India vs Australia Cricket Blog: Ranchi Test Ends in a Draw
India vs Australia 2017, 3rd Test, Day 5 updates.
- The third Test between India and Australia ends in a draw.
- Australia end the Test at 204/6.
- Peter Handscomb top scores for Australia with 72 runs.
- Ravindra Jadeja picks up figures of four wickets for 54 runs.
- Cheteshwar Pujara is named the man of the match.
Kohli Calls the Match Off; Ranchi Test Ends in a Draw
Virat Kohli finally decides to shake hands with the Australian batsmen and call the match off. The Ranchi Test ends in a draw.
India made things interesting on day four after clinching a quick 152-run lead and picking up early wickets on day five.
But the 124-run partnership between Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb (for the fourth wicket) took Australia to the safe zone.
Jadeja and Ashwin got the wickets of Marsh and Maxwell by the 95th over, but it was too late.
Now, the two teams will be off to Dharamsala for the series decider. The four-match Test series stands at 1-1.
Wade and Handscomb Take Australia to 200
Matthew Wade drives Ashwin to the off-side boundary and Australia get to 200 in their second innings. Only 15 minutes more to go in the match and Virat Kohli still wants to stay on the field.
Umpire Ian Gould is asking Virat Kohli after every over if he wants to call the match off. But Kohli wants to go on.
Australia: 200/6 after 99 overs.
Ashwin Dismisses Maxwell
A century in the first innings but just two runs in the second innings for Maxwell. He tries to defend a delivery from Ashwin, but edges the ball onto his pads and the ball loops up for silly point to catch it.
Australia lose their sixth wicket? Can India still force a win?
Australia lead by 38 runs at the end of the 95th over.
Jadeja Strikes a Little Too Late?
Shaun Marsh finally falls, but not before taking Australia to the safe zone. He has added 124 runs Peter Handcomb and Australia have a lead of 35 runs with half-an-hour to go on the final day.
Marsh gets stuck on his crease and flicks Jadeja’s ball to Murali Vijay at short-leg. He goes for 53 runs.
Marsh and Handscomb add 124 runs to the Australian total.
First innings centurion Maxwell walks in.
Australia: 188/5 after 92 overs.
Marsh’s 7th Test 50
Shaun Marsh drives Ashwin through the off-side and brings up his seventh Test fifty! Marsh and Handscomb have added 117 runs to the Australian score now and there is only one more hour left in the Test match.
Now, there is only one result possible and that is a draw.
Australia: 180/4 after 87 overs.
MS Dhoni is in the House!
Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has marked his attendance at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. The local boy, who learnt all about cricket here, will be certainly proud of watching the city’s first ever Test match.
Fortunately or unfortunately for Dhoni, Jharkhand got knocked out in the semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Delhi on Saturday and the wicketkeeper-batsman managed to make it for the Test match today.
Also Read: Spotted! MS Dhoni Supports Team India From The Stands in Ranchi
Handscomb’s First 50 of the Series
Peter Handscomb brings up his third Test fifty in 126 balls. It has been a very important innings for the visitors. If not for Handscomb and Marsh, Australia could have been staring at defeat in this match.
Handcomb raises his bat after tucking a ball to the fine-leg fence. With that boundary, the duo also bring up their 100-run partnership.
Australia: 165/4 after 75 overs.
Australia Gain Lead
Shaun Marsh flicks a delivery to the leg-side boundary and takes Australia’s lead to four runs! Marsh and Handscomb have added 93 runs together so far and if they bat for another 15 overs, then Australia will reach the safe zone.
At the end of the 73rd over, Australia lead by 5 runs.
Australia: 157/4.
Australia Four Down at Tea
Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb look set to drag this match to a draw. Teams have gone in for Tea and next we start the final session of the match.
Australia: 149/4 in 69 overs (Marsh 38*, Handscomb 44*; Jadeja 3/34)
Marsh and Handscomb Near 50s
Australia were in a spot of bother when Steve Smith fell at 63/4, but Marsh (35) and Handscomb (31) have strung a partnership, when Australia needed it the most.
The duo have added 70 runs so far , with both the batsmen nearing their fifties.
While, Marsh played an important innings of 66 in Bangalore, Handscomb hasn’t scored a 50 in this series so far.
Australia trail by just 19 runs.
Australia: 133/4 after 60 overs.
Australia Complete 58 Overs
The going is reeeeeaalllllyyy slow in Ranchi with Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb happy just defending the pursuits of Ashwin, Jadeja and co.
At the end of the 58th over, the duo have added 68 runs to the Australian total and reduced the first innings lead to 21 runs.
End of the 58th over, the score is 131/4.
Handscomb and Marsh Continue
Australia need to see out this session, if India is to be denied a victory in Ranchi today and the job currently resides on the shoulders of Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh.
The pair are back after lunch and are facing the music of Ashwin and Umesh Yadav’s deliveries.
After 42 overs, Australia: 96/4
Final ‘Lunch’ of the Match
Australia are 83/4 and the teams end the first session of this Test.
28.4 overs bowled. 60 runs scored and 2 wickets taken. Safe to say this session went India’s way.
Peter Handscomb(4) and Shaun March(15) are the crease.
Smith Castled
Ravindra Jadeja’s dream match continues!
Aussie Steve Smith loses his bails to the Indian spinner and the visitors are four down. Smith pulls his leg forward to defend the ball, but it swirls past, right onto his stumps.
The skipper is out for 21. Australia: 63/4, trail India by 89 runs.
Ishant Gets Renshaw
Opener Matt Renshaw is walking back to the hut. India have their first wicket of the day.
Ishant Sharma with the breakthrough. An LBW call that the batsmen thought hard about, but chose to not refer.
Renshaw out on 15. Australia: 59/3
Australia Reach 50
24.4 overs in the innings and the visitors have posted 50 in their second innings. India’s lead now down to 102 runs, after one hour of play.
Ravichandran Ashwin is yet to bowl today.
Smith-Renshaw In The Middle
Having lost nightwatchman Nathan Lyon to the last ball of Day 4, opener Matt Renshaw has his skipper joining him in the middle this morning.
The Aussie duo have Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav serving it up from the two ends.
Australia: 37/2 after 16 overs
Another Jadeja Kind of Day
After the record stand between Pujara and Saha was finally ended by the Aussies, there wasn't easy respite for the visitors.
Ravindra Jadeja first helped himself to a half-century, and when the Indian captain declared his team’s first innings closed, Jadeja remained unbeaten on 54. He then returned to pick the two Aussie wickets by stumps on Day 4.
Jadeja – courtesy his half-century and his 5-wicket haul earlier in the match –became only the fourth Indian cricketer to do the innings double of scoring 50 runs and taking 5 wickets in Tests against Australia.
India For The Win?
Cheteshwar Pujara's marathon double hundred complemented by Wriddhiman Saha's dogged century put India in complete command of the Ranchi Test, posting a solid 603 for 9 against Australia in their first innings.
With a substantial lead of 152 in their kitty, Indian bowlers then went all out as Australia were tottering at 23 for 2 when stumps were drawn. Ravindra Jadeja (2/6) got a couple of deliveries to land on the rough and breach through the defences of David Warner (14) and Nathan Lyon (2).
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