Australia resisted like a girl with an attitude, but gave in finally to a relentless suitor as India won the 3rd Test by 6 wickets to go 3-0 up in the series. The 4th and last match will be played in New Delhi from March 22 when India will attempt to win 4 Tests in a series forth first time in their history.
A target of 133 in a minimum of 27 overs, India hit the Promised Land for the loss of Murali Vijay -26, Cheteshwar Pujara -28 and Virat Kohli -34 and Sachin Tendulkar -21. For a brief while it appears that Australia may confine India to a draw. Thirty were needed in 56 balls when Kohliflicked Peter Siddle to short mid-wicket.
Tendulkar and MS Dhoni played through a phase of quiet as the requirement escalated, and the master’s sharp run-out by David Warner gave Australia another look-in to enforce a draw. But Ravindra Jadeja walked in to cream boundaries against Siddle; setting an example for his skipper to follow Dhoni decided things with 3 fours off Mitchell Starc and then uproots a stump as a souvenir.
The win at Mohali was mainly set up by Shikhar Dhawan blazing 187 on debut that was scored across 2 sessions on Saturday and made up for the time lost on account of the 1st-day washout. Dhawan was named Man of the Match, but did not come out to bat on Monday as he has injured his hand while fielding. India was also served well by Jadeja left-arm spin, which claimed 6 wickets - 3 in each innings - in the match. Jadeja has dismissed Michael Clarke 5 times in this series.
Australia was effectively 79 for 8 at lunch, with 52 overs remaining, and was rescued by two stubborn alliances: 36 in 16.1 overs between Starc and Haddin, and 44 in 18 overs between Starc and Xavier Doherty for the last wicket. Ravichandran Ashwin deceived Haddin with a ‘carom’ ball without delay after lunch.
Starc and Doherty stretched the lead to 132 before the 1st innings scorer of 99 was done in by Jadeja for 35. This meant that India had 90 minutes plus a minimum of 15 mandatory overs to reach the target. The hosts got there, not in a tearing hurry, but well within the time fixed, and will head to Delhi soaring on a first-time 3-0 cushion over Australia.
Earlier, Australia resumed in the morning 3 down on 75, sixteen ahead, and was all out for 223 mid-ways into the second session. They suffered the first jolt when Nathan Lyon edged Pragyan Ojha to Dhoni. Australia spasm-wreaked captain, Clarke, lasted for 49 deliveries before Jadeja dismissed him for the 5th time this series – via an inside-edged bat-pad that was gobbled up by Pujara at short-leg.
The next dismissal was rather unfortunate. Phil Hughes -69 who had infinitely multiply his series gains in the course of one attacking knock, was given out ‘lbw’ to Ashwin when the delivery seemed likely to miss leg-stump. All-rounder Moises Henriques -2 lasted ten balls before Jadeja flung himself to his left to accept a blinding return-catch. Siddle had his off-stump knocked back by Ojha, clearing the way for Haddin and Starc to delay the inevitable.
Score Details
Australia First Innings-408/10
Highest Score
Mitchell Starc -99(144)
Steven Smith -92(185)
Ed Cowan -86(238)
Best Bowling India
Ishant Sharma (72/3), Ravindra Jadeja (77/3)
India 1st Innings-499/10
Highest Score
Shikhar Dhawan –187(174)
Murali Vijay -153(317)
Virat Kohli -67(129)
Best Bowling Australia
Peter Siddle-5/71
Australia 2nd Innings223/10
Best Bowling India
Bhuvneshwar Kumar-3/31
Ravindra Jadeja-3/35
India 2nd Innings 136/4
Men of the Match
Shikhar Dhawan
No comments:
Post a Comment