Match Blog: Pujara, Rahane Guide India to a 126-Run Lead on Day 3
All the latest updates and pictures from the third day of the Bangalore Test between India and Australia.
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- India end day three of the second Test between India and Australia at 213/4.
- The home team has gained a lead of 126 runs.
- Cheteshwar Pujara top scored for India with 79* runs.
- Josh Hazlewood picked up three wickets for 57 runs.
- Australia were all out for 276 runs.
India Lead Australia by 126 Runs at the End of Day 3
India’s prime batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane came into action when India needed them the most. They strung 93 runs, which is the series’ highest partnership on either side so far.
Pujara scored 79 runs off 173 balls and Rahane notched 40 runs off 105 balls. Both the batsmen concentrated hard and also rode on a little luck along the way.
They ensured India didn’t lose a single wicket during the entire session. From here, on day four, India will be certainly targeting a lead of 200-220 runs first and then aim higher from there.
Pujara and Rahane Take India's Lead Past 100
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have got India back into the match with a gritty partnership. They have put on 72 runs together and this is the highest partnership for India in this series.
Pujara has been at his defensive best and Rahane has handled the spinners well with his drives and sweep shots.
India are leading by 105 runs at the end of the 63rd over.
India: 192/4.
Pujara's Gritty Fifty
Is this the first sign of the great Indian batting comeback? Cheteshwar Pujara brings up his 14th Test fifty and becomes the second Indian to score a fifty in the series against Australia.
Pujara has batted like a rock in the innings so far. He has read the lines and lengths of the deliveries very well and also is ticking the scoreboard.
India lead Australia by 72 runs at the end of the 55th over.
India: 159/4.
India's Lead Crosses 50
Dangerous times in the middle for the Indian batsmen again, four back in the pavilion in just one session. India 122/4 at Tea.
Back from the break though, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are adding onto India’s total, with a help of a few missed chances by the Aussies.
End of over 44. India: 140/4, lead by 53 runs.
Hazlewood Strikes Twice; India Take Tea at 122/4
The move of sending Ravindra Jadeja at number five didn’t last for long. Hazlewood bowls a straight delivery and Jadeja gets bowled through his bat and pad for just two runs.
Ajinkya Rahane walks into bat, faces five balls and the players break for tea. The Australians have taken four wickets in the session and have given away 84 runs.
Pujara is looking good at 34 runs off 75 balls. Is it going to be his day today?
India lead Australia by 35 runs at tea.
Unlucky Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli’s poor run in this series continues. This time he is out LBW for 15 runs to a fast bowler – Hazlewood.
Kohli asks for a review as soon as the umpire raises his finger. Looking at his reaction, it looked like, he has inside-edged the ball onto his pads, but the replays don’t confirm the inside-edge and the decision stays.
Kohli goes for 15, and it’s Jadeja, who is walking in, instead of Ajinkya Rahane.
India lead by 25 runs at the end of the 35th over.
Kohli and Pujara Take India Past 100
The two most experienced batsmen in the Indian team, Kohli and Pujara have taken India past hundred in the second innings.
Both the batsmen are due for a big score and right now they are no track for one. They need to put on a big partnership and take India to a comfortable position.
Steve Smith's Fantastic Catch; India Gain Lead
A massive wicket for Australia! KL Rahul edges a delivery off Steve O'Keefe and Steve Smith flies onto his right to take a brilliant catch to dismiss KL Rahul for 51 runs. Rahul played brilliantly until he chose a poor shot to play in the 25th over.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have taken India past Australia’s lead. The time has come for these two experienced batsmen to step up and capitalise on KL rahul’s brilliant effort at the top of the order.
India: 89/2 after 26 overs.
KL Rahul's Second Fifty in the Match
KL Rahul brings up another fifty in this series. He is the only Indian to score a fifty in the series so far. The Karanataka batsman has decoded the Australian bowling attack and is playing at his confident best.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who is in desperate need of runs, is playing the role of a second fiddle perfectly.
India are just six runs away from leveling Australia’s lead. They have crawled back into the match.
1000 Test Runs For KL Rahul
KL Rahul has reached 1,000 Test runs in his 15th Test match of his career. The Karnataka batsman has impresses one and all during his short career so far. The 24-year-old has got accustomed to the opening position quickly and has also been the only Indian batsman, who has batted confidently in this series.
India: 53/1 after 15 overs.
Mukund Bowled Through the Gates!
Abhinav Mukund gets beaten for pace yet again! He reacts late to a straight delivery by Josh Hazlewood and lets the ball go through his bat and pad. He gets bowled for 16 runs.
Cheteshwar Pujara walks in.
India: 41/1 after 11 overs.
India Trail by 49 Runs at Lunch
KL Rahul and Abhinav Mukund have got India off to the perfect start. The batsmen have notched 38 runs without losing a wicket.
The Indians have come out to bat with a positive intent and haven’t looked uncomfortable in the middle at all.
If they surpass Australia’s lead without losing a wicket, then the pressure will be back on Australia.
Mukund and Rahul Get India Off to a Decent Start
Abhinav Mukund and KL Rahul have got India off to a decent start in the second innings. They have put on 25 runs together and are looking very comfortable in the middle.
The opening partnership is going to be the key for the Indian team. The batting line-up is very brittle at the moment. All the batsmen, who get starts in this innings, will have to take the responsibility of taking the team forward.
India: 25/0 after 6 overs.
Jadeja Wraps It Up; Australia Lead by 87 Runs
Ravindra Jadeja wraps it up for India! Josh Hazlewood goes for a big shot and presents a simple catch to KL Rahul at long-on.
Hazlewood goes for one and Australia get all out for 276 runs. They lead India by 87 runs.
The bowlers have done their job, now it’s up to the batsmen to stand up for the first time in this series.
The Indians will have to look to string partnerships and at least set a target of 200 runs for the Australians.
Batting last on the Bengaluru wicket will be very difficult for the Australians. And Ashwin and Jadeja can run through any side in the world.
Jadeja Takes Two Wickets in Two Balls
Ravindra Jadeja has strikes twice in two balls! This is exactly what India needed. Australia were running away with a lead of 85 runs, before Ravindra Jadeja first dismissed Matthew Wade LBW for 40 runs and then trapped Nathan Lyon in front of the stumps for a duck.
Lyon reviewed his decision, but to no avail. Finally, DRS seems to be working on India’s favour. Jadeja was underbowled yesterday and he has certainly sent a message to his captain with these twin wickets.
Australia: 275/9 after 121 overs.
Ashwin Strikes!
Ravindra Jadeja, who missed a difficult chance on day two, has taken a fantastic catch. Starc slog-sweeps, Jadeja judges it well and takes a good overhead catch.
The Australian speedster has played a good hand of 26 runs and added 49 valuable runs with Matthew Wade.
Australia’s lead is getting very close to hundred.
Australia: 269/7 after 118 overs.
Australia's Lead Crosses 50
Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc have started the proceedings for India on the third day and it is Ishant Sharma and R Ashwin who are kicking things off with the ball.
Australia’s lead in past 50 now. Both batsmen in the 20s.
Watch cricket expert Nishant Arora review the second day below.
In Other News...
Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by 58 runs to win the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final on Sunday.
In the first-ever PSL match to be played in Pakistan, the Gladiators were left floundering at 13 for three wickets in the fifth over and never managed to recover from the setback as they were all out for 90.
Full Report here.
Another Ashwin Accomplishment
Ravichandran Ashwin may have picked just the one wicket in Bangalore but the spinner has once again made his way into the record books.
Somewhere in Australia’s innings, Ashwin bowled his 3701th delivery, breaking the record for the most overs bowled by a bowler in a Test cricket season. Indian coach Anil Kumble held the record previously when he bowled 3,673 balls in 11 Tests in the 2004-05 season.
Virat Suffering From a Brain Fade: Former Aus Batsman Mark Waugh
Former Australian batsman and current national selector Mark Waugh feels Indian skipper Virat Kohli is suffering from a “brain fade” and said his “negative thinking” is rubbing off on his teammates.
Read full story here.
Australia In Command
Two days of the second Test between India and Australia are all wrapped up and with the third set to start in just a bit, one thing at least is for sure - this match will not be ending within three days.
That however, may be all, as far as finding differences between the two matches goes - Australia in Bangalore have posted 237/6 in their first innings so far after India were bowled out for 189.
Overnight, they hold a 48-run lead. Wicketkeeper batsman Matthew Wade was unbeaten on 25 with Mitchell Starc 14 not out at the other end.