Month: January 2021

Hanuma Vihari and Ravi Ashwin batted for over 40 overs, as India managed an unlikely looking draw against Australia in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.

Resuming at 98/2, India lost skipper Ajinkya Rahane in the just the second over to Nathan Lyon.

Rishabh Pant who came in ahead of Hanuma Vihari was dropped twice by skipper Tim Paine early on in his innings. The dashing wicket keeper batsman capitalized on the opportunity and smashed the Australian bowlers all over the park.

Pant along with Cheteshwar Pujara added 148 runs for the fourth wicket, before the former was caught by Pat Cummins for an entertaining 97. His knock came off just 112 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes.

Josh Hazlewood provided the vital breakthrough for the home side by claiming the prize scalp of Pujara bowled for a solid 77, leaving the visitors in a spot of bother at 272/5.

Vihari and Ashwin batted for more than three hours, despite the former suffering a hamstring injury.

The duo faced 259 balls in their unbeaten 62 run stand which is most by an Indian sixth wicket pair Down Under.

The Andhra batsman remained unbeaten after scoring 23 runs off 161 balls while, veteran spinner Ashwin was not out on 39 off 128 deliveries, as India managed an epic draw.

Hazlewood and Lyon claimed 2 wickets each, while Cummins claimed a solitary wicket.

Steven Smith was declared the Player of the Match.

India 334/5 (Rishabh Pant 97, Cheteshwar Pujara 77- Josh Hazlewood 2/39, Nathan Lyon 2/114) and 244 all out drew against Australia 338 all out and 312/6 d (Cameron Green 84, Steve Smith 81; Navdeep Saini 2/54, Ravi Ashwin 2/95)

The fourth and the final test will be played at Brisbane on January 15.

Australia dominated yet another day of the test cricket at the Sydney Cricket Ground leaving India a whopping 309 runs to chase on the final day on Saturday. Continue reading “India vs Australia Third Test Day 4 Sydney Match Report 2021”

A fine all round performance from Australia helped them take control at the end of Day 3 of the third test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Resuming at overnight score of 96/2, the pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara added 21 more runs, before the former bottom-edged a Pat Cummins delivery on to his stumps for 22.

Hanuma Vihari’s short stay at the crease ended after he was run out brilliantly by Josh Hazlewood at mid off.

Pujara along with Rishabh Pant added 53 valuable runs for the fifth wicket, before the latter was caught at first slip by Warner off Hazlewood for a breezy 36. The dashing left handed batsman had earlier been struck by a Cummins delivery on the elbow and looked uncomfortable, and Wriddhiman Saha ended up keeping wickets for India later in the day.

Things got from bad to worse as the visitors lost Pujara in the very next over, as he gloved a Cummins ball to wicketkeeper Tim Paine for 50.

R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah also carelessly threw their wickets away via run outs as India’s middle order collapse continued. From 195/4, the visitors stumbled to 244 all out, giving the home side a 94 run lead. Ravi Jadeja remained unbeaten on 28, but he also suffered an injury, with a rising delivery striking him on the thumb of his bowling hand. Continue reading “India vs Australia Third Test Day 3 Sydney Match Report January 9 2021”

Ravindra Jadeja’s 4/62, followed by a fine maiden half-century from Shubman Gill as the visitors edged Day 2 of the third test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

Resuming at overnight score of 166/2, the pair of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith added 40 more runs before the former was caught at slip by Ajinkya Rahane off Jadeja for 91.

Matthew Wade in trying to attack the left arm spinner was caught at mid wicket by Bumrah.

Bumrah struck twice by dismissing Cameron Green leg before wicket for a duck and then accounting for skipper Tim Paine with a brilliant inswinger.

Neither Pat Cummins nor Nathan Lyon troubled the scorers as both fell cheaply to Jadeja.

Mitchell Starc made a useful 24 before top edging a Saini delivery to Gill.

Star batsman Smith was the last man to fall for a brilliantly made 131, run out by a superb throw from deep square leg by Jadeja.

Australia thus finished on 338, a decent score but far less then what they would have imagined after being 206/2 at one stage.

Ravi Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/62, while debutant Saini and ace pacer Bumrah grabbed two apiece.

Trailing by 338 runs, India got off to a solid start with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill adding 70 runs for the opening wicket.

The former looked good in his knock of 26, before he chipped one straight back to Josh Hazlewood who completed a simple caught and bowled.

Gill looked in fine touch and made a composed half century, the first of his fledgling test career, before edging a Pat Cummins delivery to Green at gully.

The pair of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane kept the Australian bowlers at bay, as the visitors ended Day 2 at 96/2, 242 runs behind.

Stumps as the end of Day 2- India 96/2 (Shubman Gill 50, Rohit Sharma 26; Pat Cummins 1/19) Australia 338 all out (Steve Smith 131, Marnus Labuschagne 91. Ravindra Jadeja 4/62, Navdeep Saini 2/65, Bumrah 2/66)

Debutant Will Pucovski and Marnus Labuschagne scored fine half-centuries as Australia ended Day 1 of the rain hit third test at 166/2 against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

India included Rohit Sharma and debutant Navdeep Saini for Mayank Agarwal and the injured Umesh Yadav, while Australia dropped Joe Burns and Travis Head for Pucovski and David Warner.

Continue reading “India vs Australia Third Test Day 1 Sydney Match Report 2021”

Team India have officially announced their playing XI for the third test against Australia at Sydney starting January 7, Thursday.

Navdeep Saini will be making his test debut in place of the injured Umesh Yadav and Rohit Sharma will replace Mayank Agarwal for the Sydney Test starting Thursday.

Agarwal in his last four innings has had scores of 17,9,0 & 5 respectively.

India XI for Sydney Test:

1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 5 Hanuma Vihari, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Navdeep Saini & Mohammed Siraj