India v Australia, Third Test, Chandigarh

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1st Test
Fri Feb 22 - Tue Feb 26
04:00 GMT | 09:30 local
12:00 WST | 14:30 CST | 15:00 EST
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

2nd Test
Sat Mar 2 - Wed Mar 6
04:00 GMT | 09:30 local
12:00 WST | 14:30 CST | 15:00 EST
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad

3rd Test
Thu Mar 14 - Mon Mar 18
04:00 GMT | 09:30 local
12:00 WST | 14:30 CST | 15:00 EST
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

4th Test
Fri Mar 22 - Tue Mar 26
04:00 GMT | 09:30 local
12:00 WST | 14:30 CST | 15:00 EST
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi


India:
Shikhar Dhawan, Murli Vijay, Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, M S Dhoni (c),
Rabindra Jadeja, Bhubhneshwar Kumar, Ravi Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Ashoke Dinda

Australia:
Michael Clarke (c), Ed Cowan, David Warner, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Glenn Maxwell,
Moises Henriques, Nathan Lyon, Xavier Doherty, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird

Australia haven't been able to put up such a performance even Warner and Cowan built that 139 run opening partnership, there was nothing like this even when Clarke had those big partnerships with Henriques at Chennai or with Wade at Hyderabad. We really have a contest here. Refreshing to see this, and relieved that it took them this long to come up with something like this.
Rahane is off the mark.

In the middle of typing "Pleased to see Rahane getting a chance in test cricket." but he's out in mid sentence.... Match hotting up....

Ajinkya Rahane goes, goes for 7, Lyon with his 3rd wicket. Rahane played fine shot to score his first boundary in test cricket, and then gloved a catch to the leg slip fielder. India 165-4.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni coming into a real pressure situation. We all know what he did the last time when he had to walk into a similar situation. But Lyon's on fire, and both Siddle and Johnson have bowled really very well. India still behind by 97, with 6 wickets remaining.
Dhoni's of the mark in style first ball, fine extra-cover drive for 4.

Pattinson replaces Siddle.

Now Sachin goes, Lyon gets his man eventually!. India in deep trouble now, as skipper Dhoni acknowledged, they haven't been batting all that well between 7 and 11. Ravindra Jadeja has bowled superbly in this series so far, but India need him to fire with the bat here and bring out his all-round best in a crisis situation.

All kicking off - every ball in that over was either runs, a dropped catch or a wicket... ends up with 13 runs and SRT out....

Its one of the most difficult wicket in India. Uneven bounce has disturbed Indians, think what will happen when Australians will be,batting. I hope 60 to 70 run lead and Australia will be in trouble, but from here It seems like a second inning game.

Johnson allows four overthrows.... Can't afford that on an increasingly difficult wicket.

Drinks - a cooling off period needed after some fairly heated exchanges about batsman running down the pitch

Dhoni goes with India still 52 behind.

and Dhoni gone!

After a mini recovery, the Indian skipper is gone, a soft dismissal, and Australia have gone ahead in the larger scheme of things. Another half hour of Dhoni could have ended Australia's comeback, but not to be, the Australians are giving their absolute everything here.

Australia's last 3 wickets added 126, time for the Indian lower order to make their mark.

Jadeja passes his previous highest test score of 16.

msp83 wrote:Australia's last 3 wickets added 126, time for the Indian lower order to make their mark.

Indian tail can bat as well....Ashwin is good enough to bat 7...and Kumar is a very good no9.

Ravindra Jadeja has to remember MS Dhoni is out and its R Ashwin who's batting with him, particularly when running between the wickets. Dhoni and Jadeja are the best in that department, Ashwin has to be the worst!.

Useful partnership - 35 so far.

Finally ended by Maxwell who dismissed Jadeja for a valuable 43. Unlucky to be given out LBW

Ravindra Jadeja goes LBW to Glenn Maxwell's 2nd matcdh. He goes for 43. Didn't look a great call, but Jadeja wasn't playing a shot so fair enough, and a big wicket for Australia.

India behind by 6 runs, Siddle's back on.

Scores level. India took 45 fewer overs than Aussies to reach 262

India take the lead.

Lyon replaces Siddle and gets Ashwin Ffirst ball and takes 5. India 266-8 at stumps.

Nathan Lyon

The wickets of Jadeja and Ashwin in the last 20 minuts have provided Australia with a great chance to restrict India's first innings to nothing significant. Sharma has shown a capability to stick around in the past an Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a capable number 9. But with no quality batsmen left to guide them, I don't expect India to last too long tomorrow. Any lead more than 20 runs, should be disappointing for Australia, after the kind of comeback they managed in the last couple of sessions. The Australian bowlers have done much of the job for the team, with both bat and ball, now its time for the batsman to earn their salaries.
As far as India go, they would Bhuvneshwar Kumar would be able to stretch the lead as much as possible, a lead of 40 would make them happy, anything more, would be a serious bonus even in their view. But the greater work has to be done with the ball tomorrow. They have to keep the intensity levels up. Some of the old spark of an India Australia contest has made a welcome return today, after 7 test matches. At times it didn't look all that nice, but the intensity levels were up, and the match is very nicely poised at the moment.

was an excpetional spell of bowling from Lyon to come back and get 5 wickets!

220 would be a very tough chase in 4th innings on that pitch IMO

Lyon looking like lion for indians. 2 ball and 2 wickets. Indian inning wrapped on 272. Australia will go for win from here. A 150+ target will also be a problem for India in the fourth innings.

Why maxwell here, aussies gone mad!!! May be a trumphcard. Lets see what's happen.

Maxwell bowled, well done jadeja. Aussies 5/1

Warner gone!!! India on top. Australia 10/2
I was wondering the same when Indians were batting.

5 gone. Another one for jadeja. India on fire now. If Australia score anything less thing less than 100 we will see a victory for india, but in this series tails have performed well with the bat. Lets see where the match will go.

Australia have quite balanced their inning now. With 89/5 a more of 50 runs will make chances difficult for India. India lastly chased down the target of 276 successfully here at Delhi in 2011 against WI. Looking at the pitch I suppose, this time chasing 200 will be like walking on fire. India should go for quick wrapping up of Aussies innings later in the second half. Lets hope some more intetesring cricket after lunch.

Jadeja strikes again. Smith bowled. He was going for a turn but ball went straight and he was not offering any shot.

Jadeja on fire. He is on hattrick. Jhonson bowled by a superb delivery from him. Jhonson was going for a drive missed it and the ball went through the bat and pad.

Siddle is doing the right thing. If you want to score in this condition don't allow the bowl to take the advantage. Lead is now over 100.

Australia's best batsmen are in now, Siddle is smashing them,and Pattinson, and Lyon the wall are yet to come in.

The last of the tail beginners is gone, Matthew Wade brilliantly caught behind by Dhoni. Now its the turn of the proper batsmen!.

Australia lead by 112. Under the circumstances, this is a healthy lead. With some proper batting yet to come, Australia would be hoping they would be able to take that lead to 150-160, and that would mean plenty of trouble for India.
Peter Siddle has top scored for Australia in both innings, batting at 9.

If Pattinson or Lyon can't outscore him, Siddle will be making history, top scoring for his side in both innings of a test match from number 9.

Wade gone. Dhoni is so excited. Both option was open but was given out for catch. Appreciable commitment by Indian captain.

msp83 wrote:If Pattinson or Lyon can't outscore him, Siddle will be making history, top scoring for his side in both innings of a test match from number 9.

If australia wins,whom do you think should be given man of the match.

Normal services restored for Australia as Siddle and Pattinson are dealing with Jadeja and Ojha pretty comfortably.

subhranshu.kumar.5 wrote:

msp83 wrote:If Pattinson or Lyon can't outscore him, Siddle will be making history, top scoring for his side in both innings of a test match from number 9.

If australia wins,whom do you think should be given man of the match.

If Australia are to win this match, think Lyon will have to play a huge part in the India 2nd innings. He's most likely to get it, but a good showing from Siddle with the ball in the 2nd innings would put him firmly in the frame.

The game is now getting away from India as Siddle and Pattinson are taking the bowling on. Australia 141-8. Lead by 131. Already, this has the makings of a very difficult chase.

With this boundry lead is now beyond 150. Things going to be difficult for India.

155 to chase.

A chase of 155 on this track won't be easy. The Indian's should play positive but not reckless cricket. Getting bogged down is never a healthy option on this track, sooner or later a ball with your name on it would arrive, better get on with it while you are there.

First five wickets added 53 for Australia, the last 5 put together almost doubled that score.

Wow what do we have here?! A visiting team opening the bowling with a spinner!.

No Pattinson, no siddle with the new ball, its Glenn Maxwell.