Jan 8, 2015
Catch the live scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary of the fourth Test between India and Australia
(Can the Steven Smith-led Australia complete a 3-0 series victory, or can Virat Kohli lead India to a consolation victory in the final Test at Sydney? Catch live cricket scores here)
Virat Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha have held the fort for India as play ends on Day Three, with India reaching 342/5 and still behind in the first innings by 230 runs. Kohli and Saha have added 50 runs for the sixth wicket. This was after Shane Watson claimed two key wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina in quick succession to leave India reeling. While Rahane was trapped in front of the wickets, Raina chased one way outside the off stump and was caught behind.
Virat Kohli smashed his 10th Test century as India are steady after losing KL Rahul earlier in this session. Kohli completed his fourth Test ton in this series, thus becoming the second Indian after Sunil Gavaskar to achieve the feat. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane are at the crease and India would be hoping that these two stay around till the end of the session. KL Rahul fell after a fine innings of 110 off 262 balls afte the tea break. He added 141 runs with Virat Kohli for the third wicket as they consolidated India’s position in the Test. Rahul batted extremely well, hitting 11 fours and a six.
KL Rahul completed his maiden Test ton against Australia with a boundary off Mitchell Starc. He faced 253 balls, struck 11 fours and a six to bring up the memorable century. He has also added more than 100 runs with Virat Kohli, as the two consolidated. India are looking lot more comfortable with runs coming in at a brisk rate compared to the morning. Kohli brought up his 11th half-century in the Test format, and Australia take the second new ball.
Brilliant effort by Lokesh Rahul as he has put all the disappointement behind and has notched up his maiden Test half-century. He faced 164 balls in this innings, and hit five fours to score 50 not out as the lunch break beckons. Rohit Sharma completed his second half-century in Test cricket with a boundary off Ryan Harris in the 43rd over of the innings. India have been very, very slow today, scoring only 25 runs in 18 overs so far. The Indian batsman was dismissed by Nathan Lyon on a delivery that turned in sharply and kept low. Rohit faced 133 balls and scored 53 runs with the help of two boundaries and as many sixes.
Ryan Harris started off the proceedings for Australia on Day Three. While the tourists have their backs against the wall trailing by 501 runs, the hosts have a huge task in their hands to get out 19 more Indian batsmen to force a result in this game. Lokesh Rahul and Rohit Sharma showed lot of intent on Day Two, but the third day will be the real test. India made a steady start as they saw off first 45-odd minutes successfully without losing any wicket. Both Rohit and Rahul looked very positive.
Click here to read the report.
About three more overs left in the day.
The last time Shane Watson took more than a wicket in a Test innings: was his 5/17 at Cape Town in November 2011 – 16 inngs ago! #AusvInd
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 8, 2015
Virat Kohli now becomes the first batsman in cricket history to score 100s in his first three innings as a Test captain! #AusvInd
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 8, 2015
Kl’s 100 shows that 1st impression may not always b the best impression and that u can’t judge a player in just 1 game.#patience #AUSvIND
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 8, 2015
Finally a session dominated by India, as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul take their third-wicket stand to an unbeaten 137 runs. Rahul has been magnificent as he gets to his maiden century, a superb watchful knock coming off 256 deliveries, studded with 11 fours and a six. Here’s Nishad Pai Vaidya’s second session report.
Congrats rahul on ur maiden test 100.also 2 the team management for believing in his potential&talent after a poor MCG test #future #AUSvINd
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 8, 2015
Karnataka’s Test 100s (55) 36 Rahul Dravid 14 G Viswanath 2 Budhi Kunderan 1 Brijesh Patel 1 Anil Kumble 1 Lokesh Rahul #AusvInd
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 8, 2015
50 for Virat! #AUSvIND #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/LhPz3Oh7nQ
— Indian Cricket News (@IndiaCricNews) January 8, 2015
Word from Spidercam is that the ball did not hit the camera or the wires. India 2/119 #PinkTest #AUSvIND #WWOS pic.twitter.com/cS65T3sW6j
— Wide World of Sports (@WWOS9) January 8, 2015
Only 51 runs scored by Indians in the first session, but they will be more concentrated on saving wickets. Australians stuck with their idea of playing ‘boring cricket’ and there was no usual talks when Virat Kohli came out to bat. Nevertheless, India have a mountain to climb — they trail by another 450 runs. Here’s the lunch report.
STATS ALERT: Virat Kohli is now the only Indian cricketer after Rahul Dravid to have scored 500 runs in a Test series.
Perhaps the below embedded tweets might give you’ll a pitcure of the run-out chance that KL Rahul survived in the same over wherein Rohit Sharma was dismissed:
The skipper didn’t seem too happy after that missed run out chance. LIVE: http://t.co/gf5oOkWupd #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/TKjo7rEHnq
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 8, 2015
An eventful first ball to Kohli! LIVE: http://t.co/gf5oOkWupd #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/LHSefnQsH7
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 8, 2015
Plenty of booo’s around the ground. Indian fans booing Rohit and Aussie fan booing Kohli
— Gav_Joshi_Aus (@Gampa_cricket) January 8, 2015
Probably the slowest wkt I have seen in Aus since the time I started to watch cricket. #AUSvIND
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 8, 2015
One of the many great pink sights around the @SCG this morning. @glennmcgrath11 with the bearded pink men! #PinkTest pic.twitter.com/CeO7GD1xwN
— McGrath Foundation (@McGrathFdn) January 7, 2015
Gr8 2 see the kind of support @glennmcgrath11 gets for his noble initiative.Entire SCG turns pink.Keep up the good work @McGrathFdn #AUSvIND
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 8, 2015
Attritional start this morning. Good test match cricket. First session has troubled India in the past so will have to survive it.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 8, 2015
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog of the third day’s play in the fourth and final Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. This is Devarchit Varma, and I will be bringing you the live updates from the match. READ: India vs Australia 4th Test Day 2 Highlights
India were batting on a score of 71 for the loss of one wicket, with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul unbeaten on 40 and 31 respectively. India lost the early wicket of Murali Vijay , who was dismissed off the third ball of the innings when he was caught by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off the bowling of Mitchell Starc to depart for a duck. IN PHOTOS: India vs Australia, 4th Test at Sydney
Earlier in the second day, Australia declared on a mammoth score of 572 for seven, with Steven Smith and David Warner top-scoring for the hosts with knocks of 117 and 101 respectively. Australia’s top six managed to record fifty plus scores. Chris Rogers was unlucky to miss out on a ton as he was bowled for 95. Shane Watson scored 95. The opening stand between Warner and Rogers was worth 200. Watson and Smith put up a 196-run stand. Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns scored important fifties. READ: Mohammed Shami’s wickets need to come cheaper
Towards the end, Australia were entertained with a quick cameo of 25 by Ryan Harris before Steven Smith called them back to the dressing room. India have the tough task of going after 572 although it is a good track. There is some turn in the surface though. Mohammed Shami was the best bowler for India, having taken five wickets.
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