- India 360-6 at stumps on day three of the third Test against Australia
- Che Pujara and Pat Cummins the stars on an absorbing day in Ranchi
One more thing: here is the report from that gripping day of cricket in Ranchi.
Related: Pujara century defies Cummins and Australia on third day in Ranchi
31 overs in the final session of the day, the hosts taking 57 runs and Australia claiming two wickets. On the face of it, advantage Australia. And maybe that is the case. In the first hour Hazlewood brought back a beauty into Nair’s stumps and Cummins’ short ball was too hot for Ashwin to handle.
But when the hosts needed to consolidate, they did. Pujara was a model of true and pure patience today. Six hours at the crease. His 11st Test ton came along the way. He rests having faced 328 balls. Imagine having that concentration?
130th over: India 360-6 (Pujara 130, Saha 18). Last over of the day. Hazlewood it is. Saha does well, keeping him out with the ball darting back towards his stumps. It’s a maiden, and that’s our lot. I’ll step back and wrap things up shortly.
129th over: India 360-6 (Pujara 130, Saha 18). O’Keefe’s final over of the day. First ball, a rare boundary with Saha lapping behind Wade. Bold at this time of day, but fair play to him. Another single comes from a push. Appropriately enough, Pujara faces the last couple. These two have really gone at it after tea. And appropriately as well, the batsman isn’t tempted. Big, frugal shift for O’Keefe. Time for an ice bath.
CPujara now has 11 Test centuries and 14 fifties. The only other player with that record is Australia's Dean Jones. #IndvAus
128th over: India 355-6 (Pujara 130, Saha 13). Hazlewood has to continue with the difficult task of provoking a mistake from Pujara. Good luck with that. Defending, defending. Then ducking with calm when the inevitable short ball comes. A single tickled when the bowler is a bit too straight. Saha is forced to take his bottom hand off the bat when pushing the final delivery. But he’s in as well now. Hard to see where Australia finds something before stumps now. Two overs to come. O’Keefe to get the penultimate one. His best pen, yeah?
I can’t finish the day without at least dropping this tweet in. The original (before this) drove so much nonsense chat this afternoon. And sure enough, it is rubbish. Remember that when someone is YELLING AT THE MOON on social media about it later tonight. Painful.
127th over: India 353-6 (Pujara 129, Saha 12). A single down the ground for Saha to begin O’Keefe’s over reduces Australia’s lead to double digits now. Pujara then uses the pace of the ball to reflect him from round the wicket around the corner for another. Saha defends the rest from O’Keefe’s penetrative line.
Pujara's innings - absolute class. Perf example of mind over matter. Can do with picking up a thing or two. #IndvAus#whitenoise
126th over: India 351-6 (Pujara 128, Saha 11). It has been a crawl in this final session for India, but they have reached 350 now, and by the end of the over reduced the deficit to an even 100. Important milestones on the way to hauling down Australia’s 451. Hazlewood less potent this time around, Saha cutting, Pujara flicking then turning, then Saha gliding. Five from it, the ‘keeper retaining the strike.
This is 5th Pujara Test innings of 300+ balls
206* (389) v Eng
135 (350) v Eng
204 (341) v Aus
125* (317) Today
159 (306) v NZ
125th over: India 346-6 (Pujara 125, Saha 9). O’Keefe to Pujara. How often has that been the case this session? He’s back over the wicket of late, abandoning the negative line approach. So that’s something. And it helps to generate the necessary angle to beat him outside the off-stump. I bolded that to note how infrequently that has occurred today. The rest are, predictably, defended.
124th over: India 346-6 (Pujara 125, Saha 9). Pujara on the cusp of batting the entire day. He’s well behind 300 balls faced. Australians won’t need reminding the 204 he made in this corresponding series four years ago at Hyderabad. By the over, his longevity from here will determine who finishes with a first innings lead. One through cover vies Saha three Hazlewood balls to view. The first strikes him on the thigh guard coming way back into him off the seam. Or maybe some reverse? Good bowling. Then he ducks out of a pacy short ball. Nothing wrong with that approach from the Aussie quick, who will be desperate to eek out another scalp before the close. Six overs left, so he’ll probably get three of them. Looks Australia’s most likely.
123rd over: India 345-6 (Pujara 124, Saha 9). Round the wicket to Saha goes O’Keefe, but he gets off strike down the ground. Pujara takes a single to end the over, keeping the strike. Good batting. Not much else to see here.
122nd over: India 343-6 (Pujara 123, Saha 8). Hazlewood replaces Cummins from the Northern End. The obvious call, but the right one. Big Josh got it very right after tea, breaking through with a serious piece of bowling to Nair just when he looked set to do some damage. He has a wonderful record of getting on and bowling a maiden, which is the case here. Pujara leaves the first four balls from a tidy enough channel then defends the final two. Eight overs to go, so we’ll be running a bit overtime in case you have plans. Because I know that the OBO is enough to prevent you tending to life outside the world wide web.
Leading Shield run-scorers this season. Next time Hilton Cartwright gets picked for Australia lets hope it's for his batting, not bowling. pic.twitter.com/bnk9rYG7uK
121st over: India 343-6 (Pujara 123, Saha 8). O’Keefe gets smashed over mid-off early in the over by Saha for a welcome boundary. Nice use of the feet. Defending the rest, though. He’s had plenty of work today and a lot of it wouldn’t have been fun outside the leg stump trying to bore Pujara out. Might be time for Lyon to spice things up through to the close.
120th over: India 339-6 (Pujara 123, Saha 4). Oh, I was wrong. Cummins goes again. This must be the sixth of this shift for him, and the 25th of the innings. It’s all defence from Pujara. As it has been for so much of his epic stay. Oh, until Cummins drops short, when he carves past point for a boundary. Lovely shot. The Aussie quick is surely spent by now. He repeats the dose in that direction, but behind point where the sweeper Lyon tidies up, keeping it to one.
119th over: India 333-6 (Pujara 117, Saha 4). How will O’Keefe change up to Saha? Well, to begin he is around the wicket again. That’s not for nothing. But the new man sweeps well to get his account underway with a boundary. O’Keefe won’t mind that either, though. Defines defines the rest of the set.
I hope Cummins is going to be sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber overnight
118th over: India 329-6 (Pujara 117, Saha 0). Cummins again. Reckon this will be his last of the day, unless they get right into the tail. Saha isn’t that comfortable when slightly short, into his body. A bouncer follows, predictably, but he can’t get anything on it. It’s a leave/hook. A bye turns the strike over. Pujara ducks in a more convincing fashion when Cummins bounces him too.
117th over: India 328-6 (Pujara 117, Saha 0). O’Keefe holds up this end of the bargain. It’s not pretty, giving Pujara only balls to kick then push at, as he has got a solid 45 minutes now. But maybe that is the plan? Keep him down there, wear down his concentration. See what happens down the other end? Not a bad ploy while Cummins is racing in.
116th over: India 328-6 (Pujara 117, Saha 0). Pat Cummins. “Gee, it has been worth the wait,” says Pete Lalor on the radio call. Not wrong. You just cannot fault this bloke. Saha has a decent job ahead of him too now. 40 minutes (well, 14 overs) to stumps. Has to be there at the end.
And how about this? In my politics days we called that a Killer Fact.
Short balls by Cummins this innings
19 balls, 3 runs, 3 wickets #INDvAUS
He has gloved it! The slighest movement on the technology, and Ashwin will have to go. Umpire Llong confirms this after several reviews, Umpire Gaffney raising the finger. Ashwin isn’t thrilled with this, but it looks a pretty clear verdict from what the TV showed. More to the point, Cummins has done it a third time today. And has three of his four wickets from short balls that the Indians just haven’t handled. Superb bowling. India remain 123 behind Australia with four wickets in hand. It’s been real graft for the visitors today, but they have again given themselves a chance of a first innings lead.
REVIEW! Has Cummins got Ashwin’s edge from a bouncer? We will see. Umpire Gaffney doesn’t think so. Steve Smith wants to find out. Stand by.
115th over: India 326-5 (Pujara 117, Ashwin 1). Guess what? Sokka v Pujara. Outside leg, kicking away. To be fair, he beat him first up with one that really spun. But that’s the exception in this stoush. He has a couple of slips and a short leg, but the very set century maker won’t budge. When needing his bat, he defends.
Pat Cummins nearly takes a screamer off his own bowling! https://t.co/EgbDSOUWdB#INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/HhMyzninr8
114th over: India 326-5 (Pujara 117, Ashwin 1). Ashwin drives the first ball after the refreshment, but Maxwell makes a good stop. Dropped catch! Didn’t necessarily look like it, but Cummins hit Ashwin’s inside edge, onto his pad it went, then balooned. The bowler put in a huge dive! But not to be. Hand doesn’t quite get to it. A quarter chance.
OBO favourite Phil Withall writes me. Thanks Phil. Shit week for the OBO family, so it’s nice to hear from you. “Looking at Cummins pitch map for the innings I suspect it is as close to perfection as a fast bowler could get. The variation in line and length must just sow the seed of caution into the batsmans minds. Adds another layer to a wonderfully absorbing series.”
113rd over: India 326-5 (Pujara 117, Ashwin 1). Struggling to work out the plan here with O’Keefe and Pujara. Test of strength? Battle of wills? Either way, it is the batsman who wins this time when the spinner overpitches with a fully, Pujara making no mistake. A should for leg before ends the over as they walk to drinks, but it is hopeful at best. Pujara has been there 278 balls. And half way through the final session, India are 125 behind.
Contrary to what I would have thought Kohli's had four runs as bad as this one he's in right now: pic.twitter.com/HEDFQ5g0Y9
112nd over: India 322-5 (Pujara 113, Ashwin 1). Cummins has it hooping. That’s some reverse. Ashwin shows the full face, but requires the inside edge to prevent it hitting pad or stump. But he gets more confident as the over progresses. Cummins will probably only get through three or four at this stage of the day. Ashwin will know that as well. Maiden it is.
111st over: India 322-5 (Pujara 113, Ashwin 1). Fascinating struggle between O’Keefe and Pujara. Neither giving an inch. The bowler will, without question, land every ball outside leg. The batsman will, without question, kick him away. The bat required only once. How long will this last?
Hilton Meanwhile in the Shield, Cartwright has responded as well as he could to being left out out of this tour. Good on him.
Congrats Hilton Cartwright 170no today for the waca third score in a row 90+ most in form player not in the test team @White_Adam@sb_tang
110th over: India 322-5 (Pujara 113, Ashwin 1). Hazlewood has been replaced by Cummins, his job done. He was mighty in that middle session. Ashwin, surely aware of the exposure new to the crease, is happy to run the first ball behind point for one and get out of the firing line. But a Pujara single to mid-off puts him straight back there. Ashwin has bat and pad close together though, even if the ball isn’t yet hitting the middle of the willow.
109th over: India 320-5 (Pujara 112, Ashwin 0). Right. O’Keefe immediately swung back into the action from the southern end. And is right on his spot to Pujara from the over the wicket line he has been disposed to for much of the innings. He is able to kick away four of the deliveries. Plenty of patience from the bowler to persist and the batsman not to give into temptation.
108th over: India 320-5 (Pujara 112, Ashwin 0). Hazlewood really earned his entry in the book. Couldn’t have done a lot more when called on today, as is routinely the case. In the nick of time with that partnership moving, albeit slowly, to 44. Nair was just putting the foot down a bit and could have gone most of the way to eliminating India’s deficit by the close. Now, they have to start again. Ashwin gets the no. 7 job ahead of Saha this time around. He’s forced to defend the final delivery after Hazlewood sprays the first chance he gets at the Indian master spinner.
Karun Nair has got out to three pretty decent balls in this series
Hazlewood gets one more over and delivers, slipping through Nair’s gate with a ball that really hoops off a length. Superb bowling to get by and castle the Indian no. 6. When they nearly ran him out last over Smith’s men must have wondered if he would still be there at stumps. It isn’t to be, Nair on his way. Australia have plenty yet to do, but they have more than a sniff of a first innings lead.
107th over: India 320-4 (Pujara 112, Nair 23). Lyon to Nair. This is getting a bit familiar now, reflected in the latter sweeping crisply for a couple. The first time we’ve seen him do that after tea (disregarding the reverse he whipped out). But he then nearly runs himself out! Who takes on Glenn Maxwell? He’s bursting in from midwicket, where a single is taken, but the Australian doesn’t hit at the non-strikers end. A bit man bites dog about that sentence - he never misses. Oh, and Nair was well gone too. That could be the half chance they needed. India are now 131 behind Australia’s 451.
106th over: India 317-4 (Pujara 112, Nair 20). Slow going in the middle, and not much going on in the stands. Another typically warm day out there, a strong swirly breeze making it harder again for all involved. Hazlewood lets Nair off the hook at the first time of asking this over, running him off the face of the bat to third man for a single. Pujara, who hasn’t faced for a few overs, defends the full deliveries and let’s a shorter one pass. No issues for him out there. One from it.
Ian Watkins has dropped me a line thanking Mel Farrell for the “utterly lovely video” that I posted a couple of overs back. “It shows a whole new side to the county’s road system that I had not seen.”
105th over: India 316-4 (Pujara 112, Nair 19). Nair is well forward to Lyon, negating the added spin the Aussie offie seems to be getting after tea. But he slips with the last ball, cut for one. Nair again retains the strike.
All the deliveries that the Australian spinners have bowled in this innings have been there stock balls. #INDvAUS
104th over: India 315-4 (Pujara 112, Nair 18). Hazlewood gets a crack at Nair this time. He looks solid in defence and competent when leaving. Easily forgotten that he really looked the goods on the opening day in Bangalore before getting out. And made a triple ton a couple of months ago. A single dabbed down behind point keeps him the strike and ruins the bowler’s maiden.
Email in from Bryant Howie. He says nice things about Geoff and my podcast. I won’t repeat them here, but thank you. “Wondering what the general feeling is there at the moment being a journalist. Aussie media being compared to pack of dogs yet no one is really coming out to strongly suggest this is false. It is not like you guys to be passive when your integrity is questioned. From where I sit, the level of contradiction on these matters must be mind boggling.”
103rd over: India 314-4 (Pujara 112, Nair 17). Lyon races through an over at Steve O’Keefe pace. Nair used the crease to shuffle the first ball around the corner for a single. Pujara was on the look-out to score, but couldn’t through the middle portion of the set. He then throws out the front pad without a shot, exciting the Australians. But, nah. Oh, an overthrow to end it. One to mid-on becomes two when the throw is awry and Wade doesn’t collect. I assume the bounce throw was to rough the ball up for the reverse swing they relish. The price you pay.
102nd over: India 311-4 (Pujara 110, Nair 16). Big Josh Hazlewood goes again from the northern end. No wickets for him through 22 overs this innings. But he hasn’t done a lot wrong. Pujara again happy to play him with a dead bat into the ring throughout, letting a couple go as well. Only one slip in place now with the second new ball now into its own 22nd over. Softly, softly start to this session from both sides. A maiden, I should add.
Quick shout out. Those who followed the OBO on the final session of day one would remember the shocking time I was having with the wifi in the press box. Made for a more belt-and-braces commentary than I prefer. I relayed this to a good man named Subrato Karmakar, who worked his arse off to get me a decent connection. And here we are. Thank him for the embedded tweets and timeliness of updates.
This is the approach to the JSCA stadium with our awesome driver, Moin. #INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/kdvLRv6JwW
101st over: India 311-4 (Pujara 110, Nair 16). Lyon gets one to turn back through the gate! Misses everything; Nair’s bat, pads, Wade’s gloves. Four byes gets India away for the session. Oh, and the Indian no. 6 follows it with a reverse sweep! The pluck! The over settles into a more familiar Lyon-shaped groove thereafter before Nair takes one out to the sweeper at midwicket to finish the set and keep the strike. On the last over’s appeal, technology confirms the decision on the field was right to both turn it down and not to review.
100th over: India 303-4 (Pujara 109, Nair 13). You will notice a subtle shift between Geoff and myself. He chooses to drop a line down between score and commentary. Let’s call that the Australian method. I was told by UK OBO doyen James Dart to do it this way. In case you were wondering. I know you probably weren’t. Cricket? It’s on now. Hazlewood vs Pujara is the match up in the first instance. The Aussie quick does what he does, immediately in his special area just short of a length. Che has been out there so long now that he doesn’t find it hard. But a shout last ball? Down the legside. An edge? Hazlewood likes it. Umpire Gaffney says no. ABC’s Dirk Nannes on the radio reckons the bat was a long way from the pad when the ball went past. Anyway, no review. It’s futile. It’s the over. It’s a maiden. Welcome back.
Meanwhile in the Sheffield Shield. This is really nice. Played, Adam. One of the legit good guys.
Guard of honour from the blue baggers as Voges walking out for bat.... #ThanksVogesy
Thank you, Geoffrey. Excellent as always. I don’t quite share your pessimism from an Australian perspective. From where I’m sitting at the southern end of the ground at Ranchi, I reckon the tourists would be quite content with how that played out. Only the two wickets in the session, but both the captain Kohli and his deputy Rahane now back in the sheds. India remain 148 behind Australia’s first innings 451. Let’s just shake the cliché jar and say it is delicately poised.
Of course, Pat Cummins was integral to all that. He encouraged a drive from Kohli that wasn’t there moments after taking the second new ball. When swung around to the other end he immediately prompted Rahane attempt a high-risk parry a bouncer over the ‘keeper. Neither ended well for hosts. The Aussie quick looks every bit the Test attack leader in his first start for nearly six years. Great story.
The home team’s efforts to hunt down the Australian total continue apace. Australia’s bowlers are tiring, and it could be in India’s power to really apply the grind here. Or, it’s going to take a couple of bits of bowling brilliance to bring the visitors back into the match. Your narrator for that next chapter will be Adam Collins, love him as I have loved you.
99th over: India 303-4 (Pujara 109, Nair 13)
Last over before tea, and there’s very little chance that Pujara will do a Vijay and get stumped just before a break. Both batsmen work Lyon around for a couple of singles, it’s all pretty comfortable stuff. The 300 comes up.
98th over: India 299-4 (Pujara 107, Nair 11)
Maxwell burns through another over of spin, another couple of singles from the first two balls. He’s bowling around the wicket though, and Pujara is content to kick the rest away. Maxwell varying his pace a lot this over, using his limited-overs tricks in Test cricket. It’s worked for Patrick Cummins.
97th over: India 297-4 (Pujara 106, Nair 10)
Junk time, leading up to tea. O’Keefe keeps Karun Nair quiet for five balls, but the one that drops short is crashed through point for four.
96th over: India 293-4 (Pujara 106, Nair 6)
The clamour of the people has been heard. At last, at long last, the people’s man will rise. Off breaks, around the wicket. It’s not a bad over, lands a couple, just a couple of singles.
95th over: India 291-4 (Pujara 105, Nair 5)
Nearly caught! Karun Nair is averaging 10.75 in innings where he doesn’t made a triple-hundred, and that nearly comes down as he plays a lazy drive through cover. It splits the shot catcher and the wide mid off. Gets a single, then Pujara drives a full ball straight down the ground for another four. O’Keefe of late taking a battering.
94th over: India 281-4 (Pujara 100, Nair 0)
Cummins first ball is a misshapen wide cutter, but his second is gorgeously driven through the covers by Pujara for four. That’s the first century for an Indian batsman this series, and his 11th in 47 Tests. It’s been an admirable knock, plenty of resilience, was so patient yesterday then gradually expanded his range today, and has now batted for more than a full day of play. Salutes, then blocks out the rest of the over in true Pooj style.
93rd over: India 277-4 (Pujara 96, Nair 0)
O’Keefe just has Pujara in the gun, firing them down. Takes him five balls to get off strike, then a final dot to Nair.
92nd over: India 276-4 (Pujara 95, Nair 0)
A wicket maiden, as Karun Nair comes to the crease. The future of Indian cricket, said the British press after his triple hundred. Currently has five Test innings, 346 runs, with 303 of those in that unbeaten knock against the Three Lions.
Cummins to get ya! The comeback boy gets his third, and it is a bizarre dismissal. Cummins bangs in a wild bouncer, way over Rahane’s head. Rahane reaches up, trying to get an uppercut on the ball. He loses control of the shot completely, ending up with one leg up in the air behind his back, as though his springtime love has just embraced him in a meadow. I call that pose the Hello Sailor. Done to perfection. Gets a feather on the ball, no more, and Wade takes the most important interception of the last few overs. 3 for 45 for Cummins from 18 overs.
91st over: India 276-3 (Pujara 95, Rahane 14)
I’m sad to announce the demise of Australian cricket. Things are falling apart out here. First, a full toss from O’Keefe that Pujara walks at with great deliberation, a la the original Terminator lurching out of that truck fire, and clubs down the ground. Then, a dart fired way down leg and Wade misses it again, four more byes.
90th over: India 268-3 (Pujara 91, Rahane 14)
Here’s my theory then. It’s keeping low with pace. Cummins has produced a few shooters, and here’s another, keeps low, but the line is well down leg. Wade jumps but can’t clean it up, gloves it away for four byes through fine leg. Cummins is still trying the short stuff. The batsmen are able to work it for singles. Pull, glide. A defensive shot and a leave to finish the over.
89th over: India 262-3 (Pujara 90, Rahane 13)
A quiet Lyon over for a couple of singles. Pujara hits the 90s.
88th over: India 260-3 (Pujara 89, Rahane 12)
Now Cummins is back? You might be able to make these bowling changes rhyme, but it’s hard to find any reason. He sends down one that keeps low, still the odd variable in this pitch. It will presumably become more pronounced as we go along. The batsmen work a couple of runs, then Rahane is nearly bowled off the bottom edge, trying to force Cummins square with a flinching defensive shot. Pace doing him that time. But the ball bounces over the stumps, as Cummins half raises an arm in celebration, then has to retract the statement.
87th over: India 256-3 (Pujara 86, Rahane 11)
A couple of runs from the Lyon over, as he works away relentlessly on the pads. Patience is the only way through on this wicket.
86th over: India 254-3 (Pujara 85, Rahane 10)
As soon as I say it, Josh Hazlewood sends down a bit of a loose over. An easy ball for Pujara to knock away for a couple through midwicket, then a few singles. Then Rahane gets a short one and hooks. It’s off the top edge, but he knows he has a lot of room out behind square leg. There’s no one there for the shot. So it sails safely away for another four runs. India starting to cash in.
85th over: India 245-3 (Pujara 81, Rahane 5)
The new Pujara continues. Newjara? The new Australian spearhead does not. Cummins off after two overs with the new ball, including a wicket, after having bowled three overs in the first session. Weeeeeiiird. But Lyon’s back, and Che slashes off the thick edge for four to third man. Then Rahane comes down the wicket and creams the wider ball through cover. India rolling along, nearly past the follow-on, Pooj eyeing a hundred, and that is the state at drinks.
84th over: India 237-3 (Pujara 75, Rahane 1)
A quieter over from Hazlewood, just the single from it as he works around the off stump. Reliability, thy name is...
83rd over: India 236-3 (Pujara 76, Rahane 1)
The Pujara transformation continues. First, Cummins fires one down leg side, and the batsman gets a fine touch on it. Matthew Wade flies, but can’t get glove to it. Would have been a blinder. Did you know he has more stumpings in India than any Australian wicketkeeper? Interesting. Can’t stop the boundary though, not with normal human arms. Then Pujara cracks another through point, and no one is stopping that.
82nd over: India 226-3 (Pujara 66, Rahane 1)
Hazlewood follows up with a beauty. Beats the edge, takes the edge, takes the pad, sends a snorting bouncer down. Rahane survives it all, but this is top-class new-ball bowling.
81st over: India 226-3 (C Pujara 66, Rahane 1)
Physical comedy time. What an eventful over. New ball. First Cummins serves up a rank full bunger on the pads, and Pujara creams four through midwicket. Then, Pujara hits a smooth three behind square. But it’s only three runs as Maxwell puts in an incredible dive, saves a single, scoops the ball back just inside the rope, and flies over it to land int a forward roll. he comes up holding his shoulder, wincing, before breaking into laughter. Mimicking Virat Kohli. It seems just for fun, not in bad sportsmanship, but perhaps it distracts Kohli nonetheless, and more importantly it gets him on strike. Cummins gets him next ball, then Rahane ticks a single square.
Huge moment! The new ball, and Cummins strikes. Kohli’s horror run against the Australians continues. Pure pace, it was really a half volley outside the off stump, but the speed did for Kohli. Couldn’t resist the length, had a big drive, and that ball very nearly drilled through Steve Smith and hit the fence with his sternum still wrapped around it. Smith was knocked over backwards with the force of the ball, but managed to cling on in the fall. Exhilarating stuff, and there in a moment is the rationale for the Cummins selection.
80th over: India 218-2 (Pujara 59, Kohli 6)
The Lyon over the last before the new ball, and it’s another boundary for Pujara. Down the wicket again, and again classily along the ground straight. His eighth.
79th over: India 211-2 (Pujara 54, Kohli 5)
Some negative stuff now from the Australians, field spread, O’Keefe landing outside leg stump and Pujara kicking away. Comes back around the wicket partway through the over. keep them guessing? It’s working for me. Who has a good read on these tactics. It’s a maiden, O’Keefe’s sixth.
78th over: India 211-2 (Pujara 54, Kohli 5)
Doublespin attack, another couple of singles as Kohli continues to accumulate without trouble.
77th over: India 210-2 (Pujara 53, Kohli 4)
O’Keefe breaks the speed of sound getting through an over for a Kohli single through square.
76th over: India 209-2 (Pujara 53, Kohli 3)
Kohli playing the classic wristy slap-drive against Lyon for a single. If he’s doing that comfortably, then he’ll be ok for the innings. He doubles down on that shot after Pujara hands him back the strike.
75th over: India 206-2 (Pujara 52, Kohli 1)
Four! Pujara sees an O’Keefe delivery he likes the look of, whips across his pads and hits it cleanly through a vacant square leg. Then again! Who is this masked man, and what has he done with Cheteshwar Pujara? This time the monk charges the bowler, drives through cover. Are there any monks out ther renowned for drinking, brawling, sacking cities, doing amazing martial arts? Must be. Let me know. Exquisite shot, and the 200 is up, along with Pujara’s minor milestone.
74th over: India 198-2 (C Pujara 44, Kohli 1)
Kohli is moving pretty freely against Hazlewood. Faces out a maiden, but he’s positive in defence, moving well to the ball, driving it without issue.
73rd over: India 198-2 (C Pujara 44, Kohli 1)
Kohli looks comfortable enough as he works a single. Pujara blots out the rest of the O’Keefe over.
72nd over: India 197-2 (C Pujara 44, Kohli 0)
Hazlewood to Pujara, who clips the first ball beautifully for four. He’s looking good. Reverts to his monkish defence mode for the next five balls, broken only by a decidedly unmonkish break when he loses a contact lens.
71st over: India 193-2 (C Pujara 40, Kohli 0)
It is Kohli. O’Keefe finishes the over from before lunch, with a couple of defensive strokes the result.
The big question is whether Kohli will bat as listed at No4. Rahane was padded up last night to come in if required, but Kohli has had an extra night to recover now, and has apparently been comfortable enough in the nets.
Thank you again Russell, as ever rolling out the red carpet to yours truly to enter the fabled land of the OBO. How huge that last wicket is. Every time you think you know how a Test is going, something can turn in just a second. Please do drop me a line as the next session goes on, via the email on the left or via the idiot machine using @GeoffLemonSport.
What a mad ending to the session. That’ll be it for me today, but Geoff Lemon will be stopping by shortly to take you through the post-lunch arrival of Virat Kohli. The situation: Australia have no reviews left and will have to wait nine overs to have them restored, so the stage is perfectly set for some kind of controversy. Kohli has already been involved today – sarcastically clapping Australia’s burnt review. What would you rather be doing with your Saturday than absorbing this brilliant cricket? India bossed that session, but Murali Vijay threw it all away on the stroke of lunch. I for one can’t wait to see what happens next.
A miracle! Steve O’Keefe gets Vijay! Well I must say, that is one nobody saw coming. Vijay skips down the track to the spinner – who’d been labouring a little late in the session – but misses the ball by a country mile in his attempt to blaze one over cow corner. He’s stranded miles out of his crease and Wade makes no mistake with the stumping. Holy moly. What was Vijay thinking?
70th over: India 192-1 (M Vijay 82, C Pujara 39)
Hazlewood has two shortish mid-wickets in place for Pujara but with a lack of movement in with a full one, he’s pasted for another straight boundary as the batsman cashes in. Much drama follows: Hazlewood digs in a short one and the Aussies think Pujara has gloved it to short mid-wicket, but it’s clearly come off his arm guard. There is also half a run-out chance, and a spirited LBW shout against Pujara, but amid much commotion India carry on their merry way and the 100-run partnership comes up. The tourists wouldn’t beat Pujara in a game of Connect 4 right now. Hazlewood has thrown the kitchen sink at him in this over and got nothing to show for it.
69th over: India 185-1 (M Vijay 82, C Pujara 33)
Is Matthew Hayden calling Sunil Gavaskar “Sunny Boy” in an attempt to incite him to violence? As you ponder that, ponder the reasons why Steve O’Keefe has just been brought back into the attack for more of the same treatment from Murali Vijay. Again the latter gets down on one knee and belts a slog sweep over the top for four. I could have told you that would happen, Smudge.
68th over: India 180-1 (M Vijay 78, C Pujara 33)
Tighter stuff here from Josh Hazlewood, but there is something inevitable about Murali Vijay’s impending century. I don’t say this a lot, but I think I’m with Michael Clarke in this instance:
2x overs from @Gmaxi_32 before lunch? He is a wicket taker!
67th over: India 178-1 (M Vijay 77, C Pujara 32)
Party time now for Vijay. He dances down the wicket to Lyon and slams the spinner over the head of the man at mid-off to pick up four more. Even his edges are bringing him runs. Lyon doesn’t drop his bundle, and keeps plugging away, but all the momentum is with the batsmen at present.
66th over: India 173-1 (M Vijay 72, C Pujara 32)
Not surprisingly, Steve Smith now tells O’Keefe to cool his jets for a while and brings Josh Hazlewood back into the attack for one more spell before the break. Pujara cuts him late with expert placement to pick up two, and he does even better a few balls later when he batters a superb on-drive to the fence. That fizzed off the bat. Lunch can’t come quick enough now for the tourists. Hazlewood mightn’t want to come back out if there is more treatment like that on the way.
65th over: India 167-1 (M Vijay 72, C Pujara 26)
Lyon is swept in a more conventional sense now by Vijay, who moves into the 70s at the same time as his partnership with Pujara does. The batsman is expertly ratcheting up the tempo as this first session wears on and clubs two more out to deep square leg with another sweep. Steve Smith has some thinking to do here.
64th over: India 161-1 (M Vijay 66, C Pujara 26)
We’ll have half an hour more before lunch on day three, but the Indian batsmen are starting to assert themselves on this after that period of inactivity. Now Vijay gets down on one knee and thumps an authoritative slog-sweep over the top for a boundary. Time for a bit more Josh Hazlewood? Or more importantly, some Glenn Maxwell off-spin? You know it makes sense.
63rd over: India 154-1 (M Vijay 60, C Pujara 25)
“I wonder how Virat Kohli is feeling up in the dressing room,” asks Brett Lee, though his employers refuse to replay the Indian captain’s outburst of a few overs ago, when he sarcastically clapped Australia’s failed review after bursting through the dressing room door to stand the balcony. “He’s such a class player,” purrs Lee. He’s right, but he’s also a master provocateur. I almost wish Australia and India would play a Test series every year the way this one is panning out. Maiden for Lyon, and finally a replay of Kohli’s clap. He’s cricket’s greatest villain at the moment. Brilliant stuff.
62nd over: India 154-1 (M Vijay 60, C Pujara 25)
You can say what you like about Steve O’Keefe’s bowling, but what is indisputable is that he’s able to tie up an end at the very minimum, and it’s making me wonder whether Nathan Lyon wouldn’t actually mind taking these pitches and his bowling partner all around the world with him. It’s very good “partnership bowling” from the Australian spinners, and today they’ve been backed up by the miserly pacemen.
61st over: India 153-1 (M Vijay 60, C Pujara 24)
Another big appeal by Lyon to start this over, when Pujara skips forward and pads one to short leg. His bat was nowhere near it though and Ian Gould knew it. Still, there is action aplenty as Handscomb and leg slip David Warner firmly believe they’re only moments away from snaring a catch. Nathan Lyon’s angular spin is certainly posing problems for both batsmen but at the same time they’re finding runs a bit easier to come by. Apparently Australian Twitter is going mad about that Pujara LBW review, suggesting it was out. If so, I need my glasses checked.
60th over: India 151-1 (M Vijay 59, C Pujara 23)
I dunno about you, but I think it’s a little bit brilliant that Australia will now go 20 overs without a review in their pocket, because Virat Kohli might stride to the crease in that time. Scenes. Back in the middle, O’Keefe sends one through a little quicker to Vijay and he turns it dangerously off his pad to pick up one around the corner. If he’d missed that one he would have been salmon trout.
59th over: India 149-1 (M Vijay 58, C Pujara 22)
Well, well, this game is really heating up now. In the wake of Virat Kohli’s bizarre appearance from the change rooms, Australia have a big appeal against Vijay for a bat-pad catch but when it’s turned down they can’t refer it. They’re out of reviews! This match is well and truly awake now.
58th over: India 149-1 (M Vijay 58, C Pujara 22)
O’Keefe also has slip, short leg and leg slip encircling Pujara, with Matthew Wade behind the stumps. Three men and a b... Anyway. This is much better from India. They milk singles off each of the first three deliveries, and Pujara shuts up shop. There is drama from the final delivery when AUSTRALIA CALL FOR A REVIEW, but it was so obviously an inside-edge into the pad from Pujara I’m surprised they bothered. Not out. Australia have burned a review and VIRAT KOHLI APPEARS ON THE BALCONY TO LOUDLY CLAP! Holy moly, the Indian captain is a bit rich here; he hasn’t been out there since mid-way through day one, now he’s trying to get involved from the stands.
57th over: India 146-1 (M Vijay 56, C Pujara 21)
Pujara almost cracks one past the man at wide mid-on to start the second half of the first session, but a fine stop by the fieldman there keeps it to one. With Pujara back on strike Lyon has a slip, a short leg and a leg slip, so the batsman basically knows what to be alert for and defends stoutly. Pujara just strengthens and strengthens with every delivery he faces.
56th over: India 144-1 (M Vijay 55, C Pujara 20)
O’Keefe has a slip and a very short mid-off for Vijay, but promptly angles a dart down the leg side to be turned for one and then bowls too far towards leg so that Pujara gets another single to mid-on. Otherwise the left-armer is asking questions, but Pujara blocks it out until drinks.
55th over: India 142-1 (M Vijay 54, C Pujara 19)
It’s a tad surprising that Pat Cummins’ spell has ended at three maiden overs, but Steve Smith tosses Nathan Lyon the ball now so we’ll have spin from both ends for the first time today. Lyon is really turning it and getting some bounce in his first over, too. The other highlight: Michael Clarke’s pronunciation of Murali. I don’t think I can do it justice with a phonetic translation. Mew-rah-leee? He gets a single but nothing else.
54th over: India 141-1 (M Vijay 53, C Pujara 19)
Vijay finally gets going again, working O’Keefe off his legs for a couple of runs, then getting off strike with a quite loose drive. O’Keefe is liking what he sees here; after a period of becoming bogged down, Vijay is now a contender to do something silly.
53rd over: India 138-1 (M Vijay 50, C Pujara 19)
Mindful of his partner’s stodgy approach, Pujara is attempting to disrupt Cummins’ line a little by getting forward a bit further to drive, but Cummins has more dots than a Dalmatian today. He’s not swinging it, and he’s rarely looked like producing an out-and-out wicket ball, but he’s produced three maidens on the trot. Pressure continues to accrue.
52nd over: India 138-1 (M Vijay 50, C Pujara 19)
“India are getting themselves bogged down here,” says Michael Clarke, and his exasperation works a treat; Pujara immediately sends a lovely, wristy flick through mid-wicket for a boundary. The only person who didn’t enjoy it was Peter Handscomb, who almost copped it on the chin at short leg. Pujara runs through for a bye too. He’s going mad. It’s T20 stuff now.
51st over: India 133-1 (M Vijay 50, C Pujara 15)
“This is like watching mud dry,” says reader Ken Robson, and I can sort of grant him that point. These sorts of dour periods are part and parcel of Test cricket in India, of course, but it’s certainly not inspiring stuff. Nathan Lyon is so bored he’s started bantering away with umpire Ian Gould. Maiden for Cummins, and I think I’ve got the song for the moment.
50th over: India 133-1 (M Vijay 50, C Pujara 15)
Finally Vijay gets his milestone out of the way, working a single to bring up his half-century from 121 deliveries. Pujara continues to pay respect to O’Keefe’s wares, but by the end of the over India have scored only 13 runs from the first 10 overs of the day; six of them came off one lofted drive from Vijay. They’re in this for the long haul, but they really need to start working more ones and twos.
49th over: India 132-1 (M Vijay 49, C Pujara 15)
Hazlewood does indeed take a rest now, and taps Pat Cummins into the fray as he does. Like his team-mate, Cummins is looking to tail them in late to the right-handers or keep one low. Or both. Vijay has a look at him first up but there are not many scoring opportunities on offer, so it’s another maiden. Australia continue to tighten the screws and Vijay has been stuck on 49 for a while now. He really needs to start turning the strike.
48th over: India 132-1 (M Vijay 49, C Pujara 15)
The most compelling sight early in this O’Keefe over is that of Peter Handscomb diving forward from short leg almost before the ball has left Che Pujara’s bat. The fourth delivery is a beauty, and spins prodigiously past the batsman’s outside edge, beating him all end’s up. Pujara glances to fine leg to keep the strike. O’Keefe is in a nice little rhythm here.
47th over: India 131-1 (M Vijay 49, C Pujara 14)
Hazlewood gets one more over, or at least I assume it will be his last. He’s covering the whole ball on his approach to disguise the reverse swing, but Pujara stands there like the cat in a second-hand book store, staring down everything that approaches him and expending minimal energy until he turns one to fine leg for a single. Hazlewood uses the final delivery to thump one into Murali Vijay’s back as the batsman takes evasive action. That might bruise.
46th over: India 130-1 (M Vijay 49, C Pujara 13)
At the start of this over Steve O’Keefe is scuffing his foot on his landing spot with a vigour that suggests he’s drilling down for oil, but there is no gold for him at the other end of the pitch. Vijay isn’t exactly relaxing – and he’s caught by surprise by one off-break that lifts and hits the splice of his bat – but he plays out a maiden without too many troubles. At least Australia are drying up the runs here. That is pressure of sorts.
45th over: India 130-1 (M Vijay 49, C Pujara 13)
Hazlewood continues and manages to tail one in a little to Vijay, who flicks towards mid-wicket but not without risk. He’s off strike with a dab towards gully and the Haze tries a bumper to Pujara, but the ball only rises like Muggsy Bogues attempting a slam dunk. Pujara’s hip is in more danger than his head.
44th over: India 129-1 (M Vijay 48, C Pujara 13)
That bloke in the full body paint waving the Indian flag is the most active individual in the arena in this Steve O’Keefe over, in which Pujara deferentially defends and never looks likely to come out of his shell. His powers of concentration and patience are his great asset.
43rd over: India 129-1 (M Vijay 48, C Pujara 13)
The start of the Hazlewood over is delayed by our 8,000th sight screen disturbance of the series, and I’m with Sanjay Manjrekar on this; batsmen need to toughen up a bit in instances where the movement is coming from beside the screen. They’re bloomin’ huge. Get over it, guys. Sunil Gavaskar sides with the batsmen, of course. Hazlewood is neat and tidy to Pujara, who is ever-alert to that low shooter. Four balls in we have another sight screen disturbance. This is utterly absurd, and Hazlewood is within his rights to give the batsman a bit of stick when he gets off strike by fending a bouncer to leg. I’m sure some cricket will break out soon.
42nd over: India 128-1 (M Vijay 48, C Pujara 12)
In fact we get spin straight away, as Steve O’Keefe steps up to the plate and gets turned down to fine leg for a Pujara single. Of note: Hazlewood kept one a lot lower than I’d realised with the last ball of the previous over, which is in stark contrast to the huge, lofted drive Vijay spanks over the fence at long-on now. It looks as though he’s going to try and hit O’Keefe out of the attack. I’m surprised India hasn’t done a bit more of that in this series.
41st over: India 121-1 (M Vijay 42, C Pujara 11)
OK, we’re off and away on day three. Hazlewood chugs in to Pujara and draws the Indian No3 forward with a typically nagging line and length. He’s got two slips but no gully in place, which seems about right. We’ll probably see a few overs of the pacemen and then a quick introduction of spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe. Pujara gets moving with a single, and second slip moves to about 3.5 for Murali Vijay.
We’re a few minutes from play now.“60-40 to Australia,” says Ravi Shastri of the match status, though his segment was recorded for the purposes of Australian TV viewers and might not have mirrored exactly what he said on the Indian feed. He reckons Australia need quick wickets today. I reckon most of us would love to have his job.
Meanwhile, at Allan Border Field...
Queensland recovered from here, relatively speaking. They’re just been bowled out for 61, falling to an innings loss in Chris Hartley’s final game for the Bulls. Somewhat fittingly, the champion keeper (unluckiest man not to play for Australia in the last 15 years? Probably) top-scored with 18. Tailender Cameron Gannon was the only other Queenslander to reach double figures and James Pattinson ended up with 5-7 from six overs. Remarkable. Victoria will now host the Sheffield Shield final. Sort of. Alice Springs it is.
To recap so far today....#QLDvVICpic.twitter.com/ILJfKzCqAm
The pitch
“That is where you will find a little bit of a problem for the batsman,” says Sunny Gavaskar, pointing at the rough outside the leg stump of the right-handers. Still, he’s not too perturbed by what he’s seeing, and seems as though he might quite like throwing the pads on himself today. “It’s still a pretty good pitch to bat on,” he says, “other than the odd ball that will keep low.” The strip is certainly still in decent nick. I think there will be a few journalists holding off on pitch appraisals in the lead-up to the fourth Test.
Day three #INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/Ohha0cujo4
The man with the golden arm?
Maybe not, but I still want to see it.
Steve Smith rolling the arm over this morning. A few leggies could be handy with the foot marks outside the right hander's leg stump. pic.twitter.com/XWoYthXr7G
Preamble
Hello all and welcome to day three of the third Test at Ranchi, which has so far confounded pessimistic expectations of the pitch. In actual fact, batsmen have had the best of it, and India will resume today at 120-1 in reply to Australia’s first innings of 451. The stories of the day yesterday were Glenn Maxwell’s maiden Test century, the continuation of Steve Smith’s otherworldly form, and the return to Test bowling ranks of Pat Cummins – now almost six years on from his last appearance in the baggy green.
Russell will be here shortly. In the meantime, check out Barney Ronay’s ode to Shakin’ Steve Smith.
Related: Numbers still stack up for fidgety Australia captain Shakin’ Steven | Barney Ronay
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