Australia’s bowlers dominate as India trails by 394 runs; KL Rahul stands firm amid rain interruptions.
Brisbane [Australia], December 16: Rain played spoilsport on Day 3 of the ongoing Test match at The Gabba, halting India’s innings at 51/4 by the close of play. Trailing Australia by 394 runs, KL Rahul (33*) and captain Rohit Sharma (0*) remained unbeaten as intermittent rain disrupted most of the third session.
The day ended with just three overs bowled in the final session, during which India managed to add only three runs to their total. Earlier, India resumed the third session at 48/4, with Rahul and Rohit trying to weather the Australian pace attack.
Second Session Drama
The second session saw India lose crucial ground as Australian skipper Pat Cummins struck to remove Rishabh Pant (9), who had begun to look settled alongside Rahul. Cummins set Pant up beautifully, pitching a delivery that lured him into an edge, safely collected by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Rahul, meanwhile, showcased glimpses of brilliance, including a textbook cover drive off Cummins. However, rain interrupted the session twice, stalling any momentum India sought to build. Mitchell Starc’s fiery pace continued to challenge Indian batters, who struggled to gain a foothold.
First Session Highlights
Earlier in the day, Jasprit Bumrah led India’s fightback, dismissing Mitchell Starc in the opening hour of play. Bumrah forced an edge from the left-hander, who had been a threat with a slog-swept six off Ravindra Jadeja. Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep cleaned up the Australian tail, wrapping up the hosts’ innings at 445.
In response, India’s top order faltered once again. Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) fell victim to Starc’s scrambled seam delivery, chipping the ball to Mitchell Marsh. Shubman Gill (1) followed, edging a Starc delivery to Marsh, who took a sharp catch.
Virat Kohli (3) was lured into chasing an outside-off delivery from Josh Hazlewood, edging it to the wicketkeeper. By the time rain interrupted play, India had lost four wickets for just 48 runs.
Australia in Control
Australia’s commanding first-innings total of 445, bolstered by centuries from Travis Head (152) and Steven Smith (151), continues to put them in a dominant position. Bumrah’s six-wicket haul (6/76) was a silver lining for India amid the challenging conditions.
With two days remaining, India faces an uphill battle to avoid an innings defeat, as Australia’s bowlers, led by Starc (2/25), look set to capitalize on their early breakthroughs.
Brief Scores:
- Australia: 445 (Travis Head 152, Steven Smith 151; Jasprit Bumrah 6-76)
- India: 51/4 (KL Rahul 33*; Mitchell Starc 2-25)
