Australia v India: second Test, day three

One look at the scorecard, and Jadeja has bowled the least number of overs (21.4) compared to the rest including seamers, as Ishant Sharma bowled 27 overs and Umesh Yadav with 24.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja clinched a six-wicket haul as Australia were dismissed for 276 runs in their first innings on the third day of their second Test against India here on Monday.

For the first time in the match, India dominated the first session today claiming four Australian wickets and restricting the visitor’s first innings lead. The day’s top scorer was Shaun Marsh with 66 (197 balls, 4x4s) while opener Matt Renshaw made a sedate 60 (196 balls, 5x4s). Rahul likes to play away from the body, and on a delivery way outside off from Steve O’Keefe, he slashed hard.

Jadeja’s 3-32 was the pick of the bowling figures, although Ashwin has done the bulk of the work with the ball and returned 1-61 from his 34 overs. At the end of the morning session, the hosts were 38 for 0 but went to tea struggling at 122 for 4 and a lead of 35 runs.

The hosts finished the day on 4-213, with not-out batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara (79) and Ajinkya Rahane (40) in a position to turn the lead into a decisive one on day four.

Three years later, Pujara was one of seven batsmen dismissed by Nathan Lyon in India’s first innings, after scoring 52 on a spiteful Feroz Shah Kotla pitch. “Throughout the day we bowled very well, especially the fast bowlers”, he said.

India will not be content with their lead just yet but the wicket will be very tough to bat on from here on in and anything over 150 will be a challenge to chase down for Australia.

However, the Indian bowlers came out with a concrete plan to bowl a tight line and length against the Aussies. “It wasn’t easy for them because there wasn’t much help”. You can see the run-rate; they were not able to score many runs. This is where India chose to bring on their best bowler, Jadeja, who was under-bowled in the second innings for no apparent reason.

One of India’s longest-serving cricket writers, also a friend to so numerous nation’s former greats, carried a bemused air out of Cheteshwar Pujara’s post-match media appearance on Sunday evening.

“Within the batting group generally we are used to fielding five batsmen”.

Cricket Australia is now visiting India due to play a Test series against India which consists of four matches.