India v Australia 3rd Test: India hit back

Australia made 273-7 in 104 overs at close having opted to bat first on day two of the third Test against India at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Friday.

Steven Smith was unbeaten on a fluent 58 having faced 138 balls and hit seven boundaries and a six.

Mitchell Starc was with him on 20 off 21 balls having hit three boundaries so far.

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Ravindra Jadeja was the most successful bowler having figures of three for 56 while Ishant Sharma claimed two for 41.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha also picked up a wicket apiece.

"It was nice to make most of getting in but disappointed at missing out on a big one," said Ed Cowan who top scored with 86.

He felt the honours were even after Australia lost four wickets in the final session.

"It is a challenging first innings total," added Cowan.

Twin strikes by left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma with the old ball rocked Australia after they had dominated the morning session.

David Warner (71) and Ed Cowan (86) gave Australia the best start of the series with their third century partnership going in for lunch at 109 without loss.

But from 139 for no loss they slipped to 151 for three as Jadeja struck in his 10th over claiming Warner and skipper Michael Clarke for a first-ball duck bowling him with a beauty.

Australia never quite recovered from this setback despite a 47-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Cowan and Smith as they took tea at 180 for three.

Haddin (21) figured in a promising stand of 46 for the fifth wicket but Sharma playing his 50th Test got the ball to reverse swing in the 94th over of the innings and struck two lethal blows.

He bowled Haddin off an inside edge while Moises Henriques was beaten through the gate with a beautiful delivery for a second-ball duck.

Smith held the innings together but Australia lost another wicket before the close as India took a vice-like grip on the game.

EVENING SESSION

Starc played down the final over of the day from Sharma taking a single off the last ball.

Starc has whipped Ashwin uppishly over midwicket for his third boundary.

Starc has hit another boundary off Kumar hooking a short delivery to fine leg.

Mitchell Starc is showing he is no mug with the bat smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar with a perfect off drive straight down the ground for a boundary.

Australia are once again collapsing in a heap losing three wickets for seven runs in the final hour of play beginning with Sharma's double strike.

Jadeja has picked up his third wicket trapping Peter Siddle for duck after facing 14 balls with Kohli at slip also claiming a catch.

The umpire adjudged him leg before after thinking for some time.

Smith is unfazed by the twin dismissals standing tall and punching Sharma powerful through cover for a boundary to bring up the 250 of the Australia innings in the 98th over.

Smith (below) completes his third Test fifty off 111 balls with a single off Ojha.


His fluent knock contained six boundaries and a six.

India are on a roll now and Ishant Sharma is rocking getting reverse swing with the old ball with two deadly strikes in his 18th over and 94th of the innings.

Ishant Sharma has struck twice within the space of three deliveries knocking back the stumps of Haddin and Moises Henriques who is beaten comprehensively through the gate for a duck.

Ishant Sharma (below) strikes with the old ball bowling Brad Haddin off a bottom edge.




Haddin made 21 off 36 balls with two hits to the ropes having added 46 runs for the fifth wicket with Smith.

Jadeja returning to the attack has gone for 14 in his 18th over being hit for three boundaries.

Smith picked up a couple of boundaries smashing Jadeja with a crunching drive past mid wicket and edging him to the third man while Haddin lofted him over midwicket.

Smith has picked up another boundary off Ashwin sweeping a loose delivery to fine leg.

Ojha and Ashwin have bowled two consecutive maiden overs.

Smith is continuing to bat fluently hitting another boundary off Ashwin with a delightful square cut.

Brad Haddin has opened his account in style hoisting Ojha for a six over long-on to bring up the 200 of the Australia innings in the 79th over.

Ashwin finally get his reward as Kohli hangs to an edge off Cowan whose wonderful knock comes to an end.

Cowan departs from 86 off 238 balls having hit eight boundaries and adding 47 runs for the fourth wicket with Smith.

Cowan (85) seems to be having a charmed innings getting another life this time by Pujara at forward short leg off Ashwin who is still wicket.

Smith has flicked a delivery from Sharma which swung down the leg side for another boundary.

Smith survives a confident lbw shout in the first over after tea off Sharma with replays showing the ball probably missed leg.

Ed Cowan let off on 35 and 64 is still there on 76 playing the anchor role having faced 218 balls and hit eight boundaries.

Steven Smith is with him on 19 off 38 balls having hit a six and two boundaries.

They are rebuilding the innings after Australia lost three wickets in quick succession to slump to 151 for three after being 139 for no loss.

Left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja struck a double blow when he dismissed Warner (71) and Michael Clarke for a first-ball duck in successive deliveries in his 10th over.

Warner lobbed a bat-pad which was taken by Dhoni  while Clarke was stumped beaten by the turn as he stepped out to the first delivery he faced from Jadeja.

Phillip Hughes did not last as he continued his dismal series being caught behind on the leg side gloving an attempted flick of Ojha.

Jadeja has figures of two for 37 while Ojha has one for 45.

Cowan gets another boundary with a glance to fine leg off Ojha with Pujara giving chase but failing to cut it off.

Smith is batting confidently back cutting Ojha to third man for his second boundary and thumping a full toss over his head for the first six of the match.

Steven Smith opens his account with a lofted shot to the mid off fence off Ojha to show his positive intent.

India are on a roll now with their spinners getting purchase on the second day on a flat pitch with three falling for the addition of just 12 runs.

Ojha is elated after finally getting a wicket as Hughes is caught behind by Dhoni gloving a delivery on the leg side.

Hughes survived 31 balls to make two.

Cowan takes a single off Ashwin with a lovely cover drive to bring up the 150 of the Australian innings in the 59th over.

Cowan (64) is dropped by Kohli for the second time at slip off Ojha with the ball ricocheting off the pad of Dhoni.

Cowan breaks the shackles after the twin dismissals by rocking back and cutting Ashwin wide of point for his seventh boundary and survives an interesting shout for lbw in the last ball before the drinks break.

Hughes survives being bowled after stretching out to a delivery from Ashwin and squaring shoulders with the ball turning sharply and narrowly missing the stumps.

Phillip Hughes plays downs the hat-trick ball in Jadeja's 11th over which is a maiden as India attack with a ring of close-in fielders around the batsmen.

Jadeja's double strike has Australia in a spin after a solid start.

Australian skipper Michael Clarke promoting himself to No.3 is beaten by the turn as he steps out to be stumped by Dhoni for a first-ball duck after the fall of Warner.

India finally get a breakthrough as Jadeja strikes in his 10th over to dismiss Warner.

The pugnacious left-hander shuffled forward but the ball lobbed off his pad with Dhoni running forward and to take the catch.

Warner made 71 off 147 balls with nine boundaries.

The 137-run stand between Warner and Cowan is the best opening partnership by Australia in India.

Warner survives a confident left before appeal off Ashwin with the thin inside edge perhaps saving him.

Cowan is growing in confidence using his feet against the spinners including the dangerous Ashwin as Australia dig in with determination.

Cowan brings up his sixth Test fifty and third against India with a flick to midwicket boundary off Jadeja.

His half century which came off 119 balls contained six boundaries.
 

David Warner is unbeaten on 54 off 107 balls with eight boundaries while Ed Cowan (above) is with him on 43 off 122 balls with five boundaries.

Warner has got a streaky boundary edging Jadeja between Dhoni and Kohli for another boundary.

Warner completed his seventh Test fifty and second against India off 105 balls with an edge for a single to fine leg.

His chanceless innings has contained seven boundaries so far.

This is Australia's best start of the series on flat hard surface at Mohali which has stood firm despite the rain on the first day which washed out play.

Cowan brings up the 100 of the Australians and the third century partnership with Warner in the 34th over with a scorching off drive for a couple.

Cowan (35) has edged Ojha with a Virat Kohli at lone slip failing to react to the sharp chance as the balls flies to the third man boundary.

Warner despatches Jadeja's third delivery punching him through midoff and cover for a boundary.

Another left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has been introduced into the attack as Dhoni rings in the changes in a bid to break the opening stand.

Ojha is struggling with his line conceding four byes in his second over as he stays down the leg

Ojha bowling for the first time in the series has been despatched for a couple of boundaries through cover and fine leg as the left arm spinner struggles to find his bearings.

Cowan has punched a short delivery from Pragyan Ojha through cover for his third boundary.

Warner has hit the first boundary off Ashwin dancing down the track and smacking him over his head with a superb strike.

Ed Cowan is patience personified as he waits for the right ball from Sharma to pick his second boundary slapping to third man after the drinks interval.

The Australian openers are showing compact defence and consolidating their solid start as they play down two consecutive maiden overs.

Cowan gets his first boundary in the 11th over of the match angling his bat to glide Kumar to third man.

Ashwin gets the ball to turn immediately putting the aggressive Warner on the backfoot.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been introduced into the attack after nine overs as India attempt to get a breakthrough.

Kumar appeals unsuccessfully for another lbw off Warner who gets an inside edge to the fine leg boundary off a no ball.

Warner (below) has swatted Sharma over his head for his fourth boundary using his feet to get to the pitch of the ball on a wicket which is living up to its billing as a batting haven.


Warner has hit his third boundary in the fourth over of the day driving Sharma through extra cover sending the ball racing the fence.

Ishant Sharma bowls a maiden over to Ed Cowan.

Left-hander Warner has hit two consecutive boundaries in the first over driving Kumar through mid off and cover having survived a lbw shout in the first ball he faced.

David Warner hits the first boundary of the match in the fourth ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar pushing him through midoff with superb timing.

Australia have won the toss and elected bat in the 3rd Test against India at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Friday.

The first day's play was washed out without a single ball being bowled.

India, who have never won more than two Tests in a single series against the team from Down Under, are leading the four-match series for the Border-Gavaskar troophy 2-0 after emphatic victories in the last two outings in Chennai and Hyderabad.

It is a bright and sunny day in Mohali with the wicket expected to be hard and flat, according to former Australian opener Michael Hayden.

Shikhar Dawan finally makes his Test debut and gets his cap from Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.

He comes in place of Virender Sehwag who was dropped after a run of poor scores.

India have made another change from the side which won the last two Tests as Pragan Ojha comes in for Harbhajan Singh.

For Australia, Haddin replaces the injured Mathew Wade.

Steven Smith is in for suspended vice-captain Shane Watson, while Glenn Maxwell makes way for Nathan Lyon.

Mitchell Starc returns to take Pattinson's place.

The Australian squad has been trimmed to 13 after the expulsion of four players.

Teams

India - Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, Ravichandran Ashwin, Praghyan Ojha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma

Australia - David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke (captain, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, Moises Henriques, Xavier Doherty, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon

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