Australia vs India Third Test, Day Three from Ranchi

Vijay made 82 in India’s first innings, sharing 102 with Cheteshwar Pujara, whose unbeaten 130 guided India to stumps on 360-6 in reply to Australia’s 451 all out. He went after Pat Cummins to pick three boundaries to set the ball rolling for an innings of substance.

# Hazlewood bowls a brilliant over as only one run comes from it.

The present partnership between Pujara and Indian wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha (18) is worth 32 runs, as the duo will look to add more to the tally and surpass the Aussie total. Vijay, seen practicing the sweep shot in the nets, applied the shot to collect two fours of Nathan Lyon.

Come to think of it, Pujara might have even been back in the dressing room by now, had it not been for Australia wasting their second review on Murali Vijay.

O’Keefe was finally awarded in the last over before Lunch when a lapse in concentration saw Vijay dance down the track and miss a ball which hardly spun to be stumped for 82.

After the DRS controversy, mocking emerged as the flavour of the ongoing India-Australia Test series. Well, the buzz of the hour is that Virat Kohli will be coming out to bat after the lunch break. But Kohli somehow managed to edge it to Steve Smith at second slip. Puajara built crucial partnerships with Ajinkya Rahane (14) and Karun Nair (23) but the Australian pacemen rattled India’s middle order with some inspired bowling. Pujara remained firm and steady despite the psychological pressure building after Kohli’s departure.

# Murali Vijay hits a brilliant half-century. But immediately after that Rahane lost his patience and tried for an uppercut to nick one to the wicketkeeper. With 4 wickets in hand and some amount of batting left in their ranks, the hosts will want to get ahead as far as possible. India are still behind Australia by 91 runs in the first innings.

Hazelwood did the trick in the 108th over as he bowled out Nair (23). The slow run rate continued as Pujara took the charge on the other side.

Australia capitalised on the opportunity as Cummins produced a snorter to have Ravichandran Ashwin (3) caught behind. He did attack every time there was a bad delivery, but no over attacking from the India No.3. Pujara shows good defence against Cummins’ pace. He hit a boundary to get off the mark and gave the much needed confidence to Pujara who was running short of stable partners.

The answer to the question on his recovery actually came after the day’s play when Kohli involved himself in a game of tennisfootball.

Ler’s not forget India is ranked the world’s best Test team by a considerable margin – India 121, Australia second with 109, but hard pressed by South Africa’s 107.

It may have taken five and a half years but Cummins ensured the wait was worth it with a memorable performance on his comeback, finishing day three with stunning figures of 4 for 59 from 25 overs to nearly single-handedly ensure Australia maintain the ascendancy.

7 – Pujara has seven first-class centuries in this Indian first-class season.