IND vs AUS Highlights, 3rd Test Day 1 Stumps: Australia 156/4, leads by 47 runs

The visitors end the first day with the upper hand. A 47-run lead with six wickets remaining and Australia will go into the second day’s play with a lot of confidence. Usman Khawaja top-scored with 60 but fell to a sweep off Jadeja, who has picked all the four wickets that have fallen so far.

Ashwin replaces Axar, who went for 29 runs in nine overs today. Five runs from the over. Green and Handscomb will hope to shut shop for today without losing another wicket. Meanwhile, another wicket here will put India right back into the contest.

FOUR! Low full toss from Jadeja and Smith whips this through midwicket for a boundary. OUT! Smith is gone next ball. Jadeja drags his length back slightly, gets the ball to turn away sharply and bounce and Smith gets an outside edge which Bharat holds on to this time. Cameron Green is in next. Australia 146/4 in 49 overs.

Steve Smith c KS Bharat b Ravindra Jadeja 26(38b 4x4).

A loose half-tracker from Axar and Smith pulls this to the midwicket fence with ease. FOUR! The next one is too full and Smith carves this behind point to the boundary. Australia 140/3 in 48 overs.

Jadeja gets Smith’s outside edge but Bharat cannot hold on to it as he goes off his gloves. Australia 131/3 in 47 overs.

OUT! Khawaja perishes to a slog sweep, caught at deep square-leg and Jadeja gets his third wicket. Peter Handscomb is the next batter in. Australia 125/3 in 43 overs.

Usman Khawaja c Shubman Gill b Ravindra Jadeja 60 (147b 4x4)

Width outside off from Axar and Smith goes reaches out and drives through covers to get his first boundary. Australia 125/2 in 42 overs.

Siraj is out of the attack after bowling three overs that went for seven runs. Here comes Axar now into the attack. Just a couple of singles and it is time for drinks.

Smith drives one past mid-off for a single and takes Australia past India’s first innings score of 109.

OUT! Labuschagne is clean bowled and Jadeja doesn’t overstep this time. This went in with the arm, kept very low and through the defence of Labuschagne. Steve Smith comes in. Australia 108/2 in 35 overs.

Siraj set to bowl his first over of the innings. India needed to change things a bit as both batters were looking comfortable against Ashwin and Jadeja. Tight over. Siraj manages to induce Labuschagne’s inside edge and Khawaja’s outside edge. Two runs from it. Australia 107/1 in 34 overs.

50! Half-century for Usman Khawaja off 102 balls with a single off Ashwin. Labuschagne takes another single next ball and that’s 100 up for the Aussies in 29.5 overs. Now they are just 10 runs away from overhauling India’s first-innings score.

FOUR! Ashwin induces an outside edge from Labuschagne on the drive, the ball shoots up into the air off the keeper’s gloves and goes sailing over the slip fielder and to the boundary. Australia 95/1 in 28 overs.

Spin from both ends again as Ashwin comes from around the wicket to Khawaja. Just a couple of singles. Australia 90/1 in 26 overs.

Umesh comes from the other end. Labuschagne steers the first ball on off-side for a couple. Three runs from the over.

FOUR! Khawaja flicks the first ball after Tea to the backward square-leg boundary as Jadeja drifts a half-volley on the pads. FOUR! Two balls later Khawaja reverse-sweeps Jadeja to the point boundary. Great first over after the break for Australia. Khawaja keeps the momentum going - 10 runs from it.

India will need to hit back in this final session. Australia now just 38 runs away from taking the lead. Khawaja and Labuschagne have been steady but as has been the case in this series, one wicket brings many more. Team India in a huddle ahead of the session.

Australia nears India’s first innings total as Labuschagne and Khawaja stitch 50 plus stand for the second wicket. Another session went the visitors’ way as India needs to regroup and attack the Aussie batting lineup.

Marnus Labushagne and Usman Khawaja lead Australia past 50 inside 16 overs and India will need to take quick wickets if it needs to stay in the game.

AUS 52/1 in 16 overs vs IND 109 all out

The review saga continues, as based on what has transpired in Jadeja’s last two overs. Rohit decides not to review Ashwin’s delivery, which actually was hitting the stumps against Marnus. India is under pressure, and these decisions might come up to haunt India later. Marnus survives for the second time.

AUS 43/1 in 13 overs vs IND 109 all out

Jadeja to Khawaja. Huge appeal as the ball spins and comes in for Khawaja to his pad. Looks not out from the naked eye but Jadeja was again successful in convincing Rohit to review and the same result as India losing its second review in quick succession.

Ravindra Jadeja to Usman Khawaja. The ball did not bounce at all and kept very low and hits him in the pad. Huge appeal for lbw. Rohit is not convinced but he takes a review after Jadeja insisted. India loses its first review as the ball was pitching down the leg.

A big miss for India as Ravindra Jadeja oversteps and bowls a no-ball which would have ended Labuschagne’s innings at 0. He bowled him out but the review shows it was a no-ball, and Marnus Labuschagne survives. A lot is happening here at the moment as India appeals for a run-out but Khawaja was safe and secure inside the crease.

Rohit gives the new ball to both spinners as Ravindra Jadeja bowls from the other end. Head hits him for a boundary before getting trapped in front for lbw. Travis Head tries to clip the length ball off the back foot but the ball is kept straight and hits him on the pad. Jadeja strikes first for India in the second over.

Head lbw b Jadeja 9(6)

A positive start from Travis Head who is looking for runs straight away. He punches through covers for 2 runs to get off the mark. A dot ball to follow. Head plays the third ball over midwicket off the backfoot for another couple of runs. A single follows as Khawaja takes the strike. He too gets off the mark as Australia takes six off the first over.

Travis Head and Usman Khawaja open for Australia and R Ashwin takes the new ball for India.

A mix-up in the middle as Siraj gets run out and with this India bundles out on 109 in the first innings. An unnecessary attempt for the second run by Siraj resulted in his wicket. Axar remains not out after scoring 33-ball 12.

Siraj run out (Lyon) 0(4)

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Matthew Kuhnemann removes Umesh to put an end to Umesh’s small yet entertaining cameo. Yadav departs after scoring 13-ball 17 and Kuhnemann gets a 5-wicket haul! Mohammed Siraj comes in at number 11 as Axar will need to score some quick runs before India bundles out.

Umesh Yadav lbw b Kuhnemann 17(13)

Umesh Yadav defends the first two deliveries but could not refrain from going for a big hit. He first smacks Lyon for six over midwicket and then slog-sweeps Murphy over backward square for another maximum. And, with this India crosses the 100-run mark.

IND 106/8 in 31 overs

Matthew Kuhneman strikes just after lunch. Ashwin misses the line as the ball comes off very close to the bat and is caught by the keeper. Australia first appeals for caught behind but later turned at the short-leg umpire for a stumping. The clever tactic from Smith-led Australia to retain its DRS as the umpire refers to 3rd umpire and the review shows a clear spike as Ashwin has to go back. Fourth wicket for Kuhnemann. Umesh Yadav comes in at number 10.

Ashwin c Carey b Kuhnemann 3(12)

Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin walks out to face the adverse condition and will try to counter the spinners.

They said Dharamsala was underprepared, wonder what they make of the Day 1 wicket in Indore. Some have spun square, some bounced high, some kept low. Virat Kohli showed great calm and composure, even struck two beautiful fours but in the end , combusted as lunch was looming. Australia on top at lunch

Axar Patel joined by R Ashwin in the middle will try to steer the Indian innings further after Kohli and Bharat departed. Looking at the pitch and the variable bounce on the surface, anything close to 200 will be a decent first innings total here. India will expect Axar and Ashwin to play carefully and build a necessary partnership here. Both batters have forged crucial partnerships for India in this series in the past and will be crucial in how India finishes this innings.

One more wicket to Australia, Nathan Lyon gets his third as he traps Bharat in front for lbw. Smith reviews the not out decision given by umpire and the review overturns the decision in favour of the visitors. Seventh wicket falls for India.

Srikar Bharat lbw b Lyon 17(30)

Huge blow for India as Virat Kohli is trapped in front by Murphy. Kohli looks to play this full delivery across the line and misses as the ball goes past the inside edge and thuds onto his pads. It’s given out by Joel Wilson, Kohli reviews but he has to walk back. India 70/6.

Virat Kohli lbw b Todd Murphy 22(52b 2x4)

Kohli and Bharat have put up a crucial stand here while keeping the scoreboard ticking.

What an hour this has been for Australia on the first day in Indore. The pitch is showing its true colour from the very first ball as the variable bounce cost India the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara, Jadeja and Iyer. The application from Indian batters was not that good either. India is already five down inside 12 overs and Kohli will have to try for small partnerships with the lower-middle order if India wants to reach a respectable total.

India is falling like a pack of cards at the moment. Shreyas Iyer departs without scoring. He tries to cut the low-kept ball on the backfoot but instead, the ball crashes into the stumps taking an edge. Kuhnemann gets his third and Australia is on top after first-hour play.

Shreyas Iyer b Kuhnemann 0(2)

Nathan Lyon gets another! Ravindra Jadeja falls after scoring four runs. What is happening here? First, the umpire gives out for lbw, which was overturned by review due to an inside edge but Jadeja falls in the very next ball. The fourth wicket falls inside the first hour as India is in deep trouble. Jadeja gives his catch to Kuhnemann at covers while trying to cut the good-length ball

Jadeja c Kuhnemann b Lyon 4(9)

This is brilliant captaincy by Steve Smith as he brings Nathan Lyon from the other end and the spin twin is working like a charm for the visitors. The third wicket falls as Lyon bowled Cheteshwar Pujara in just his second delivery. The ball came in for Pujara, while he was trying to shuffle and play on the backfoot but the ball kept low to crash into the stumps. Ravindra Jadeja walks out at number five in ninth over.

Pujara b Lyon 1(4)

Make it two for Matthew Kuhnemann. He takes the second wicket and sends the other opener back in just two overs. Bowls straight, in the stump line and gets an outside edge which Smith completes at first slip with ease. This is a brilliant start for Australia after losing the toss as Kuhnemann’s 2 wickets in 3 balls put India under pressure. Virat Kohli comes at number four.

Shubman Gill c Smith b Kuhnemann 21(18)

The first change in the bowling as Smith gives the ball to spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and he strikes in the first over. Kuhnemann gets the big fish, Rohit Sharma on just 12. Rohit tries to go for a big hit as he steps out but the ball spins away from him as Carey dislodges the bails in no time. Australia will be relived as the captain departs early. Cheteshwar Pujara walks out at number three.

Rohit st Carey b Kuhnemann 12(23)

Australia’s decision to not review the first two appeals has certainly left the visitors dumbfounded. Both Rohit and Gill are now dealing with boundaries at the moment with few hit-and-miss in between.

IND 26/0 in 5 overs

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Cameron Green bowls from the other end. Shubman Gill, unline Rohit, starts with a confident drive to get off the mark. A cracking shot over covers to register for the second four on the innings.

Mitchell Starc starts with an excellent delivery, pitching in the middle line, forcing Rohit to play his shot, and the ball goes to the keeper, leaving Rohit in utter despair. Starc appeals, but the umpires deny for caught behind, and after discussion with the slip cordon, Smith decides not to take a review. However, it is a big miss as the replay shows a clear spike as the ball gets a nick, but lucky Rohit survives. Starc follows it with a fuller length ball, shaping in for Rohit and this time he glances it towards mid-wicket. Rohit leaves the next ball. Starc to Rohit, huge appeal for LBW this time but no response from the umpire. Starc to Rohit, FOUR! Finally, the captain gets off the mark what an over this has been from Starc, the review shows the ball was hitting the stumps so two missed chances for the visitors here in the very first over.

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill come out to open as Mitchell Starc will start with the new ball.

KL Rahul, who is going through a lean patch has been dropped from the 3rd Test in Indore and his replacement, Shubman Gill will open with captain Rohit Sharma on day 1.

Murali Kartik and Matthew Hayden. to broadcasters, “It is a pleasant morning here in Indore. Historically it is a very good wicket to bat on because it has small boundaries and lightning fast outfield. But this surface could be difference. This wicket looks similar to the ones we saw in the first two Test matches. We are going to see lots of spin. This is a very overcooked wicket, it is dry and has started to crumble. Bat first if you win the toss.”

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk & vc), Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

India wins the toss and elects to bat first.

Since 2016, two Tests have been played here and both times, the teams who won the toss decided to bat first and the results ended equal with one by batting first and one by bowling first.

Average Scores by innings:

• 1st innings - 354
• 2nd innings - 396
• 3rd innings - 215

• Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann

• India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill/KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Former Australian pacer and fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath said a lack of a game plan has hurt the Aussies in the ongoing Tests series against India after the visitors lost the first two Tests in less than three days on both occasions. Check out the full story -HERE

• India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat (wK), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav

• Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (c), Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey (wK), Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Cameron Green, Scott Boland, Lance Morris

This Border-Gavaskar Trophy promised an intriguing battle between the top two Test nations in the world. But Australia’s barebones batting and India’s unparalleled home dominance — India has lost only 2 out of 43 Test matches at home in the last 10 years — have rendered it a one-sided fight. Australia will have another crack at staying alive in the series when the third Test gets underway at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore from Wednesday.

After a rewarding 12 months in which the Australians played Test cricket in a manner befitting their No. 1 tag, both home and away, they have once again been fragile and susceptible against their old foe- ‘spin’.

Starc, Green set to return

But they have a reason to smile, and there haven’t been plenty since they landed on Indian shores. Cameron Green has declared himself “100 per cent ready to go” to play his first-ever Test in India. Australia would hope the allrounder can not only bolster a misfiring top-order, but also add cutting edge to a bowling attack that has otherwise been toothless so far.

Mitchell Starc should add bowling heft too. Although he has admitted he still has discomfort in his injured finger, Starc reckons “workload-wise, body-wise”, there is no concern at all.

The duo’s return is a welcome boost for Australia, especially when Cummins, opener David Warner and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have flown home due to personal reasons and injury concerns.

Prudent strokeplay

The shot selection of the Australian batters will also be in focus after criticism was levelled at them through the second innings collapse of 28 for 8 during the second Test in Delhi when a clutch of batters fell trying to play the sweep on a wicket with inconsistent bounce. While Steve Smith, Australia’s stand-in skipper for the third Test, acknowledged the folly of the preconceived notion of playing sweeps to India’s spinners, he reiterated that some Aussie batters like playing the sweep shot and should stick to their strengths.

“India is one of the hardest places to start your innings,” said Smith. “So, once you are in, you must make it count. Delhi was a tough place to employ the sweep. This wicket looks like the ones used for the first two games. It’s dry from around a six-meter length to the crease at either end. It will take spin - just how much turn, we have to wait and watch.”

With its performance turning pale as the series goes deeper, Australia will not only have to contend with a probing Indian bowling attack but also questions surrounding the fitness of its players and their concentration. Smith kept cards close to his chest but suggested that Australia could consider playing three specialist spinners.

Gill or Rahul

India has a more settled playing XI. However, the jury is still out on who would accompany skipper Rohit Sharma to the crease.

Rohit and Shubman Gill batted together in the nets on Tuesday after Gill and KL Rahul had spent significant time batting side by side just a day prior. Gill was fed a steady diet of left-arm pace bowling under the watchful eyes of batting coach Vikram Rathour. When Ishan Kishan took his place in the nets, Gill moved to another practice pitch, where head coach Rahul Dravid’s bowling arm got a good workout. Shortly after, Gill practised catching at short leg. While these may seem like giveaways, Rohit remained non-committal about the makeup of the opening pair.

“When we talk about players going through a tough phase, anyone with potential will be given enough time to prove themselves. Rahul’s removal from vice-captaincy doesn’t indicate anything. Both Gill and Rahul train this way before every game. I have not finalised the 11 yet; want to do it at the toss because last-minute injuries happen,” Rohit said.

He also hinted that the team could request a green pitch for the final Test in Ahmedabad if it wins in Indore and confirms its place in the WTC final, which will be played at The Oval from June 7 to 11.

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling record in Indore is also bound to make matters more difficult for the visiting side. He has 18 wickets at 12.5 in his two Tests, including a player-of-the-match performance against New Zealand.

On the eve of the Test match, the pitch had grass in the middle and bald patches around it. The Australian batters would perhaps be more concerned about how the ball behaves once it lands on those patches. The pitch was watered selectively. The areas on either side of the stumps were kept slightly dry, and the line of the stumps was watered and rolled. Dravid spent 15 minutes surveying the good length area before walking over to the practice pitches on the edge of the outfield, where he oversaw Rohit’s batting session.

Australia has played just once in Indore, an ODI in 2017, which it lost by five wickets. Should it lose this series 4-0 to India, it could still miss out on a WTC final spot if Sri Lanka were to beat New Zealand 2-0 in March. Smith’s men must be ready for whatever hostilities India might dish out in front of a likely sold-out Holkar Stadium on the first day.

When to watch IND vs AUS 3rd Test?

The IND vs AUS 3rd Test will start on Wednesday, March 1 from 9:30 AM IST.

Where to watch IND vs AUS 3rd Test on TV?

The IND vs AUS 3rd Test will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network in India.

Where to live stream IND vs AUS 3rd Test?

The streaming of the IND vs AUS 3rd Test will be available on Disney+ Hotstar app.