Jasprit Bumrah produced a magnificent spell with the ball and claimed 6 wickets as India dominated Day 3 of the third test at Melbourne on Friday.
Resuming at an overnight score of 8/0, the Australian openers started attacking the Indian opening bowlers right from the onset and added 16 more runs, before Ishant Sharma got the breakthrough in the fifth over by getting Aaron Finch caught at short mid wicket by Mayank Agarwal for 8 runs.
Fellow Victorian Marcus Harris was the first of Bumrah’s six victims, caught at fine leg by Ishant to leave the home side at 36 for 2.
Usman Khawaja looked good in his innings of 21, until he was dismissed at short leg off Ravindra Jadeja.
Shaun Marsh and Travis Head stabilized the innings by adding 36 runs for the fourth wicket before both fell to Bumrah. Marsh was deceived by a slower ball while Head’s stumps were shattered by a quick yorker.
When Mitchell Marsh edged Jadeja to slip for 9, the hosts were left reeling at 102 for 6.
Pat Cummins enjoyed a reprieve when he was dropped on 2 by wicket keeper Rishabh Pant off Hanuma Vihari in the 50th over.
Skipper Tim Paine and Cummins added a valauble 36 run stand for the seventh wicket to lend the score an air of respectability before India broke though.
On the stroke of tea, Mohammed Shami had Cummins bowled for 17.
In the final session of the play, Bumrah wrapped up the innings by claiming the wickets of Paine, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood in quick succession as they were bowled out for just 151 runs, giving India a lead of 292.
In doing so he became the first Indian bowler to take five wicket in the countries of Australia, South Africa and England in the same calendar year.
The 25 year old was the pick of the Indian seamers as he finished with figures of 6/ 33, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed 2 wickets.
Inspite of having a huge lead, India strangely chose not to enforce the follow on, perhaps with the aim of grinding the Australian bowlers into the dust ahead of the Sydney game.
They began their second innings solidly as the opening pair of Hanuma Vihari and debutant Mayank Agarwal put on 28 runs for the opening wicket, before the short ball again accounted for Vihari, as it had in the first innings, with Cummins dismissing him for 13.
The pacer then took the wickets of first innings centurion Cheteshwar Pujara (0) , Indian skipper Virat Kohli (0) and vice captain Ajinkya Rahane (1) with balls that were straying down leg as the visitors lost the spine of their batting for just a single run- the lowest by an Indian 3,4,5 combo in test cricket since 1953.
Rohit Sharma in the final moments of the day was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood, leaving India tottering at 44 for 5.
Mayank Agarwal, who had looked impressive in his knock of 76 in the first innings, looked solid in the second one as well. The Karnataka star, along with Rishabh Pant saw the day through without any further alarms as India finished at 54/5, with an overall lead of 346 runs.
Australia at Stumps on Day 3- First innings- 151 all out – Marcus Harris 22, Time Paine 22. (Bumrah 6/33, Jadeja 2/45). India second innings 54/5- Mayank Agarwal 28* ( Pat Cummins 4/10)