UNITED KINGDOM: Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane keep the game alive as India (IND) will continue the chase of 444 runs on the final day.
Australia (AUS) started the day at 123/4; Umesh Yadav removed Marnus Labuschagne early in the day and made it look like IND could quickly finish off Australia’s second innings. But Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc had different plans.
Carey and Starc added 93 runs for the 7th wicket and shattered the hopes of India getting a manageable total. Carey and Starc frustrated India with a lot of edges and boundaries.
The partnership was finally broken by Mohammed Shammi as he removed Starc.
Starc scored a valuable 41 runs while Carrey remained not out on 66. As soon as the skipper Pat Cuminns’ wicket fell, AUS declared the innings for 270/8.
Ravindra Jadeja took 3 wickets, while Shami and Yadav took two wickets each. It was time for IND to chase a huge total of 444 runs or bat till the end to draw.
India started batting aggressively from the very start of the innings. Both the openers, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma, were finding boundaries.
But soon, Gill was caught at the slips by Cameron Green which was controversial. The ball seems to have brushed the ground, and the Third Umpire decided it to be out, which sparked the controversy.
Rohit Sharma scored a quickfire 43 and hit 7 boundaries and a six but was caught LBW to Nathan Lyon, trying to play a sweep shot. Cheteshwar Pujara was also looking in good touch but soon edged a ball trying to play the upper cut in Pat Cummins’s delivery.
Virat Kohli then stepped into the crease and started batting brilliantly. He was also scoring runs quickly like Sharma and rapidly reached 44 runs in just 60 balls.
This gave India some more valuable runs. Ajinkya Rahane, on the other hand, was rotating strikes calmly and punishing easy pickings for boundaries.
AUS (2nd Inning): 270/8d
IND (2nd Inning): 164/3
V.Kohli: 44* (60), A.Rahane:20* (59)
Also Read: WTC Final IND Vs AUS: Australia’s Firm Grip on the Game Persists on Day 3
