XtraTime Web Desk: India seems to be in a safe position in the third test, as they declared after posting a huge 443/7 on the board at the MCG today. On a day where the bowlers found no real purchase – apart from the occasional uneven bounce – from the surface, India continued their batting dominance on a wicket which had very little for the bowlers. India rode on the back of a 170-run third-wicket overnight stand between Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara for over a session before useful contributions from the middle order took them to 443 for 7, before their bowlers kept Australia’s top-order in check for six overs.
Tim Paine’s team did collect five wickets on the day, but less than half of them seemed to be earned. Balls that stayed low, from Pat Cummins to Pujara and Nathan Lyon to Ajinkya Rahane, did fetch the hosts two dismissals, but it was the irregular behaviour off the surface that Australia must thank.
Nathan Lyon’s ineffectiveness also mirrored Australia’s fate. At the MCG, he has taken only four wickets against India and just like the first day, Lyon was comfortably negated by Pujara, Kohli, Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant. The batsmen used their feet to reach the pitch of his delivery, and stroked him through the covers or midwicket almost everytime he went too full. An angle from round the wicket didn’t help Lyon either, and it took him almost 40 overs to earn his first wicket of the game. By the time Lyon struck after tea, India had already capitalised on the first day’s performance.
After being put into bat the Aussies seemed to be in some discomfort though in posting 8/0 in 6 overs. Both Bumrah and Ishant looked threatening with the new ball. Marcus Harris was hit on the helmet and almost had a concussion as well later in the day.
Brief Scores:
Australia 8/0 (Harris 5*, Finch 3*) trail India 443/7 dec (Pujara 106, Kohli 82, Agarwal 76, Rohit 63*, Cummins 3-72) by 435 runs