AUS vs IND, 3rd Test, Day 3: Australia posts a commanding total of 445, while India struggles at 51-4 on a rain-affected day. Jasprit Bumrah gets 6 wickets and Virat Kohli gets out cheaply.
Brief Score: IND 51/4 (KL Rahul 33*, R. Pant 9, M Starc 2/25) trail AUS 445 (Travis Head 152, Steven Smith 101, Jasprit Bumrah 6/76) by 394 runs.
Day 3 of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test saw play being called off early due to rain at the Gabba. India's innings was repeatedly interrupted by multiple short spells of rain. Only about 34 overs were bowled on the day, as Australia consolidated their advantage—first with the bat and then with the ball, taking four crucial wickets.
Aussie pacers bamboozled India’s top order, leaving the visitors struggling in the middle. KL Rahul was the only one to look comfortable with the bat, while the rest of India’s lineup faltered. India were reeling at 51/4 in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 445.
Talking Point: Virat Kohli’s struggle with fifth stump line continues
Virat Kohli has been under scrutiny for his consistent dismissals on the fifth stump line, and he was once again dismissed in a similar fashion, chasing an off-stump line delivery. Kohli survived a couple of close calls early on but eventually succumbed to the temptation of chasing a ball outside the off stump, edging it off Josh Hazlewood's bowling.
His performance on this tour has been subpar, as he has been dismissed in similar manners by various bowlers. The Aussies in the series have repeatedly trapped the India star, who has been targeting the same area, and it has worked well so far. Hazlewood executed the plan to perfection this time around. Kohli needs to find ways to work on his technique and get into the right position to play these deliveries effectively.
Australia 445 all-out, India totter at 22/3 at lunch
Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey scored his ninth Test half-century in just 53 balls. Jasprit Bumrah shone with the ball, picking up six wickets to help India bowl out Australia for a mammoth total of 445. India’s reply got off to a disastrous start, with their top order struggling to stay put. Mitchell Starc wreaked havoc early, taking two wickets in his first two overs, sending Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill back cheaply with the new ball.
Josh Hazlewood also joined the party, scalping the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli, who was caught behind once again. India were reduced to 22/3, and the situation became more dire before rain forced an early lunch.
India close out start-stop day at 51/4
Heavy rain forced players back into the dressing room shortly after the start of play in the second session. India’s batting continued to falter, reaching 48/4 by tea in a rain-affected session. After three wickets were lost in the morning, Rishabh Pant (9) was dismissed before the break, caught behind off Pat Cummins.
KL Rahul grinded away, but wickets kept falling around him. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Rahul were at the crease before rain halted the game, with a big responsibility on their shoulders to rescue their side from a precarious position.
The officials decided to call stumps as bad light stopped play again in the third session. India's score read 51/4 at the end of Day 3, with the visitors trailing by 394 runs. KL Rahul (33*) and skipper Rohit Sharma (0*) were unbeaten at the crease for India. For Australia, Mitchell Starc took two wickets, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood claimed one wicket apiece.
Read More: AUS vs IND, 3rd Test, Day 1: Persistent rain stunts play; Australia manage 28-0 in 13.2 overs
Statistical highlights from Australia vs India, 3rd Test, Day 3
Jasprit Bumrah became the second India player to complete 50 wickets on Australian soil after Kapil Dev (51).
Australia's first innings total of 445 is their first 400+ score against India in Australia since registering 572-7d in Sydney in 2015.
Shubman Gill is yet to cross the 40-run mark in an innings in Tests outside Asia since the last Gabba Test when he scored 91 in the second innings.
Virat Kohli was dismissed for the fifth time by Josh Hazlewood in Tests.
Virat Kohli got out within the first 20 overs in Australia in Tests for the seventh time.
Australia crossed the 400-run mark for the first time in the last 10 Tests, since they registered 487 against Pakistan in Perth in 2023.
Rishabh Pant was dismissed for the third time by Pat Cummins in Tests, all instances in BGT 2024-25.
What’s next
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will resume proceedings for India tomorrow. The duo will first aim to set a mini-target of avoiding the follow-on, while Australia will look for a few early breakthroughs.
Speaking of the weather forecast for Day 4, the probability of precipitation remains at 100 percent. However, the chance of thunderstorms has reduced to 29 percent, with showers predicted in the morning, according to AccuWeather. Additionally, the cloud cover is expected to be around 96 percent, with precipitation lasting for about two and a half hours.
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