At lunch on the final day at Ranchi, Australia was trailing by 69 runs and it seemed with new batsman to bowl at, Virat Kohli and his men are firm favourites to win the Test and take an unassailable lead but that was not to be. Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh demonstrated the reason why they are rated highly in the Australian domestic circuit. They have not lost a wicket this session. Jadeja and Ashwin are not getting the bite they are expecting from the pitch and that would be hurting the Indian spinners.
The run rate was on the lower side but they ensured India did not get any opening after lunch or a sniff of victory. With Maxwell and the rest to follow it seems the visitors have been successful in keeping the Test series alive. The pitch was on the slower side, there were non-stop appeals, Virat Kohli even lost a review but they could not get up on the wickets column which would hurt them.
Watch Kohli’s DRS ‘goof-up’ that resulted in a laugh from India’s skipper! https://t.co/vm47JiVSTZ #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/6nkzSeFU6w
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 20, 2017
The last session by the looks of it will head to a tame draw, setting up the series beautifully as both teams will head north to Dharamsala. Australia trail by 3 as they go into take refreshments for the last time.
That’s tea! Enormous effort from Handscomb and SMarsh to bat the session and close in on a lead: https://t.co/EgbDSOUWdB #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/1YxF0z1Q9Q
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 20, 2017
