Australia have put their noses ahead – marginally – after a third successive see-sawing day of their second Test against India at Perth.
Virat Kohli’s 25th Test hundred had kept India inching towards Australia’s first innings total of 326, but his dismissal – in controversial circumstances, through a contentious catch – resulted in a dire collapse. Nathan Lyon waded into the Indian lower order with figures of 5/67, as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just 32 runs to be bowled out for 283.
Buoyed by a potentially crucial 43-run first-innings lead, the hosts reached 59 for the loss of no wicket, before India’s pace attack pulled things back with four strikes in the final session. Australia also lost opener Aaron Finch to injury with a suspected broken finger.
Skipper Tim Paine was at the crease alongside Usman Khawaja with Australia 132/4 at stumps, leading by 175 runs.
Sublime Ton, Controversial End
India resumed play on the third morning at 172/3, with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane walking out having shared an undefeated 90-run stand on Day 2. The Indian vice-captain departed just four balls into the day, deceived by a drifting delivery from Lyon to fall for 51.
But India’s skipper, who began the day on 82, dug in patiently as he moved towards his first three-figure score of the tour. Kohli scored only six runs off the first 27 balls he faced on Day 3, not taking any chances off either Lyon or Pat Cummins.
His first boundary – a rasping cover-drive off Lyon – took him into the nineties. The hundred was brought in even more delightful fashion, a straight drive off Mitchell Starc to make Kohli the second-fastest to 25 tons in Test history (127 innings, to Sir Don Bradman’s 68).
A few more sumptuous hits to the fence followed, either side of Hanuma Vihari’s dismissal (caught behind off Hazlewood for 20), but just before the lunch break came the day’s moment of debate.
A thick edge off Kohli’s blade, induced by Cummins, went towards Peter Handscomb at second slip, who nestled the ball in his hands with a low dive. Replays struggled to determine whether Handscomb’s fingers were indeed underneath the ball or not, but with the umpire’s soft signal being out, third umpire Nigel Llong didn’t get conclusive-enough evidence to overturn the original call.
Lion-Hearted Lyon Pounces on Tail
India’s batting tail hasn’t covered itself in glory in recent times, even as opposition lower-orders have continued to rake in frustrating runs against them. With Mohammed Shami – Test batting average 11 – coming in at number eight, the Indian tail was even longer.
Having begun the day by removing Rahane, Lyon had India 7-down at Lunch after getting rid off Shami with the score at 252.
Ishant Sharma was snapped up post the interval, and although Rishabh Pant flayed around a bit in an attempt to reduce India’s deficit, it was Lyon who had the last laugh when the keeper-batsman holed out to long on. The wicket off Jasprit Bumrah, four balls later, completed a well-earned five-wicket haul.
Lyon now has 77 wickets in 16 Tests against India – the fourth-highest for any bowler against the team – laced with seven five-fors. Lyon also surpassed 150 wickets in Australia, becoming only the second spinner to do so in Tests Down Under after Shane Warne.
Hostile Pacers Keep India In It
Australia’s 43-run lead had begun to look even more telling in the brief period of play before Tea. Aaron Finch was finding the boundary with great frequency, and had raced to 25 off 29 balls before he copped one flush on his right index finger from a raring Shami delivery. Finch retired hurt, but was later cleared of any serious damage.
Tea was taken along with the blow to Finch’s finger with Australia 33/0 – effectively 76/0. That figure swelled past the 100-run mark without the loss of a wicket.
But the final session would be marked by a relentless display of hostile bowling from India’s four-pronged pace attack. Ishant, Shami, Bumrah and Umesh Yadav kept going at the Australian batsmen, taking four wickets and landing several blows on their bodies.
Part-time spinner Vihari chipped in with a frugal spell, conceding only 11 runs from eight overs.
But Khawaja steered the Aussie ship with his first meaningful contribution of the series. Having made scores of 28, 8 and 5 before this, the number three batsmen remained unbeaten on 41, seeing Australia to stumps along with captain Paine.
A net score of 175/4, with two days left to play on a wicket which is being increasingly peppered by the fast men, means the hosts will hold the edge walking out on Day 4. But with no past evidence to go with at the Perth Stadium, at least internationally, Paine and company will know want the comfort of nothing short of 250 on the board.
Brief Scores: Australia 326 & 132/4 (Khawaja 41*, Shami 2/23) lead India 283 (Kohli 123, Lyon 5/67) by 175 runs.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)