3rd Test: Starc and Hazlewood Put India in a Tough Spot After Australia Posts 445
Click to start listening
Brisbane, Dec 16 (NationPress) Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood tore through India's top batting lineup once more, putting the visitors in a challenging situation on the third day of the third Test at the Gabba on Monday.
By the time lunch was taken early due to rain, India found themselves at 22/3 in just 7.2 overs, with KL Rahul not out at 13, while Rishabh Pant had yet to face a delivery.
Earlier, Australia's first innings concluded with a formidable total of 445, featuring Alex Carey scoring 70 runs. Jasprit Bumrah secured his sixth wicket before Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep took a wicket each to wrap up Australia's innings.
As India started their innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal managed a healthy outside edge for four runs off Mitchell Starc. However, on the next ball, Jaiswal flicked a half-volley straight to square leg and was dismissed for just four runs. This marked the third occasion in this series that Jaiswal was dismissed by left-arm pacer Starc.
The Australian bowlers effectively utilized their height to achieve uneven bounce, with Josh Hazlewood delivering a length ball that struck KL Rahul's left arm. Starc returned to dismiss Shubman Gill, who drove away from his body at a wide delivery, resulting in an outside edge caught by Mitchell Marsh, who leapt to his left at gully.
Virat Kohli appeared uncomfortable from the start, being beaten by Hazlewood initially, followed by a glove down to a sharp bouncer from Starc. After Hazlewood was struck for two boundaries by Rahul, the pacer found success when he lured Kohli into a drive away from his body against an outside off-stump delivery, resulting in a catch behind to Carey, just before rain interrupted the game for lunch.
Earlier in the morning, rain caused a brief five-minute delay before play resumed, and Carey reached his fifty by sweeping Ravindra Jadeja through backward square leg for a boundary.
Starc entertained the crowd with a slog-sweep and some powerful shots off Jadeja and Bumrah, before nicking behind to Rishabh Pant off the latter. This also marked Bumrah's 50th Test wicket in Australia, making him the second Indian pacer, after Kapil Dev, to achieve this milestone.
Carey hit boundaries off Akash Deep around a 15-minute rain delay before Siraj bowled Nathan Lyon with a full, straight delivery. Carey became the last Australian wicket to fall after pulling to mid-wicket off Akash, as Australia maintained a strong position in the match.
Brief Scores: Australia 445 in 117.1 overs (Travis Head 152, Steve Smith 101; Jasprit Bumrah 6-76, Mohammed Siraj 2-97) lead India 22/3 in 7.2 overs (KL Rahul 13 not out; Mitchell Starc 2-11) by 423 runs
