India vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 2 Lunch Report: Courtesy Smith’s 150*, visitors sit pretty at 401/7

With Aussies moving ahead strongly, Ravindra Jadeja took 3 important wickets but Steven Smith is still on crease with 150+ runs in his account

By: Score Keepers |
March 17, 2017 11:41 am

In the second day of the third game of the India vs Australia Test series in Ranchi, the Australian batting pair — Glenn Maxwell and Steven Smith — resumed their game at 299/4 with the Aussie skipper already had scored a ton while his mate Maxwell was steadily moving ahead towards his first feat of 100 runs. On the other hand, the Indian side without their leader, Virat Kohli, entered the field with only motive to destroy the Aussie inning as soon as possible.

Team India started their bowling attack in order to break the growing partnership of Smith and Maxwell but Umesh Yadav, who bowled the first over of day 2, ended up breaking Maxwell’s bat at the very first ball. A hilarious moment to start the day with but the later ones troubled the Indian side just like the third session of day 1.

Smith who already had a pile of runs in his account was leading from the front while Maxwell was no less in showing his class as he was moving ahead to score the first ton of his Test career. In the 99th over, Maxwell finally crossed the milestone and it was a joyful moment for this Aussie lad and his innings received lots of appreciation as well. He took off his helmet off and kissed it, raised his hands in the air acknowledging the crowd and his teammates in the dressing room. Indeed he was happy for this marvellous inning against India.

But Maxwell’s marvel didn’t last long as Ravindra Jadeja brought the first success of the day and dismissed him in the 102nd over. The ball kissed Maxwell’s bat and landed safely on Wriddhiman’s gloves. Austalia lost its 5th wicket and Maxwell was departed for 104 off 185 balls.

Matthew Wade was the next man who came in to accompany the skipper who has become the strongest pillar of the Australian batting by then. At a situation where half of the team have returned to pavilion, the new man in, Wade, didn’t hesitate to play aggressive shots and started hitting right from the beginning. The way he was playing, it looked that he might reach to his 50 within no time but it couldn’t happen as it was Jadeja again who made the dent.

In the 116th over, Jadeja hit back and gulped the furious looking Matthew Wade after he had scored 37 of 50 balls.

The next man came in was Pat Cummins who replaced Mitchelle Starc in this game and it was a wonder that unlike Starc he failed to do anything phenomenal from the bat and went for a golden duck. Jadeja’s delivery did the magic again and dismissed Cummins for zero. Smith was still standing at the non-striker’s end while Steve O’Keefe came in at number 9.

By the Lunch break, Australia were 401/7, Steve Smith: 153 (318), Steve O’Keefe: 1 (5)