India vs Australia, 1st Test Day 3 Highlights: Rohit puts India in the drivers seat
Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel extended India's lead to 144 runs after Rohit Sharma scored a sublime century. Despite wickets tumbling at regular intervals at the other end, Rohit kept hold of one end and batted with composure to bring up a hard-fought hundred. He was finally dismissed by his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins. However, he had single-handedly put his team a dominant position, he had crafted perhaps his most valuable Test hundred, yet Sharma was discontent, unable to neither forget nor forgive himself for the momentary lapse in focus, for the fleeting forgetfulness to bring the bat down in time to blunt the ball.
For much of the day, until Pat Cummins took the new ball, Rohit was impenetrable. Nothing would defeat him, not the devils of the pitch, not the discipline of Australia’s spinners, not his own intemperance. This was the most atypical Sharma hundred in Tests at home (his slowest after Oval too), yet this could be the most precious of his knocks in this format, one wherein he transformed into a different, almost unrecognizable batsman. But a hundred that ensured his team walked away with a sizable advantage.
Read more Stories from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ahead of the day three's action:
India versus Australia: A tale of two Rohit Sharmas at the crease in Nagpur
Old-fashioned Jadeja, a Lyon who has forgotten to hunt and Kohli’s worrying trend
Cream Ravindra Jadeja was spotted applying was just ‘ointment for callused finger’
Ravindra Jadeja set the tone with a fifer on Day 1. Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front with a fantastic century. Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, two left-handed batters, scored valuable fifties down the order and helped India to reach 400. Then it was R Ashwin's turn, who weaved his magic and got to his 31st Test fifer in just 10 overs and broke the back of Australia. Australia didn’t recover from R Ashwin’s fear and wickets tumbled like nine pins, eventually getting all out for 91 runs in 32.3 overs.
The second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be held in Delhi and it will start from February 17. The Aussies a lot of homework to do and they have got extra two days as well. Debutant Todd Murphy's performance was the only positive for the Pat Cummins-led side. We'll see you again in six days' time. For now, it's goodbye.
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"Perfect feeling for me. I was ready for the comeback and perform for my team. I was working hard on my skills when I was in NCA (National Cricket Academy). I am really thankful for all NCA staffs for helping me out during my tough days. They even gave their Sunday's for me by being with me during my practices. I am thankful for those NCA staff. There was rough. I didn't try too much. I kept bowling in there on right lines and lengths. Some did turn, some went with the arm and some of them kept low as well. I always up for challenges. I like to be a proper batter as well. I got the opportunity and cashed on it."
Very important at the start of the series. Happy that I could put the performance for the team. Was unfortunate that I had to miss few Tests because of injuries but I'm happy to be back. Since I was appointed Test captain, have played just two Tests. Got Covid in England, missed South Africa, got a freak injury against Bangladesh. Was ready for this one. The last few years, the kind of pitches we are playing in India, you need to have application and some sort of plan to score runs. I've grown up playing a lot in Mumbai on surfaces that turns a lot. You need to be slightly unorthodox as well, use your feet. Need to put pressure on bowlers as well by doing something different. And that different could be whatever suits you - using your feet, sweeping, reverse-sweeping. It was the first two overs from the seamers. 2/2 - starting a game like that, you're in the ascendancy. Opposition is under pressure from there. We know we have quality in our spin department. But the seamers can be threatening as well on a pitch like that.
Ravindra Jadeja has been found guilty for applying cream on his left index finger without the umpire's permission. He has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first Test against Australia in Nagpur.
In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Jadeja’s disciplinary record.
The incident occurred during the 46th over of Australia’s first innings on Thursday, 9 February, when Jadeja was seen applying a soothing cream to his index finger.
The game moves pretty quickly here in India sometimes. It's always going to be hard work for the batters, with the pitch taking a lot of turn. Rohit Sharma batted beautifully here, a class apart. We wanted to get more runs after opting to bat first. Probably a 100 more to that first-innings total. But unfortunately didn't get enough runs. Our batters tried to negate the spin, but they were too much for our batters. Some of the batters weren't really having any answer for those spinning balls, but we will be coming back strongly in the next one.
Lauds batters
Ravi bhai (referring to Ravi Shastri), you know how things happen on day three here. Firstly, I am happy for the batters who dug deep and batted long enough to keep them for more overs on the field. We batted well. And then, once the first wicket fell very early, I was in the game with full rhythm.
On being nightwatchmen
Ahh... I wanted to get out there and bat. I was suffocated sitting inside the dressing room for hours and hours. And I asked Pujara whether he wanted a cover through a nightwatchman, and he said yes with 20 minutes left in the day.On his bowlingThe wicket was on the slower side. So you want them to be driving. Hence I bowled on full-lengths. I was challenging the outside edge and, at the same time, the change-ups, challenging the other half of the edge as well. I have many variations but didn't try much here.
On Jadeja
You know that Jadeja is good in all three fields; bat, ball and field. He moves swiftly on the field, bats like a proper batter and bowls superbly. He is a big asset, and you want him to be fit every time. Axar Patel also played his part.
On Australia
I am banking on Australia to bounce back in the second Test. They are a challenging side, and I expect the same from them. I am ready for it. I want to get more time on my batting and hope that I get some more time during the second Test.
India beat Australia by an inning and 132 runs. Loud Appeal from Shami and the governing fielders. The onfield umpire raises his fingers. Length delivery, tails in a bit, and Boland is trapped on the front pad. The inside edge is missed and the ball bellows at the pads. A review has been taken by Australia. No bat involved as seen on Ultraedge. Pitching outside the off, impact in line and the wickets are umpires call on ball tracking. Australia are bundled for a paltry 91. India win by innings and 132 runs. It is Australia's lowest total in India.
Through the defence and blows the poles this time. Knocked Smith over!! This is the same kinda delivery by which Smith was dismissed in the first innings. Oh, hold on!! The sirens buzz and Jadeja has overstepped. A no ball and Smith survives.
Australia trail India by 133 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (Australia are 90/9 in 32 overs)
Leg stump has gone for a cartwheel. Full, fast, straight. Lyon looks to drive but is beaten by a bit of reverse. Shami strikes to leave Australia nine down.
Australia trail India by 135 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (Australia are 88/9 in 31 overs)
The silly point was in and the second slip was on his feet. But Jadeja has angled it down the leg stump line this time. Lyon flicks and the ball races away towards the ropes for a boundary.
Australia trail India by 136 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (Australia are 87/8 in 30 overs)
Axar Patel gets his first wicket. Axar Patel denies Ashwin from another southpaw's wicket. Ax xar Patel removes Todd Murphy. A soft dismissal! Murphy strides forward and pushes at it early. It takes the splice of the bat and spoons up in the air straight to Rohit Sharma at short mid-wicket to take a simple dolly. Australia trail India by 148 runs with 3 wickets remaining. (Australia are 75/8 in 27 overs)
23 months and 21 innings later, R Ashiwn bags a five-wicket haul. His last five-wicket came in March 2021, at Ahmedabad against England.
Australia trail India by 149 runs with 3 wickets remaining. (Australia are 74/7 in 26 overs)
Another one bites the dust. Jadeja gets Cummins. Good length delivery, pitching on the off-stump line and turning away to catch Cummins's outside edge on the forward block attempt. Bharat behind the stumps doesn't drop these as he takes it and celebrates. Cummins walks back without waiting for the umpire's decision. Jadeja, too joins the party, and he has fewer right-handers to show his tricks here in comparison to Ashwin in this innings. India three away from the win.
Australia trail India by 156 runs with 3 wickets remaining. (Australia are 67/5 in 23 overs)
Another one bites the spin. Alex Carey misses the reverse sweep and is trapped lbw. It was the same shot against the same bowler that had been the end of him in the first innings. Fifer for Ashwin. In just his 10th over. AUS, 64/6!Jadeja in the first innings. Ashwin in the second. And don't forget Axar also scored 84 with the bat. What a trio!
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Even as the Indians were waiting for the DRS to come on the big screen, Rohit Sharma got impatient. The screen was showing his face even as it was trying to cue up the mat and the assorted DRS stuff. He gestured to his face as if to suggest - why are you showing my face, just show the replay! HIs team-mates cracked up! (Sriram Veera)
India need five more wickets to go 1-0 up in the series.
Australia trail India by 159 runs with five wickets remaining. (Australia are 64/5 in 19 overs)
R Ashwin removes Peter Handscomb. Brilliant review by India. Handscomb gets hit on the pads. Huge appeal from India, but this time Richard Illingworth's finger stays down. Rohit Sharma sends it upstairs. Fair delivery. Ultra edge comes in and shows no bat is involved. And ball tracking shows three reds; pitching in line, impact is in line and wickets hitting. Fourth wicket for the mastermind spin bowler.
India need five more wickets to 1-0 up in the series. Australia trail India by 163 runs with five wickets remaining. (Australia are 62/5 in 18 overs)
Smith stays leg side of the ball and flicks it through wide mid-on region for a nice boundary and it also brings Australia's fifty.
Australia trail India by 171 runs with six wickets remaining. (Australia are 52/4 in 17 overs)
Ashwin gets another one, this time Matt Renshaw is dead plumb. Australia are crumbling as they lost their fourth wicket, Ashwin gets his third, all southpaws. Renshaw goes onto the back foot and gets beaten on the outside edge as he plays for the in-angler. Given out by Richard Illingworth as India appeal hard. Renshaw reviews it. Fair delivery. No bat is involved. Ball tracking shows three reds, and Renshaw heads back to the hut, burning a review as well. India need six wickets to 1-0 in the series.
Australia trail India by 181 runs with six wickets remaining. (Australia are 42/4 in 15.2 overs)
Hold that pose Steve Smith. Shimmies down the wicket, gets a length ball, and lofts it over mid-on for six. India need seven wickets to 1-0 in the series.
Australia trail India by 181 runs with 7 wickets remaining. (Australia are 42/3 in 15 overs)
R Ashwin dismisses David Warner. Ashwin has the last laugh after being hit for two boundaries. Ashwin pins him, he decides to go upstairs, Umpires call on wickets and Warner has to go. India need seven wickets to 1-0 in the series.
India lead Australia by 188 runs. (Australia are 35/3 in 14 overs)
Couple of gorgeous shots from Warner. Lovely use of feet in the first one and then a cover drive.
India lead Australia by 189 runs. (Australia are 34/2 in 13.4 overs)
Ravindra Jadeja removes Labuschagne for the second time in this Test. Labuschagne plays on the back foot for a delivery which he should have been playing on the front foot. Beaten on the under edge, and it crashes onto his pads. Labuschagne doesn't review as it was dead straight. India need eight wickets to win the match.
India lead Australia by 197 runs. (Australia are 26/2 in 11 overs)
David Warner is barely surviving. He is looking to get out on every ball. The southpaw is clearly struggling against Ashwin.
India lead Australia by 201 runs. (Australia are 22/1 in 10 overs)
India have replaced Shami with Siraj. Must have taken something to persuade Shami to go off, though. Shami vs Marnus has been riveting thus far. On and around the off stump line. A couple dart away, couple come in. Marnus has an interesting Pujara-style defense against Shami. The effort is so much not to push out at the ball - and stay within the line, that many a time, he dangles that bat at an angle - inward angle. The ball often squirts out off the edge. We saw that with Pujara on the tour of Australia and Hazlewood and Cummins trying their desperate best to exploit that angled-defensive blade. Like Pujara, Marnus also gets away with it many a time. He is the No.1 Icc ranked batsman after all. But now, its Siraj who is on. (Sriram Veera)
Virat Kohli put down a sitter this time. This should have been taken. Simplest of catches, but Kohli spills it. Fuller one, turns away and the batter plays and gets the outside edge to the first slip. Kohli drops after the ball hit the palm. It rebounds off the face of the palm and Warner survives.
India lead Australia by 204 runs. (Australia are 19/1 in 6 overs)
David Warner’s record in India has been consistently poor - and it will be the main reason why there will be many who won’t rate him too high as a batsman. Without the wrists and the game to manipulate R Ashwin to the leg side for runs, he has forever locked himself up. Ashwin has teased and tormented him, from both over and round the stumps in the past with a varied line of attack.
Another Australian with an asterisk against him is Ricky Ponting. For years, he kept lunging and getting out in India. Ponting had Harbhajan Singh; Warner has had Ashwin. (Sriram Veera)
India lead Australia by 209 runs. (Australia are 14/1 in 4.5 overs)
Waner and Labuschagne are off the mark. Two came from Ashwin's second over. India need nine more wickets to win the match.
India lead Australia by 213 runs. (Australia are 10/1 in 4 overs)
Labuschagne gets hit on the pads as the ball sneaks underneath the bat. Marnus was late on jamming the bat down and India have gone upstairs for a review. Flat line on Ultraedge and Umpires call on the impact and wickets. So, review will be retained by India.
India lead Australia by 215 runs. (Australia are 8/1 in 2.4 overs)
Ashwin gets a wicket in his first over. Australia have lost their first wicket in the second innings as Usman Khawaja departs for five off Ashwin. Khawaja nicks one into the slips, caught by Kohli. India need nine more wickets to win the match.
India lead Australia by 215 runs. (Australia are 8/1 in 2 overs)
CRUNCHED! Tossed up nicely outside the off stump. Allowing the batter to reach the pitch and drive it along the ground through covers. It was in his arc and Khawaja timed the drive through the gates.
India lead Australia by 216 runs. (Australia are 7/0 in 1.4 overs)
Two slips and a flying third slip in place. Shami bowls the first over and he starts with a no-ball. One ball later, he oversteps again. Three came from Shami's first over.
India lead Australia by 220 runs. (Australia are 3/0 in 0.1 overs)
An uphill task awaits Australia. As Ravi Shastri said on commentary, "Instead of thinking about the results, Australia should think about batting three sessions on this pitch, which will give them immense confidence going forward into the series."
Two umpires are making their way out in the middle. The Indian team are in the huddle. Australian openers are taking their guards. Here we go.
India lead Australia by 223 runs.
Axar Patel & Mohammed Shami help India extend their lead to 223 runs at Lunch on Day 3. It's a dream debut for Todd Murphy picked up seven wickets.
Coming into day three, India had a lead of 144 runs in the first innings with three wickets in hand. Ravindra Jadeja (70) was the first one to go in the morning session without adding much to his overnight score of 66 as he misjudged an in-angler from Todd Murphy and left it alone to hit his off-stump in the fifth over of the day.
Axar Patel continued to bat well and scored 84 runs off 174 deliveries and was the last man to go as he was outfoxed by a slow off-cutter from Pat Cummins at the brink of the break. Before that, Mohammed Shami (37 off 47) showed his batting prowess, attacking the spinners with huge hits. He added 52 runs for the ninth wicket alongside Axar Patel.
Can Australia launch a fightback from here? Do join us for the post-lunch session in a while.
Cummins cleans up Patel to end India's innings. With the wicket of Axar Patel, Australia have bundled out India for exactly 400. Axar Patel leads the way to the pavilion as the umpires call for lunch break.
Siraj opens his account with a single.
India lead Australia by 223 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 400 for 9 in 139.1 overs)
Patel pushes it from outside the line towards widish mid on for a couple of runs. Excellent running between the wickets and Siraj dives in to reach the crease at the non-striker's end.
India lead Australia by 222 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 399 for 9 in 138 overs)
Pat Cummins is back into the attack with two slips in place. This will be his second over of the day. Sirja negotiated Cummins with any discomfort.
India lead Australia by 220 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 397 for 9 in 138 overs)
What a cracking shot this is by Axar Patel. Excellent use of the feat and hits it over the bowler's head. Axar moves into 80s now.
India lead Australia by 220 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 397 for 9 in 136.5 overs)
India lead Australia by 214 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 391 for 9 in 136 overs)
Another tossed-up delivery by Murphy and Patel lofts it over the extra cover. India lead Australia by 214 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 391 for 9 in 135 overs)
Todd Murphy has the last laugh. Shami skies another one, and has to go after a spectacular cameo. Todd Murphy now has 7 wickets on debut. Shami departs after an impressive 37. India lead Australia by 203 runs with 1 wicket remaining. (India are 380 for 9 in 133 overs)
India's lead goes past 200. Shami has gone after anything given a bit of air, he was dropped by Boland the first time he tried a big hit.
India lead Australia by 203 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 380 for 8 in 132 overs)
Axar Patel and Mohammad Shami put on 50-run stand for the ninth wicket.
Back-to-back maximums for Shami. One over long-off and then clears deep midwicket. He is not holding back.
India lead Australia by 201 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 378 for 8 in 131 overs)
Shami rocks back and makes room to play a slap against the spin. Times it well and it races away through the vacant covers region for a boundary.
India lead Australia by 187 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 364 for 8 in 130 overs)
Edged but safe for a four! Around the wicket, fuller-length delivery outside the off. Axar goes for an expansive drive and gets it off the outside edge, which flies past wide of the backward point for a four.
India lead Australia by 181 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 358 for 8 in 129 overs)
Axar Patel and Mohammed Shami keep the scoreboard ticking; Australia have no reviews left as well. India have put on 31 ruuns in the first hour and have lost the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja. India lead Australia by 174 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 352 for 8 in 128 overs)
350 up for India. The partnership between Axar Patel and Mohammed Shami is now 24. India lead Australia by 174 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 352 for 8 in 128 overs)
Review for caught-behind from Australia. Nitin Menon doesn't move at all. Cummins takes the review at the last second. Fair delivery. Replays show that it is close. Ultra edge shows that there is no bat involved and it is not out. Hence Australia burn all of their three reviews. Brilliant decision by Nitin Menon. Australia have exhausted all their reviews.
India lead Australia by 172 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 349 for 8 in 127 overs)
Pretty soon, we shall see David Warner walking out after watching Mohammad Shami swinging sixes. And oh boy, is he under some pressure to deliver.The Sydney Morning Herald did its best to squeeze in the knife on him this morning. Here it is. “Travis Head has been Australia’s best batter for two home summers … If Head’s form on Asian pitches was to penalise him here, what of David Warner? His record in India, unlike Head’s, has proven itself for a decade – 389 runs, highest score 71, average 22.88. Even in Australia, his summer was poor by his standards, with one Melbourne rose amid a barren tangle of thorns. It was the least surprising event on that exciting first day in Nagpur when Warner looked around to see his stumps scattered by a new ball delivered from around the wicket. As they have been for a decade in India, Australia were off to a bad start. And yet Warner has an exemption from the metrics that are applied to Head and everyone else. Asked to comment on why Warner is still being selected, those responsible can tell you how nice the weather has been and how about that Novak Djokovic, eh? Anything but face the facts. Poor old Head must wonder what he’s done. Or not done.” (Sriram Veera)
India lead Australia by 171 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 348 for 8 in 125 overs)
In his own assessment, Dravid does agree with Waugh’s statement about him not being a “natural”.
“I had to work on it, I don’t think I was as much a natural, but I had to practise a lot of slip catching, and one of the really good pieces of technical advice that I received early on was to ensure that the weight was on the balls of my feet and ensuring that my balance was really good as a fielder, and ensuring I got into a really good position.” (Sriram Veera)
Virat Kohli has dropped couple of slip catches; so did Steve Smith. Interesting, on air we have one of the greatest slip catchers of all time Mark Waugh and at the Indian dug-out we have Rahul Dravid.
Here is an interesting quote from Mark Waugh circa 2008/9 about Dravid’s catching style.
“Dravid is good but he’s got a funny style. He’s not a natural catcher but he’s got great concentration and he’s in the right place at the right time,” Mark Waugh had said then. “You might only get one ball in the field all day and you’ve got to catch it an inch off the ground. That’s a concentration thing,switching on and off between deliveries. I actually think they should have a statistic of how many catches you drop,like baseball – that’s probably the best judge of how good a catcher you are.” ~ (Sriram Veera)
India lead Australia by 163 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 340 for 8 in 124 overs
Scott Boland puts down a dolly at long-on. It went right through his fingers. Shami survives. India lead Australia by 161 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 338 for 8 in 122 overs)
Shami plays outside the line and gets hit on the pads. Australia goes for the review this time. Pitching outside the off and the impact is outside the off stump. Shami survives and Australia loses another review. India lead Australia by 158 runs with 2 wickets remaining. (India are 335 for 8 in 121 overs)