(Can India come up with an impressive performance in this Boxing Day Test? Catch the live updates of the match here)
India managed to hold out to a draw against Australia on Day Five of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, and Ravichandran Ashwin helped India bat out two sessions as Australia could only grab six wickets. Dhoni and Ashwin both played resolutely in the final session to negotiate about 10 overs.
Earlier, Virat Kohli was dismissed off the first ball of the last session of the match, flicking a nothing delivery from Ryan Harris to Joe Burns. Cheteshwar Pujara was soon out as well after a 70-ball 21. Shikhar Dhawan was out LBW to Ryan Harris for a duck, and KL Rahul, promoted to No. 3, was out for just one while going for a pull shot against Mitchell Johnson. Soon, even Murali Vijay was out LBW to Josh Hazlewood, as India continued to lose wickets. Virat Kohli had said India would go for the chase, but 384 in two session might just be out of India’s reach. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have rebuilt the Indian innings after those early wickets, and have added over 50 runs for the fourth wicket.
In case you missed any of the action from the match, you can read Nishad Pai Vaidya’s match report here.
Six overs to go. Shane Watson now, to try and swing them out. Dhoni takes strike. Dot ball. And another dot. Dhoni takes a couple. And another dot ball. Just two off that over. Nathan Lyon comes on. Can the Adelaide hero spin India out? Ashwin manages to negotiate him nicely. Five dot balls and a three to end the over. Four overs to go in the match. Wait, hang on! They have called off the match. Steven Smith and MS Dhoni decide to call it a day as India hold on to a draw.
Nine overs remain. Johnson comes into the attack for one final burst. Dhoni on strike. Four slips. India has to see off this spell. Dhoni takes a couple. One more for Dhoni. Dhoni cracks four off Hazlewood. And now four down fine leg. Mitch continues. Ashwin on strike. These two have just managed to hang in there. Dhoni taking on the bowling when he is given loose balls.
India need to survive another 11 overs now. Dhoni and Ashwin are the last pair for India. Shami, Umesh, and Ishant are perhaps among the least reliable tailenders in the world. Ashwin finding a few edges but he manages to evade the fielders. He has hogged the strike in the last three overs, Dhoni has faced just one ball.
Here’s Ryan Harris. MS Dhoni needs to survive what is sure to be a probing spell from Harris and probably Mitch Johnson. Australia have pegged away throughout. Ashwin is 52 runs short of 1,000 in Tests. He can certainly use his bat. DROPPED! Ashwin survives as Watson drops one in the slips. Dhoni hits a couple of boundaries here.
Josh Hazlewood continues now. Ajinkya Rahane on strike. Short ball, and Rahane goes for his favourite pull. BUT HES CAUGHT! Rahane out for 48! And India in deep, deep trouble! Shaun Marsh takes an easy catch, and Hazlewood is elated. Australia need four wickets to win. And India still have to survive 15 overs. Can MS Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin survive? The rest of the tail certainly can’t! This will be the final hour of the Test now.
OUT! A Rahane 48(117) c Marsh b Hazlewood
It had to be Mitch! Top-notch ball to get rid of Pujara, but it was a poor shot as well. He missed the line of the ball completely. Here’s MS Dhoni at No. 7, and he has a task on his hands. Dhoni has a highest of just 33 on this tour. He wouldn’t mind getting that much, but he would like to remain not out at the end of it. Rahane has been in the 40s for a while. Dhoni yet to score a run. India have scored only 18 runs in the last 10 overs.
Matthew Hayden quite critical of Australia’s tactics to bat out the first session of the morning. Meanwhile, Rahane inches closer to his fifty. Pujara past 20, which has happened a lot. It’s going past 70 and 80 that he has struggled with. And another dot ball. This has proven to be a handy partnership for India. Rahane and Pujara not averse to taking quick singles. Johnson bowls a quick and short one to Pujara, it has hit him bang on the visor of the helmet. Mitch just goes up to him and checks to see all is well and then moves away. Nice little wake-up call. OH BOWLED HIM!
OUT! C Pujara 21(70) b Johnson
Hazlewood and Lyon bowling in tandem now. Neither man has looked penetrative. Pujara and Rahane happy to keep out the good balls and leave the bad ones. Rahane showing that he is more than capable of playing the waiting game. Pujara doing his best to play as many balls as possible. Steven Smith brings himself on as well. Can the man who bowls a few half-trackers and full tosses break this partnership? It would be interesting to see.
Pujara starting to settle down nicely. Rahane continues to bat well, he’s into the 40s now. If India manage to pull off a draw they will consider it a job well done given the nightmarish start they had. Another 28 overs to survive. But they are prone to horrific collapses, and Australia would know that. Hazlewood continues now.
Pujara has looked solid so far. He has hit Mitchell Johnson for a boundary, but hasn’t scored off the other 15 deliveries he has faced. Rahane meanwhile is looking secure as well. He has been good as well. And he isn’t afraid of playing his shots either! Harris bowled a short and wide one outside off stump from ’round the wickets, and Rahane slashes it through point comfortably!
First over of the session. Ryan Harris steaming in. OH HE GETS HIS MAN! Kohli plays a loose shot and flicks it straight to Joe Burns! This is an absolute howler from Kohli, completely uncharacteristic! It was a nothing shot. He can’t believe what he’s done. No one can. Cheteshwar Pujara comes in at No. 6 under a bit of pressure to perform. He has not done too well this year, and India have another 35 overs to survive!
OUT! V Kohli 54(99) c Burns b Harris
Hazlewood to bowl again. Just two to Kohli off that over. He has been completely in control after that initial jittery start. Both batsmen look very composed. Lyon again. And three runs taken off that over. India look like they are going for a draw here. Australia could have attacked a bit more, but it appears they are content to play for a draw. And India go to tea at 104 for three. They will need 280 to win in the final session. Which is not likely.
Lyon continues. Oh good ball, he finds Rahane’s outside edge but it goes wide of Watto. Hazlewood to Kohli. SHOT! Four runs down the ground, it’s a beautiful hit from Kohli. He moves up to 49 now. Here’s Lyon. Rahane on strike. And he takes a single. Kohli now, batting on 49. And there it is! That’s his 50. Superb innings once again from India’s batsman of the series.
Mitchell Johnson has come back into the attack, but the fiery clash with Virat Kohli that marked the start of the innings has since simmered down. Kohli has settled well and looks set for another big score. Rahane at the other end has been sublime. Based on how he has batted this series, it will take either a superb delivery or a terrible umpiring decision to get him out! OH DROPPED! Rahane smacks this in the air off Johnson but Rogers makes a mess of it at point!
And the partnership is now worth 50. Kohli and Rahane, once again doing well for India. This has been a potentially match-saving partnership, but it is far from over. Kohli has been the aggressor, but Rahane has been an ideal foil. He has kept the runs coming and shown excellent temperament. And now Rahane scores his 1,000th run in Tests in his 25th innings. He has come a long way since making his debut against Australia at Delhi in 2013. Curiously, he had a similar debut as KL Rahul, with twin failures.
Engaging battle going on here at the moment. Short ball, and Rahane pulled it away for four. Excellent partnership once again. India are really doing well after losing those three early wickets, and once again it’s the first-innings duo of Kohli and Rahane. They have done well to clamp down and focus on the task at hand. Shane Watson hasn’t looked effective in this innings, there hasn’t been a whole lot of swing on offer for him to exploit.
Kohli and Rahane are batting well here. They need to just keep calm and carry on the way they are playing. India are still very much in danger of losing this Test, and will need to get through till tea without losing another wicket. Nathan Lyon bowling well, he’s pitching it up. Kohli smothering the spin. Both men have handled the bowling well so far, but if Australia take another wicket now, India will be in deep trouble.
Harris continues. Kohli defends. And again. Kohli realises now that the time to win might just be passed, but survival will be key. He plays out a maiden over. Hazlewood to Rahane now. And its a dot ball to start with. Again, another dot. And it’s a maiden over. Here’s Lyon now, can he do an encore of Adelaide? Kohli on strike. He takes a single. Rahane now. He takes a single. And one more run to end the over.
Hazlewood is into the attack now, he replaces Mitch. So no more Kohli vs Mitch, at least for now. Kohli on strike. Nicely clipped through midwicket for three. Vijay takes a single. Harris bowling to Vijay is like a different Test match entirely. Right, Kohli on strike. Back to THE Test. And Kohli plays out the over. Hazlewood again. OH HE’S GONE! Murali Vijay is out LBW! Poor decision, that would have missed leg! This is a MASSIVE moment in this match. In walks Ajinkya Rahane. LOVELY SHOT! That’s four, pulled away by Rahane!
OUT! M Vijay 11(28) LBW Hazlewood
Harris continues. Rahul’s Test debut has been absolutely ghastly. He’s young though, he is bound to learn. But then, that’s what was said about Rohit Sharma too. OH huge appeal, massive! Vijay survives, but this was an excellent ball. Pitched on middle and leaving him. Nicely played. It’s all happening at the MCG! Johnson vs Kohli round two now. This should be fun. Kohli leaves. Short ball, and Kohli pulls this for four. Rahul would do well to learn from that one. And Kohli drives this, but no run. And a dot ball. OH MY WORD! What is happening now? Kohli hits this to mid-on and sets off for a run, but Vijay didn’t respond. Kohli was nearly at the other end but had to turn back. Terrible throw from Warner though, it was really wide. Kohli would have been run out by a mile had the ball been even a little bit on target. Kohli survives, but the game is well and truly on! Meanwhile, Vijay and Harris playing a polite, sedate Test match which is completely the opposite of what is happening at the other end.
Mitch starts off, Vijay to face. Just one to Vijay. And Dhawan gets a short one. He leaves it. And another dot ball. Just one off the first over. Harris now. And Vijay takes a very tight single. Dhawan on strike now. AND HE’S GONE! Dhawan out for a duck! Harris gets him out LBW as the ball hit the the pad before the bat. It was plumb! India on the back foot early. Well, well, well! This is KL Rahul in now. Promoted up to No. 3! Harris continues. And Rahul leaves. Another good ball, Rahul defends. Harris strays on his pads, and Rahul takes a single. Nicely played by Vijay off the last ball, two more. Mitch to Rahul. And a dot ball. Short ball, Rahul pulls, and he top-edges this to the slips!
OUT! S Dhawan 0(5) LBW b Harris, KL Rahul 1(4) c Watson b Harris
Ashwin continues. Marsh slashes, but can’t find the gap. And now a dot ball. DROPPED! Ashwin can’t hold on to a full-blooded smash back at him from Marsh. And Marsh follows up with a six! First six of the morning. And it’s about time too. He goes again, this one is four! Smashed toward midwicket. Marsh suddenly invokes his IPL form. And he goes for it again, this time just gets two. But that’s the end of the over. Lyon on strike. Shami continues. Lyon plays a lovely straight drive, takes a single. So Marsh on strike on 98. What will he do now? He works it away for one. Moves on to 99. Lyon keeps out the next three balls. Umesh again. Dot ball to start with. Another dot ball. And another. And another! Marsh clearly nervous. He runs for a single, and IT’S A DIRECT HIT FROM KOHLI! SHAUN MARSH RUN OUT FOR 99! And now Australia declare, at 318 for nine with a lead of 383. It will also be lunch.
OUT! S Marsh 99(215) run out Kohli
Still more one-run and two-run overs. This match is going nowhere at the moment. Shami comes on, and doesn’t do much. Ashwin has bowled well, but again without looking very probing. Marsh just defending resolutely. If he doesn’t get a hundred, a lot of people will be very annoyed. Shami again. AND FINALLY India take a wicket! Are Australia declaring? No, Nathan Lyon comes out to bat, so India keep bowling. And another dot ball to end with.
OUT! R Harris 21(68) c Dhoni b Shami
Not very much happening at the moment. Marsh and Harris are grinding away, but they aren’t scoring very heavily. Neither team seems particularly keen on forcing a result. It appears that everyone is waiting for Marsh to get a hundred. Ashwin and Umesh bowling in tandem. Neither of them look particularly threatening, but then Marsh and Harris aren’t giving them anything to work with.
And play resumes once again. Ashwin to bowl now. He had come on to bowl after the last over before rain interrupted play. Harris pushes this to the off side and takes a couple. Two runs off that over. Umesh again. Dot ball. Marsh flashes at one but misses. Another dot ball. Marsh going for his shots now, finds the top edge on a cut shot for four! This partnership is now worth over 50. Last ball of the over now. And it’s a dot.
Umesh again. One to Harris. Dot ball. Another dot ball. One more. And another dot ball. Just nine runs in this session so far. Shami continues. Marsh on strike. And another dot ball. And four runs off the last ball of the over! Umesh again. And just a single off that over. Oh dear, the rains have come down yet again. Rain interrupts play once again.
Shami continues, bowling to Marsh. Dot ball to start with. And another. It’s a maiden to Marsh. Umesh again. Harris on strike. Oh good yorker, but it’s a leg bye. And Marsh plays out the over. Just the one run off it. India are off to a good start. Shami again. Harris takes a single. And a dot ball to Marsh now. Two runs for Marsh. Last ball of the over. And a dot.
So Ishant will continue. Here’s the fourth ball of the morning. Short ball, and Marsh ducks. Another dot ball. And a single to end the over. Shami starts from the other end. And a dot ball to begin with. Single to Marsh. Dot ball to Harris. And another. Harris plays out the over. Umesh replaces Ishant after that 20-minute first over! Dot ball. And another. And a third. Now a single to Marsh. Harris on strike. Dot ball. Just a run off that one.
Ishant starts proceedings on the fifth and final day of the Test. Shaun Marsh to take strike. And it’s a dot ball. Another dot, thought about the single but sent back. And another dot. Oh dear, the rain has come down now. The covers are on, just three balls into the day! India will be hoping for a result in this match, because if not they will definitely lose the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog of Day Five of the third Test between India and Australia at the MCG. I am Shiamak Unwalla, and I will bring you live updates from the fifth day’s play. READ: Highlights of Day Four
When Australia came out to bat for the second time in the third Test, David Warner game them flying start, he played some fluent strokes and looked in complete form. He added 40 odd runs before he was dismissed leg-before by Ravichandran Ashwin. Warner’s wicket fell when the Australia were at 58. Shane Watson who showed signs of some form in the previous innings came out to bat next but he couldn’t make most of the opportunity as he gets an outside edge to MS Dhoni behind the stumps who doesn’t make any error. READ: Ishant Sharma: The 60-Test rookie
While, Chris Rogers who has had a habit of scoring half-centuries, got yet another half-century in this innings but again failed to convert the foundation in a big score. Rogers was bowled by Ashwin when he was batting on 69. After the dismissal of Rogers, the Australian captain Steven Smith walked out to bat but he too couldn’t compliment his previous innings as he was removed by Yadav. Debutant, Joe Burns missed yet another chance to impress as perished only after scoring nine runs, even less than what he scored in the first innings. Burns got a good length delivery from Ishant which was pitched outside off but he tried to play at it and got an edge to Dhoni behind the stumps. READ: Virat Kohli’s comments on Mitchell Johnson were unnecessary
Two more Australian wickets fell later in the day which reduced Australia to 261 for seven when the play was called off. Australia still lead by 326 runs with one full day of play remaining in the Test match. It would be interesting to see how Australia strategise during the final day. READ: Catches that could cost Australia the match
Teams:
Australia: Steven Smith (c), David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.
