Australia are staring at defeat in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the MCG after the Indian bowlers wreaked havoc on the third day of the match. At the end of the third day’s play, the hosts were reduced to 133-6, a lead of just two runs with two more days of play left in the match.
This was after Australia bowled out India for 326 in their first innings with skipper Ajinkya Rahane playing a gutsy knock of 112. Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 57 runs before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc. Debutant Shubman Gill made 45, while Rishabh Pant contributed with 29 runs.
Starc and Nathan Lyon shared three wickets each for Australia.
Australia’s start in the second innings did not start on a positive note as they lost their opening batsman in Joe Burns for four. Burns had earlier survived a DRS review and was saved by the rule on the Umpire’s Call. Even though Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery appeared to clip the bails off, he was declared Not Out under the rule on Umpire’s Call. This prompted cricket legends such as Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne to demand a review in the DRS system by doing away the clause on the Umpire’s Call.
Matthew Wade was the top-scorer with 40 runs while Marnus Labuschagne could only score 28 runs before being dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin. Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets, while Mohamemd Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Ashwin shared one wicket each.
Former India batsman Wasim Jaffer took to Twitter to write that the Australian skipper ought to have a taken a leaf out his Indian counterpart Ajinkya Rahane’s book. Jaffer wrote, “Must say with him being in form and team under pressure I expected Paine to bat up the order, and lead from the front like Jinks. You can never underestimate the positive impact a captains knock can have on the team.
#AUSvIND #INDvAUS.”
Australia are currently leading the four-match series 1-0 after they beat India by eight wickets at the Adelaide cricket ground.