The Day 3 action of the World Test Championship Final witnessed an intense battle between Australia’s captain Pat Cummins and India’s Shardul Thakur at the Oval. Australia gained an early advantage as Scott Boland dismissed KS Bharat on the second ball of the first over, leaving India in a precarious position. Bharat’s attempt at a defensive push failed, resulting in his dismissal.
Shardul Thakur then entered the crease at number 8, facing a challenging situation against Cummins’ disciplined bowling. The Australian skipper unleashed some fiery deliveries, targeting Shardul relentlessly.
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Cummins utilized short deliveries that generated ideal bounce from the pitch, hitting Shardul’s forearm consecutively. Despite experiencing discomfort, the Indian all-rounder showed resilience and determination, refusing to back down from the fierce challenge posed by Cummins.
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On Day 2, Australia had a strong showing, posting a total of 469 runs in their first innings. Travis Head’s magnificent knock of 163 and Steve Smith’s century contributed significantly to their commanding total. Additionally, Alex Carey played a crucial cameo, adding valuable runs to the scoreboard.
Australia’s potent bowling attack utilized fuller deliveries and exploited the pitch’s bounce, restricting India to 151/5 in 38 overs by the end of the day’s play. With Australia still holding a lead of 318 runs, India’s top four batsmen struggled to make an impact against the accurate and relentless lines and lengths of the Australian bowlers.
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A partnership of 71 runs between Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja provided some stability for India. However, just before stumps, off-spinner Nathan Lyon dismissed Jadeja, shifting the momentum back in Australia’s favor. The second day witnessed a total of 12 wickets falling, in contrast to the three wickets on the opening day, further highlighting Australia’s dominance in the match.
