Match Report
Aus vs Ind (Third Test): Day 3 – Despite Australia’s Brilliant Fight Back, India Is On The Top
By Sandy - Dec 28, 2018 2:59 pm
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Despite the hosts Australia’s brilliant fight-back at the end of the day three of Melbourne Test, the visiting side India finished the day on top.

Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah was the star of the day three of the Melbourne Test

In the reply of India’s first innings score 443/7 decl, Australia started the day on their overnight score 8/0 and they were bundled out for just 151 runs after the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah delivered a furious bowling spell.

Bumrah
Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah rattles Australian innings

Also watch: Jasprit Bumrah Stunned Shaun Marsh With His Yorker

The Indian right-arm pacer claimed his third five-wicket haul in Test career and finished that innings with the bowling figure of 15.5-4-33-6. Also, the other Indian pacers Ishant Sharma (1/41) and Mohammed Shami (1/27) picked up one wicket each while the left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2/45) bagged two wickets.

Also read: Jasprit Bumrah And Rishabh Pant Break Records At The MCG

None of the Australian batsmen reached the 30-run mark in that innings. Only four Australian batsmen reached the 20-run mark and those were the opener Marcus Harris (22), the no.3 batsman Usman Khawaja (21), the no.5 batsman Travis Head (20) and the skipper Tim Paine (22).

Also read: Peter Handscbomb Not Expecting A Call-up For The Sydney Test

Despite having a whopping 292-run lead, the visiting side decided to not force the hosts for follow-on and finished the day three of the Test match on 54/5. Indian openers Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal had the 28-run partnership, before suffering the batting collapse. After Vihari was dismissed on 13 runs, Cheteshwar Pujara and the skipper Virat Kohli were dismissed for the ducks while Ajinkya Rahane only managed to score 1 run before losing his wicket too. All those four wickets were picked up by the Aussie pacer Pat Cummins who had the bowling figure of 6-2-10-4 at the end of the day.

At the end moment of the day, another Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood (1/13) dismissed Rohit Sharma (5). While the young wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant remained unbeaten on 6 runs, the opener Mayank was not out on 28 runs. At the end of day three, India has the lead of 346 runs.

Some important stats of day 3 of Melbourne Test between Australia and India

  • Australia was bowled out for just 151 runs in their first innings. Fifth lowest completed Test innings total for Australia against India in Australia.
  • Also, it is the second lowest completed Test innings total for Australia against India at Melbourne Cricket Ground (Melbourne). The lowest one is 83 in 1981.
  • At the end of the second innings of the Test match, India had a 292-run lead over Australia. It is India’s second largest first innings lead against Australia in the Test cricket history. The record is 400 runs lead at Kolkata in March 1998.
  • Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah had the bowling figure of 15.5-4-33-6. It was the third best bowling figure in a Test innings by an Indian bowler on the Australian soil. The top two record holders are Kapil Dev (8/106) and Anil Kumble (8/141).
  • In this year (2018), the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has claimed Test five-wicket haul once each in South Africa (Johannesburg – 5/54), England (Nottingham 5/85) and Australia (Melbourne – 6/33). Bumrah is the first Asian bowler to claim the Test five-wicket haul at least once each in South Africa, England and Australia in the same calendar year.
  • Taking 45 away Test wickets already in this year (2018), Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is now the leading away Test wicket-taker as an Indian bowler in a calendar year. The next record holder is another pacer Mohammed Shami who has also picked up 43 away Test wickets in 2018.
  • India only added 16 runs between the second and fifth wicket partnerships. It is India’s lowest total addition between the second and fifth wicket partnerships in a Test innings against Australia. Their previous record was 17 during the 1947 Sydney Test.