India vs Australia (IND vs AUS) 3rd Test Day 5 Highlights: A resolute Ravichandran Ashwin and a hamstrung Hanuma Vihari battled pain and a hostile Australian bowling attack while displaying the largely extinct art of Test-saving batsmanship to snatch a remarkable draw for India after Rishabh Pant raised visions of an improbable win at Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.
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Earlier, Australia was firmly on course for a victory in the third Test after getting rid of a dangerous Rishabh Pant and the rock-steady Cheteshwar Pujara, reducing India to 280 for 5 at Tea in pursuit of 407.
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India now needs 107 runs to win but, in all probability, will be looking to survive in the final session of the match to salvage a draw. Pant (97) and Pujara (77) added 148 runs for the fourth wicket in an amazing counter-attacking partnership before their dismissals put India in a spot with an injured Hanuma Vihari (4 batting) in the company of Ravichandran Ashwin (7 batting) engaged in an arduous battle.
Earlier on Day 4, openers Shubman Gill (31) and Rohit Sharma (52) were winkled out by the Australian pace attack in the final session, leaving Cheteshwar Pujara, who had scored nine not out, and skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who was unbeaten on four, to continue the fight. With no rain forecast for Monday, the tourists face a long day batting on a deteriorating wicket if they are to avoid going 2-1 down in the series before they head to Brisbane for the final Test.
3rd Test, SCG, Sydney, 06 Jan, 2021
Australia Squad: Playing- David Warner, Will Pucovski, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
India Squad: Playing- Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini
Bench: Mayank Agarwal, T Natarajan, Wriddhiman Saha, Kuldeep Yadav, Prithvi Shaw
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"I thought we created enough chances to win the game, this one's a tough one to swallow. Our bowlers were superb, Lyon bowled well. Just that we (especially me) didn't hold onto our catches. Looking forward to Brisbane. We didn't play our best in the last two games, but we were somewhat good with the bat in this Test. There were a few positives for us, our bowlers created plenty of chances. Today was a whole-hearted effort from the boys, just that things didn't go our way. I think having two young kids (Pucovski and Green) playing Test cricket, it's a great thing as they were sensational. I thought Green was fantastic yesterday."
"Our talk coming this morning was to show character and fight till the end. Not to think about the result. Really happy with the way we fought especially today but also throughout the game, even in the first innings when Australia were 200 for 2 and getting them all out for 338 was really good. There are few areas we can improve on but special mention to Vihari and Ashwin. The way they batted in the end and showed character was really good to see. Credit to him (Pant). We made that strategy but in the end it is all about the player executing the plan."
Steve Smith says: "India fought really hard. Our bowlers did their hardest. We felt few kept a low on day three, but there was not much today. Always means a lot when you score a hundred for your country. Looking forward to play the next Test in a few days time. Absorbed the pressure when needed to, just watched the ball hard and concentrated well."
With their over three and a half hour-long stay in the middle, Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin snatched a victory from the hosts. Both batted till the end and deprived Australia the victory.
Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin reached their historic 52-run partnership off 247 balls. Three overs to go from here. Hanuma Vihari has survived the Aussie attack for more than 3.5 hours.
More than 125 overs in the fourth innings. This is most number of overs India have faced in the fourth innings of an away Test since 1980.
Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin are all set to create history here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Day 5 of the third Test. India are just a five overs away from saving the Test and taking the series 1-1 to the fourth and final Test at Brisbane starting from January 15.
Australian skipper Tim Paine, who was busy in sledging R Ashwin, dropped an easy catch of Hanuma Vihari. This is his third drop today. Vihari pushes at it and gets a thick outside edge. The keeper dives to his right and goes for a one-handed catch, but shells it. While on the other hand, India batsmen Vihari and Ashwin continue to remain resolute. 8 overs to survive.
Words exchanged between Tim Paine and Ashwin in the last over. Been a mental for a long time now this! Ashwin to Paine : “when you come to India that will be your last series”. Score after 122 overs, IND- 319/5
How many times have you seen a batsman batting on 124 balls, doubling his score in one over? Hanuma Vihari, take a bow. What an innings this has been, batting on one leg. Score after 121 overs, IND- 319/5 | 88 needed off 11 overs
Australia still searching for five wickets and a bit of frustration creeping in. Watch-
Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin have negotiated over 200 balls between them. Very matured innings Vihari..takes lots of guts to play this innings against those Aussie quickies. A display of real grit from both the batsman. Score after 118 overs, IND- 305/5 | India need 102 more runs to win
Vihari 7* (108) gets a run after what seems like an eternity while giving him company is Ashwin 24* (85). Holding the fort for India. Vihari batting with a hamstring injury, Ashwin batting after getting a blow near the ribcage. Australia looking for wickets to wrap it up but India won't give in yet. Score after 116 overs, IND- 301/5 | India need 106 more runs to win
An interesting passage of play as both batsmen continue to show great character in the middle. Vihari is digging deep here with 6 off 100 balls. Did you know this is the second-lowest strike-rate facing 100 balls or more in Test innings? Score after 112 overs, IND- 299/5 | India need 108 more runs to win
Marnus Labuschagne with his leg-spin is back into the attack. Remember, he picked up the ninth wicket during the 2019 Ashes series at Manchester. Will he do the job for the Aussies today? Not really, as Ashwin plays a quiet over. Score after 112 overs, IND- 299/5 | India need 108 more runs to win
Ashwin drives one pitched up delivery towards mid-off and the next one is hit past the backward point. Welcome runs for India. Score after 108 overs, IND- 299/5 | India need 108 more runs to win
"Pitch tampering, sledging, and now nasty bodyline bowling. Like 2 Harold Larwoods bowling from both ends. Also, if DRS wasn't available, we were done by now. If India saves this Test, I would rate it equivalent to 3 wins," says Shweta on Twitter.
These are the kind of situations every sportsman wishes to be in. Fighting hard for your country to save a test match in the last session. However much in pain, Ashwin and Vihari will continue to fight! Score after 104 overs, IND- 289/5 | India need 118 runs
Ashwin rides his luck! He went for the pull on the short ball and does not keep it down the ground, the fielder near square leg dives to his right and gets both hands, but the ball does not stick. Substitute Sean Abbott is the guilty party. Watch-
The last time India batted out 100+ overs in the 4th innings of any Test was at Lord's in 2002 (109.4 overs)
India needed 127 runs to ensure it retains the Border-Gavaskar or to bat through 36 overs for a draw, and Australia needed five wickets to take a 2-1 lead going into the fourth and final Test at the Gabba. The first two tests didn’t go to a fifth day, adding to the intrigue in Sydney.
India have 36 overs in their hands either to win or to survive in this match. With Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin at the middle, India still need 127 runs. No update on Ravindra Jadeja's fitness and his availability to bat down the order today.
Undoubtedly, this is a great show by Indian. As a record, India have played the most overs in the fourth innings in Australia in a decade. With 94th over in progress, India have bettered their last best of 90 overs in 2015. Hope this will take India to a victory today.
Josh Hazlewood claimed the most prized wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara, leaving Indian innings in tatters. Pujara bowled out by Hazlewood for 77. India's tail exposed with still 136 runs to win.
India are chasing a mammoth target of 407 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground and displaying a gritty show from the middle. Interestingly, it's Rahul Dravid's birthday today. The man who played an instrumental role in India's most memorable wins Down Under. Hope India would gift Dravid a win today at the SCG.
Rishabh Pant played his part with his 97-run knock. India lost their fourth after a fabulous 148-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Pant and Pujara. Hanuma Vihari is the new man in.
Both Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara are taking Aussie bowlers head on, taking India to 250. India need 157 to win from here. Pant has reached his 90s.
Two consecutive fours from Pant off Cameron Green's third and fourth ball of the over. Pant is clearly playing with fire here. "He is such a difficult character to understand," says Sanjay Manjrekar. Nonetheless, Pant has reached 88 off 114 balls, taking India to a position where they eye a win from here.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who was being criticised for his slow fifty in the first innings of the ongoing Test, has hit yet another fifty at much needed times for India. Pairing up with Rishabh Pant, Pujara has made 52 off 172 balls. Pant is on fire at the other end.
Pujara becomes the 11th India to score 6,000 Test runs
Sachin, Dravid, Gavaskar, Laxman, Sehwag, Kohli, Ganguly, Vengsarkar, Azharuddin, and Viswanath before him (in the order of runs scored)
Score after 73 overs, IND 217-3
India fought back admirably this morning after the loss of Ajinkya Rahane. The Puajra-Pant pair goes well for India as both have stitched a 115-run partnership. In the process, Pujara crossed past 6000-run mark in Test cricket and also approached his consecutive fifty. Indian fans are hoping for India's victory here at Sydney Cricket Ground.
The confident pair of Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara back to the middle with an intent of surviving for yet another session. Mitchell Starc opens the bowling attack after lunch. Pant and Pujara have stitched a crucial 104-run stand so far. All eyes will be on Pant.
Australia got an early wicket, but that's all they got in the session; the Pant-Pujara partnership has kept India in the game. The way Rishabh Pant is taking on Lyon on a dry 5 day pitch shows the audacity of the guy! With every aerial shot, he is playing, each and every Indian fan who's got up now would be having his heart in his mouth. Indeed attack is the best form of defence. With two sessions to go, what's the result going to be?
Beautifully flicked off the pads by Che! Pierces the leg-side field and that brings up the 100-run partnership in 197 balls. The 200 has also come up for Team India. Score after 68 overs, IND- 202/3
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Rishabh Pant now holds the record of scoring most runs among Asian keepers in Tests in Australia, going past Syed Kirmani’s 471 runs. Score after 65 overs, IND- 196/3
Mitchell Starc [8.0-1-32-0] is back into the attack. But its a no-ball, poor from Starc. To add insult to injury, Pant has latched on to it and drives it through the covers. Meanwhile, was another drop! Same batsman (Pant), same bowler (Lyon) and Paine is the culprit again in the previous over. Score after 63 overs, IND - 192/3
Batting at No. 5 today, Rishabh Pant brings up his half-century in just 64 balls. What a fine knock this has been. Pant completes his half-century with consecutive sixes and a single off Lyon. The pair of him and Pujara has now put up a 66-run stand for the fourth wicket. Score after 57 overs, IND - 168/3
The fifty run stand between Pujara and Pant is now up.
FOUR, Pant goes for a drive and gets an outside edge which goes past Steve Smith's outstretched hand at first slip. Just before this over started, there were two slips and one of them was removed before the first ball. Time for a drink's break. Score after 53 overs, IND- 152/3
25
28
36
30
39
33
159*
29
36
He has never been dismissed for less than 25 in the country!
Josh Hazlewood replaces Pat Cummins in the attack and starts his spell with a couple of back-to-back maiden overs. However, Pant breaks the shackles with a six and a four of Lyon. And within an over he has gone from 5 (33) to 18 (39). You can't keep Rishabh Pant away for long. India won't mind the combination of Pujara and him at all. One blocking, one flowing. Score after 48 overs, IND- 129/3
The outside edge of Pant and the Australian is the guilty party as he fails to collect the ball in time. Score after 40 overs, IND- 110/3
It took Nathan Lyon only four balls to strike at the start of day five! Rahane is caught at short leg; Pant has now come out to bat. No bowler has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane more times in Tests than Nathan Lyon, who has dismissed him 10 times! Not the start India would have wanted! Score after 36 overs, IND- 102/3
The players have walked out in the middle. Rahane and Pujara- Two of India's most experienced are ready to face the challenge. Cummins with the ball for Australia and it is a quite first over.
Watch-
The fourth day of the third test match between Australia and India was largely overshadowed by an eight-minute stoppage shortly before the end of Australia’s second innings.
Australia declared its second innings closed on 312-6 when Cameron Green was dismissed for 84 on the last ball before the tea interval, setting India a victory target of 407. At stumps, India was 98-2, still needing 309 on Monday to pull off an unlikely win and retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Australia needs eight wickets on the last day to take a 2-1 series lead.
Pat Cummins dismissed Rohit Sharma for 52 just before the close on day four to give Australia a strong advantage.