Norman Kochannek, Sydney: Despite the strong fightback by Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma at the end of day four, Australia has the ascendancy going into the fifth day of the 3rd test match at SCG. India is facing an uphill climb to score 300 plus runs without Jadeja and an injured Pant to bat.
The Australians declared at 6 for 312 leaving India to chase 407 runs. Marnus Laubuschagne 73, Steve Smith 81 and Cameron Green 84 contributed strongly leaving India struggling despite Navdeep Saini and Ravichandran Ashwini’s 2 wickets each. Australia scored relatively briskly at over 3 an over. Steve Smith has now scored 400 runs in 4 matches at the SCG against India. Two regulation catches were dropped by Vihari and Sharma and that didn’t help India’s cause at all.
India certainly are not giving up and Sharma looked good on 52 when he played one to many hook shots to the only fielder behind square in Starc. India still have Pujara and Rahane to perform a Herculean partnership to stave off defeat on day five. At 2 for 98 a total of over 400 will be the ultimate test for India.