After getting thrashed in the second day’s game of the first Test between India and Australia in Pune, Team India had a pretty good start in the first session of day 3 as Ravindra Jadeja successfully got another scalp extracted within the first 20 minutes of the game. Jadeja dismissed Mitchell Marsh for 31 of 76 balls. Though this dismissal brought an early success for the Indian side but still the Aussie giant was alive at the other end and he was the skipper Steven Smith.
Smith had his form intact since the third session of day 2 which continued today as well. Leading from the front along with Mathew Wade, the Aussie skipper reached his 18th ton of his test career.
Arun • 1 min
At the other end wicket keeper Mathew Wade was looking pretty confident to give company to the skipper but Umesh Yadav ruined his plans. Yadav gulped Wade after he had played a knock of 20 runs of 42 balls.
While the skipper was still taking the ship gradually ahead but he couldn’t continue much long. Ravindra Jadeja again put a dent on the ship and damaged the furious form of Smith after dismissing him at 109. But the next man who came in continued his same style of batting which he portrayed in the first inning. Mitchell Starc came in and smashed two amazing sixes to Ashwin. Starc hit total 3 sixes in his style but soon became another prey of Ashwin. His batting stint was small and was dismissed at 30 runs of 31 balls.
Before the lunch, the Indian bowlers could manage to pluck the remaining wickets including Natan Lyon (12) and O’Keefe (6) and successfully wrapped up the entire Aussie inning at a total of 285.
India needs 441 runs to win.
