: India 245-6 (Sundar 38, Thakur 25) Hazlewood continues but there are no catchers near the bat for Thakur. The paceman nonetheless drops one in short, allowing Thakur to fend away for a single. But it looks like it caught him on a knuckle on his left hand, causing a delay as he receives treatment from medical staff. Magic spray nowhere in sight, however. When play resumes, Thakur watches from the non-striker’s end as Sandur clips Hazlewood off his pads for three. What an impressive debut this is becoming for this young man.

85th over: India 240-6 (Sundar 35, Thakur 23) Over the wicket, Cummins gets Sundar playing, and missing, outside off-stump. He then digs one in short but the ball gets up nowhere near as much as anticipated, flying by a surprised Sundar’s helmet. Maiden over.

84th over: India 240-6 (Sundar 35, Thakur 23) Hazlewood continues but, as with Cummins, there is no feeling that a wicket is just a delivery away. Rather than skimming onto the bad, or zipping through to the keeper, the ball is more or less stopping and propping on this slowing deck. That said, these Aussie quicks know how to put their backs into it - and Hazlewood traps Thakur on his crease, looking to have a fair lbw shout if not for that pesky inside edge. The batsman then swings and misses outside off to end the over.

83rd over: India 239-6 (Sundar 35, Thakur 23) Cummins reverts to around the wicket but he can’t stem the flow of runs as Sundar beats gully for a boundary that takes this partnership past 50. Not much happening for Australia with this new ball, other than leaving the bat a bit quicker.

82nd over: India 235-6 (Sundar 31, Thakur 23) No Starc, with Hazlewood preferred by Paine to partner Cummins. Hmmm. Thakur drives at one that’s just short of a half-volley but Hazlewood’s movement off the seam is dreamy and he beats the bat. He can’t follow it up, however, dropping in a but shorter and onto Thakur’s pads, going for a four before again conceding a boundary with one that almost cuts the right-hander in half and also beats the diving Paine before racing to the fence.

81st over: India 227-6 (Sundar 31, Thakur 15) And shock, horror: Australia take the new ball immediately. Not a moment too soon. Cummins gets the new Kookaburra. Over the wicket to Sundar. Three slips and a gully, but also a short leg. Australia want Sundar driving, but don’t rule out the short stuff. It’s mostly full from Cummins. Sunday picks up two after a misfield at mid-off but Starc then restores equilibrium with a good stop at mid-on, saving a likely two runs and looking after his pace cohort.

80th over: India 225-6 (Sundar 29, Thakur 15) Lyon to Sundar. Now a bat-pad to go with the slip fielder. Sundar looks to move the score along and manages a single to mid-off - the first run in almost three overs. The new ball is now due.

79th over: India 224-6 (Sundar 28, Thakur 15) Starc off, Labuschagne on. Paine looking for one of two things, or both: a quick path to the new ball and an opportunistic dismissal. He achieves the first aim as Marnus peels off a rapid maiden.

78th over: India 224-6 (Sundar 28, Thakur 15) Sundar gives himself space and looks ready to cash in on a shorter one from Lyon, but he muffs his attempted cut shot. Elsewhere, Lyon keeps things tight and it’s a maiden over. But a breakthrough looks some way off. This partnership is now worth 38 from 69 balls. The new ball can’t come quick enough for Australia.

77th over: India 224-6 (Sundar 28, Thakur 15) Sundar goes after the old ball - what on earth will these two look to do against the new one? - clipping Starc backward of square for three. It prompts a change from Starc on two fronts - over the wicket and shorter bowling - but both batsmen are on top of things. Five from the over.

76th over: India 219-6 (Sundar 24, Thakur 14) Lyon again. Both batters are much more watchful against a ball that Lyon is sometimes turning, sometimes not so much. And his line and length remains consistently excellent. Washington beats mid-on to collect a single. Update on Saini: he bowled in the nets this morning and will bat at No 9 in this innings. That’s some recovery. New ball due in four overs.

75th over: India 218-6 (Sundar 23, Thakur 14) Starc around the wicket to Washington. Short square and leg gully in place. These two are going along very nicely indeed. Australia do have runs to play with but as we saw in Sydney, India are quite capable of pulling a draw from nowhere. Key period awaits, but aren’t they all?! Washington keeps down a short one and squirts a single past the fielder close to the bat. Shardul then lives rather dangerously, ballooning a diagonal-bat shot just into safety despite the best efforts of Green retreating from gully. He survives, and picks up two runs.

17 Jan 202122.44 EST

Scott Heinrich

Thanks Geoff. Enjoy your spell in the deep. After a marathon morning session, and runs and wickets in the past hour, you have earned it. Australia are well placed here but will want to consolidate their position by knocking over the tail as swiftly as they can. Looking forward to the rest of the day. Do join me.

17 Jan 202122.44 EST

Geoff Lemon

74th over: India 215-6 (Sundar 22, Thakur 12) Another Lyon over, and another six defensive shots from Thakur. Even when he comes down the wicket he defends. Really determined to stay in and bat some time, by the looks. Next target is to bring that deficit under 150, and then keep whittling it down. Get it near 100 and that’s about the position from which India drew the match in Sydney.

Got to love Test cricket. That’s me for day three, I’ll be with you to start the fourth morning. Half an hour early, remember, my pretties. For the rest of the day after this drinks break, you’ll be with Scott Heinrich.