Pujara double hundred gives India 152-run lead vs Australia

The team will be banking on Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay to build a big partnership as India look to get closer to Australia’s 451-run total on Day 3 of the Ranchi Test on Saturday.

Third Test cricket match – Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium, Ranchi, India – 19/03/17 – India’s Ravindra Jadeja (facing camera) celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Australia’s David Warner. Only Pujara stood strong and made an fantastic century in the match.

Saha said his 316-run unconquered stand with Pujara in the Irani Trophy final inspired the two of them to bat well.

With the series on the line and captain Virat Kohli injured and off the boil, Pujara summoned up one of the best of his 11 Test hundreds to keep India in the match. Saha also joined in the run-fest, completing his third Test ton. Such was their dominance that no wicket fell in the first two sessions of the day’s play.

Kohli, who came into the rubber with double centuries in four successive series, has only managed 46 runs in his five innings since the opener in Pune. Pujara is only the fourth batsman to face over 500 balls against Australia.

India replied to Australia’s first innings total of 451 with a mountain of runs.

“Pujara always backed me to play my shots”, Saha said.

Wriddhiman Saha said Cheteshwar Pujara looked like he would never be dismissesd in a record innings against Australia that put India in with a great chance of winning the third Test.

Umesh Yadav (16), dropped early at mid-on off Josh Hazlewood (1-103), added 54 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (54 not out) for the ninth wicket. Australia has won only once when scoring above 400 in the first innings against four losses, I heard. We’ll see. I’m taking the glass-half empty approach, myself, and you can get in contact on the details above with all your insights and predictions.

In the morning session, Vijay hit a gutsy 82 before undoing his hard work by being stumped off O’Keefe at the stroke of lunch.

Standing umpires Ian Gould and Chris Gaffney spoke to Kohli and Jadeja after the wicket but it’s unlikely the Indian pair will be reprimanded given what happened during the second Test in Bengaluru, where no player was sanctioned despite several heated exchanges between the two sides. Almost all the work was carried out by four players with Steve O’Keefe sending down 77 overs. He mostly tried to defend facing Cummins and O’Keefe. It was that they only played one ball at a time, all the time.