There was still little to choose between the two sides as another hard-fought day of Test cricket drew to a close between Australia and India at Perth.
On day three of the second Test, India’s first innings was brought to a close at 283 runs as Australia garnered a 43-run lead. By the end of Sunday’s play, the hosts had racked up a further 132-4 to take their overall second innings lead to 175.
With the Test still balanced on an edge, we look at the key takeaways from day three at Perth.
POOR OPENING SESSION COSTS INDIA DEAR AS LYON EXCELS AGAIN
With the match finely poised after two days of exhilarating Test cricket, the opening hour on Sunday was going to be crucial in deciding the ultimate outcome of the game.
However, all the momentum that the unbeaten 90-run stand Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane had put up on Saturday quickly evaporated when the latter was dismissed by Nathan Lyon off the very first over of the day.
Hanuma Vihari was looking good for India as he stitched together a 50-run stand in no time with the skipper but once he edged Josh Hazlewood to the slips, the wheels started coming off for India.
When Kohli departed in controversial fashion, India finally ran out of gas and even a handy 35-run cameo from Rishabh Pant was unable to prevent Australia from mustering a crucial 43-run lead in the first innings.
It was Lyon who was once again the pick of the Aussie bowlers with the off-spinner completing a five-wicket haul. His performance on a pitch clearly deteriorating rapidly makes India’s insistence to line up without a single spinner in the Test all the more baffling.
Another five-wicket haul for Nathan Lyon.
CONTROVERSY ENDS KOHLI’S BRILLIANT INNINGS
Despite the early fall of Rahane, Kohli was continuing to grow strong for India as he brought up a 25th Test ton and his sixth in Australia with a flowing straight-drive off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.
With Kohli still at the crease, a first-innings lead was always within reach of the tourists but then disaster struck as the Indian skipper’s innings was brought to a controversial end just before lunch.
The tussle between Pat Cummins and Kohli had been building up nicely throughout the Test and it was the Aussie pacer who had the last laugh as Peter Handscomb claimed a low catch at second slip.
Multiple replays of the catch proved to be inconclusive but with umpire Nigel Llong having made the soft signal as ‘out’, the third umpire was left with no choice but to send Kohli on his way.
It was a decision that could ultimately prove to be the turning point of the Test and the series as a whole and it ended all Indian hopes of taking a first-innings lead at Perth.
A key turning point in the game.
AUSSIE SUFFER FINCH BLOW BUT KHAWAJA AND CO EXTEND LEAD
Following from their fine display in the first innings, Australia’s openers Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris once again started brightly in the second go.
The two openers had to endure some uncomfortable moments early on with the ball shooting up wildly from the various cracks that had started to develop on the pitch.
Finch was at the receiving end of a couple of such blows and he ultimately had to retire hurt just before the stroke of tea.
Jasprit Bumrah made the Aussie batsman jump and hop with some sensational deliveries but the India pacer was unlucky to return with just the sole wicket of Harris from the day’s play.
Shaun Marsh, Handscomb and Travis Head fell cheaply in the final session but Usman Khawaja propelled Australia’s innings with an unbeaten 41.
The left-hander looked out of sorts in the first innings but showed much greater composure and authority in his second go. With Australia’s overall lead now swelling to 175, the hosts are in the driving seat heading into the fourth day’s play as the pitch continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate for India who will need to bat last.
A painful one for Aaron Finch on a fast-crumbling pitch.
