India vs Australia 3rd Test Archives

Indore pitch rating changed from ‘poor’ to ‘below average’ on BCCI appeal

DUBAI: International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday changed the pitch rating of Indore’s Holkar Stadium, the venue for the third Test between India and Australia, from ‘poor’ to ‘below average’ after BCCI’s appeal.

According to the ICC, the pitch was initially rated as poor and earned three demerit points but after a review by an ICC appeal panel, the rating was changed to below average, meaning the stadium received only one demerit point instead of three.

“The footage from the Test was reviewed by an ICC appeal panel consisting of Wasim Khan, ICC General Manager – Cricket, and Roger Harper, ICC Men’s Cricket Committee Member,” said ICC in a statement.

“Both were of the opinion that, while the guidelines had been followed by the Match Referee in accordance with Appendix A of the Pitch Monitoring Process, there was not enough excessive variable bounce to warrant the ‘poor’ rating.”

With a total of 14 wickets falling on just the opening day of the third Test in Indore, the pitch proved extremely favourable to the spinners, who claimed 26 out of 31 wickets taken over in the entire game.

The Test lasted two days and a session as Australia sealed a nine-wicket over India in that match to book their berth in the ICC World Test Championship Final.

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Australia confirm World Test Championship final spot

DUBAI: Following their comprehensive win by nine wickets in the third Test against India, Australia secured their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, scheduled from June 7 to 11 at the Oval, London.

Australia won 11 out of the 18 Tests played during the 2021-23 WTC cycle and became the first team to qualify for the final with a competition still wide open for the second spot.

The visitors bounced back forcefully in the third Test and made India taste their own medicine as they sealed the victory in just three days on the back of a phenomenal spin attack.

Australia folded India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann leading the charge with five wickets. In reply, they made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two with their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76 which they chased easily for the loss of opener Usman Khawaja on day three.

“That victory has helped Australia amass an impressive 68.52 of their possible WTC points,” said International Cricket Council in a media release on Friday, adding, “They will finish the current period in first place on the World Test Championship standings regardless of the result in the final Test of their ongoing series against India.”

India, who are still second on the standings with 60.29 points, will seal the WTC final spot if they win the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad. However, another defeat or a draw will leave their chances dependent on the remaining fixtures of the outgoing cycle.

“Sri Lanka have two Tests to play away from home against New Zealand this month and know they have to complete a 2-0 series sweep over the Kiwis to have any chance of snatching a spot in the WTC Final,” ICC added.

Remaining ICC World Test Championship Fixtures

South Africa v West Indies (Second Test) – Johannesburg, South Africa, 8-12 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (First Test) – Christchurch, New Zealand, 9-13 March
India v Australia (Fourth Test) – Ahmedabad, India, 9-13 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (Second Test) – Wellington, New Zealand, 17-21 March

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Lyon 8-for gives Australia hope in third India Test

INDORE: Nathan Lyon took eight wickets on Thursday to give Australia a glimmer of hope of beating India in the third Test — provided they can avoid another calamitous batting collapse.

On a dramatic day two in Indore, Australia’s batting imploded only for the tourists to fight back and bowl out India for 163, giving them a victory target of 76.

Cheteshwar Pujara top-scored with 59, caught brilliantly at slip by Australia captain Steve Smith, with Lyon taking figures of 8-64 on a treacherous spinning wicket.

Having skittled India for just 109 on day one, Australia resumed on 156-4 but collapsed to 197 all out before lunch, their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Cameron Green and Peter Handscomb did well to survive the first hour on a pitch with unpredictable bounce, the tall Green using his long stride to neutralise India’s spin attack.

But after the drinks break, Handscomb departed for 19, caught by Shreyas Iyer at short leg off Ravichandran Ashwin, having added 12 to his overnight score.

Soon afterwards Green fell for 21, trapped lbw by Umesh Yadav, who then bowled Mitchell Starc for one, sending the left-hander’s off-stump cartwheeling towards wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat.

In a dizzying disintegration, Alex Carey then departed for three, lbw to Ashwin, seamer Umesh bowled Todd Murphy for a duck and Nathan Lyon was cleaned up by Ashwin for five.

Ashwin took 3-44 and Umesh 3-12.

India sensed their chance and openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill survived a tricky 10 minutes before lunch.

But after the break, Gill was beaten for spin as he tried to hit across the line and was bowled middle stump for five by Lyon.

Skipper Rohit was then trapped lbw by Lyon for 12.

Virat Kohli looked to take on Matthew Kuhnemann, who took five wickets in the first innings, cutting the spinner for a glorious four, only to be trapped lbw the following ball for 13.

This sent a hush around the rowdy Indore ground but Pujara gave the home crowd something to cheer about, reducing the deficit by smashing Kuhnemann for a succession of boundaries.

Lyon though proved a handful, particularly for Ravindra Jadeja, who was out lbw for seven just before the break to leave India reeling.

In the final session, Iyer made an entertaining 26 that included two sixes before being caught brilliantly by Usman Khawaja at short midwicket off Starc.

Bharat was bowled by Lyon for three and Ashwin fell for 16, lbw to Lyon for his fifth scalp, Australia successfully overturning a not-out decision on review.

Marnus Labuschagne dropped Pujara off Kuhnemann when he was on 50, diving to his left at short cover, getting two hands to the ball but failing to keep hold of it.

Pujara battled on, making the Australians work hard before captain Smith took a brilliant diving catch to his right at slip off the bowling of Lyon.

The very next ball Umesh was given out lbw off Lyon but was reprieved on review. The ball after that Umesh slogged to the boundary where he was caught just inside the rope by Green.

Soon afterwards, Lyon clean bowled Mohammed Siraj to give the Australian his eighth scalp, and the hapless Indian number 11 his second duck of the match.

Australia take comfortable lead after Kuhnemann’s five-for

INDORE: Australia grabbed the early advantage with a lead of 47 on Wednesday after Matthew Kuhnemann’s five-wicket haul helped dismiss India for 109 on a dramatic first day of the third Test.

The tourists were 156-4 at stumps after Usman Khawaja hit a gritty 60 to drive his team’s reply on a viciously turning pitch in Indore.

Peter Handscomb, on seven, and Cameron Green, on six, were batting at close of play. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja took all four Australian wickets.

Khawaja stood out with his 21st Test half-century and a 96-run second-wicket stand with Marnus Labuschagne, who made 31.

Labuschagne, who tops the Test batsman rankings, won a reprieve on nought when Jadeja was adjudged to have overstepped the crease.

The left-handed Khawaja fell with an attempted sweep, caught at deep mid-wicket after putting Australia ahead of India’s first-innings total.

Stand-in skipper Steve Smith looked good in his knock of 26 before being caught behind.

But it was Kuhnemann, a left-arm spinner, who made Australia’s day after the hosts elected to bat first on a dry pitch, which turned from the start.

Kuhnemann returned his maiden five-wicket haul in just his second Test and bowled out India soon after lunch with the help of senior spinner Nathan Lyon, who took three.

Australia, attempting to fight back after two bruising defeats in the four-match series, introduced spin in the sixth over.

It brought instant reward in a frenetic opening session on a spinning minefield with a low bounce, as Kuhnemann had captain Rohit Sharma stumped for 12.

Shubman Gill, recalled in place of the struggling KL Rahul, began to hit back with three fours but also fell to Kuhnemann, caught at slip by Smith for 21.

Lyon then bowled Cheteshwar Pujara for one with a delivery that spun hugely and stayed low.

Wickets kept tumbling as India slipped to 45-5 in the first hour of play.

Virat Kohli looked positive in his knock of 22, but fell lbw to Todd Murphy, the third time the off-spinner has claimed the star batsman’s wicket in as many matches.

From the first ball of the day, returning left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc thought he had Rohit caught behind but the appeal was turned down.

Australia did not review, only for replays to show the batsman had nicked the ball. Three balls later they missed another opportunity that would have seen Rohit out lbw had it been referred to the TV umpire.

But Rohit, who hit a century in the first Test, did not last long and neither did the rest of the Indian batting.

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Australia captain Cummins out of third Test against India

SYDNEY: Australia skipper Pat Cummins will not be part of the third Test of the series against India in Indore as he decided to stay home due to a family emergency.

The fast bowler returned to Australia just hours after the second Test in Delhi to be with his mother who is in critical health condition. He was supposed to come back and join the team in Indore before the third Test, scheduled from March 1 to 5.

Cricket Australia has now confirmed that Cummins will remain in the country, citing his mother’s illness and palliative care as a reason.

“I have decided against returning to India at this time as my mother is ill and in palliative care. I feel I am best being here with my family,” Cummins said in a CA statement on Friday.

“I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received from Cricket Australia and my team-mates. Thanks for your understanding.”

In the absence of Cummins, vice-captain Steve Smith will lead the side in Indore with visitors trailing 2-0 in the series after crushing losses in the first two Tests.

Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner and Ashton Agar also returned home due to various reasons but Australia did not name any replacements to fill the void. They now expect left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Cameron Green to be completely fit before the third Test after both were sidelined with finger injuries.

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