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Hello and welcome to Guerilla Cricket’s live blog of the third Test between India and Australia. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is deliciously poised at 1-1, and the battle for ascendancy kicks off at the Gabba. We’ll bring you all the important updates as the race for the World Test Championship final heats up!
The follow-on has been avoided by the tourists! Massive in the context of the series because a result in this game is unlikely from this point. The partnership between Bumrah and Akash Deep is now 39(54), with the latter contributing 27 runs off just 31 balls. After slashing the ball over the cordon to elicit joyous reactions from the Indian dressing room, Akash Deep picked the bones out of Cummins’ next ball to send it sailing over long-on.
Akash Deep makes sure India avoid the follow-on and then smashes Pat Cummins into the second level!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/HIu86M7BNW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
India are extremely close now and that’s when the nerves start to jangle. As few as four runs needed.
The fiesty tail-enders are collecting vital runs and India require only 14 more runs to avoid the follow-on now.
Jasprit Bumrah just smashes Pat Cummins for six! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/vOwqRwBaZD
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
Remember the pasting he gave to Stuart Broad during that record-breaking 35-run over. Arguably the world’s finest pacer at the moment, Jasprit Bumrah is no slouch with the bat.
Cummins starts the over with a bouncer with the objective of intimidating Bumrah into submission but voila, he gets inside the line of the ball and hammers the pull over long leg! India need another 25 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Having lost Siraj recently, Jadeja departs too and takes with him India’s hopes of avoiding the follow-on. The field was set for the bouncer ploy and he has holed out to deep mid-wicket. Tried rolling his wrists over but the effort ball got big on him. Marsh ran in, slid forward and then completed a fine catch. Cummins is thrilled. Good planning and execution to remove Jadeja after a handy knock. More importantly, at a very critical point in the game.
Jadeja's fine knock comes to an end on 77!
Live – https://t.co/dVDZu4kbfX… #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SbjQqzXuYB
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 17, 2024
India are 46 runs away from saving the follow-on. Half-centurion Jadeja is shepherding the strike and will look to play his shots now that Australia have broken into the tail.
The partnership between Nitish and Jadeja had bloomed to 53 (104) and Australia were keen for a breakthrough. It has come courtesy of variable bounce as Nitish Reddy, defending with his weight on the backfoot, expected the ball to bounce more. Richochet off the inside edge from the lower half of the bat knocks the stumps over.
He was brought into this Test primarily to reinforce India’s batting and he has delivered the goods. 22nd Test fifty for the southpaw who has been one of India’s best batters overseas in recent years. Brings out the trademark sword celebration as India claw their way back into the contest.
Jadeja brings out his trademark sword celebration with a fine 50 at the Gabba. #AUSvIND | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/IFOfqltJdA
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
Beautiful shot to get off the mark! Tossed up full outside off, Nitish Reddy presses forward and middles the ball by bringing his bottom hand into play to send it scorching through extra cover.
He’s been among the runs in this series and India would be hoping for another vital contribution from the talented youngster as they look the avoid the follow-on.
Steve Smith was the culprit when KL Rahul was dropped first ball on the third day but he the ace slipper has made amends and how. Wicket against the run of play thanks to a blinder. Slinked towards his right anticipating a thick edge as Rahul shaped up to hit the ball square on the off-side, the ball was travelling but he outstretched his right hand and grasped it in his palm. A display of superb anticipation and hand-eye coordination there from Smith.
Rahul departs for 84 off 139 balls, having bailed India out from a precarious position. Unfortunately for India, the job was only half done as they still need over 100 runs to avoid the follow on.
On return from injury, Hazlewood went off the field after bowling just a single over wherein he looked gingerly and bowled a rubbish long hop to the well-set Rahul. He has soreness in the calf and will be taken for scans, so that’s not good news for Australia at all, they’re a bowler down. It reduces the breathing space for lead pacers Cummins and Starc because they can’t really rely on Mitchell Marsh to hold one end down with the partnership between Jadeja and Rahul crossing 50.
KL Rahul has worked out an efficient game plan to score in these challenging Australian conditions. Show good judgement outside the off-stump, play the ball close to the body, spend ample time at the crease, pounce on viable scoring opportunities in his range and flash hard at width to parry the ball over the slips in case of a mishit. The Indian opener has applied himself remarkably at the crease and is the reason why the visitors have been able to stage a recovery despite losing half their side for 74 runs.
Cummins’ grouping of deliveries has been razor-sharp this morning, like it is majority of the times, and Rohit’s lethargic weight transfer let him down. Didn’t commit to the frontfoot and defended tentatively from the crease, only managing a thin edge that is accepted by Carey behind the sticks.
Pat Cummins is that fired up after getting Rohit Sharma!#AUSvIND | #OhWhatAFeeling | @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/dZImJlva2I
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2024
Steve Smith has squandered the opportunity to get rid of KL Rahul, who has looked the most assured out of all the Indian batters, on the first ball of the moving day.
He’s aghast and even KL is livid with himself after having been so tight with his technique the previous day. The ball was climbing across the right-hander and he had a needless poke, straight in and out of Smith’s hands, came at a very good height and somehow the Indian opener survives. Might prove costly for Australia.
First ball of the day and dropped!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/lY8cdsN5Wo
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 16, 2024
