Spinners dismantle Australia on rain-curtailed day

VIEW MATCH CENTRE

Play was called off early on day three with 16.3 overs lost and Australia still 386 runs behind at stumps. To make up, the teams will start half an hour earlier on day four, with Pat Cummins and Peter Handscomb resuming on 25 and 28 respectively.

Saturday, 5 January, began well enough with a host of initiatives to support the efforts of the McGrath Foundation that works for cancer care. On the field, openers Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja had seen out the last 10 overs on day two and started over on 24/0.

They looked solid and seemed set to cash in on KL Rahul giving Harris a lifeline. Rahul took a diving catch at mid-on, but much to the satisfaction of the umpire, immediately indicated that he hadn't done so cleanly.

Khawaja brought out some classy sweeps against the spinners; however, he squandered a good start. Having stepped out once in the over to drive Kuldeep, he tried to do it again, only to misjudge a googly and be caught by Cheteshwar Pujara at mid-wicket.

Harris enjoyed mini-battles with Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah, doing well to bring up his fifty. A period during which the Indian pacers got reverse swing was carefully navigated, as Australia went to lunch on a comfortable 122/1. Right after, however, Harris chopped onto the stumps off an edge of Jadeja for 79.

That precipitated a clutch of wickets, as Australia lost five for 70 runs. Shaun Marsh lasted long enough to show off a couple of good-looking drives before he was fooled by a straighter delivery from Jadeja, while Travis Head gave Kuldeep a low return catch off a full toss.

Between those, Marnus Labuschagne, the debutant, was beautifully set up by Mohammed Shami and Virat Kohli, with his flick snatched low at a squarish short mid-wicket by Ajinkya Rahane, who dived to his right.

It became 198/6 in the first over after tea, when captain Tim Paine was bowled by Kuldeep, being completely deceived by the flight and going for an expansive drive.

Cummins, the best batter for Australia all series, and Handscomb had added a cautious 38 runs and survived a review before poor light and a slight drizzle forced the players off 83.3 overs into the Australian innings.

India, who posted 622/7 in their first innings and are 2-1 ahead in the series, know that should the rain not relent, they will still win their first ever Test series in Australia.