Melbourne, Dec 28 (UNI) At the lunch break on Day 3 of the Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, India find itself in deep trouble, trailing Australia by 230 runs with just three wickets in hand.
The disciplined Australian bowling attack, led by Pat Cummins and Scott Boland, continued to keep the Indian batters under relentless pressure.
Resuming the day on a precarious note, India managed to add 80 runs in 27 overs during the first session but suffered the crucial blows of Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. The duo had started with contrasting approaches: Jadeja focused on blunting the attack with patient defence, while Pant injected urgency into the innings with his trademark flamboyance.
The turning point came when Pant, who had looked promising, fell into Boland’s trap. After attempting a scoop shot unsuccessfully on the previous ball, he repeated the risky stroke, only to mistime it and offer a straightforward catch at third man. This dismissal left India in further disarray.
Jadeja held firm, grinding through a gritty 51-ball 17, before being trapped lbw by Nathan Lyon’s skiddy delivery, narrowly missing a review. His departure highlighted Australia’s growing stranglehold on the game as the bowlers, maintaining impeccable discipline, stifled India’s scoring opportunities.
Nitish Kumar Reddy provided a glimmer of hope for the visitors, showcasing maturity beyond his years. Unbeaten on 40 off 61 deliveries, he combined solid defence with bursts of aggression, particularly against Lyon, whom he dispatched for a six and a boundary. At the other end, Washington Sundar adopted a defensive approach, remaining not out on 5 off 27 balls, as India desperately sought to avoid the follow-on.
Australia’s bowlers were relentless throughout the session. Cummins (2/70) led with precision, while Boland’s probing lines earned him a vital wicket. Lyon (1/50) kept things tight with subtle variations, and Mitchell Starc created opportunities with pace and bounce despite remaining wicketless. Even Travis Head’s solitary over added to India’s challenges, conceding just six runs.
With the tail exposed and a daunting deficit still to overcome, India face an uphill battle in the afternoon session. Resilience and partnerships will be crucial if they are to avoid the follow-on and keep their hopes alive in this contest. Australia, buoyed by their commanding position, will look to press home their advantage.
