Gabba, December 16, 2024: The third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia saw another disruption on Day 3 due to bad weather and poor light. Only 33 overs could be bowled on Monday before the day’s play was called off. At stumps, India was struggling at 51/4 in their first innings, with the team in a precarious position.
India’s Struggles Continue
India’s batting lineup faced a tough challenge against the Australian bowlers. KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 33, while skipper Rohit Sharma was yet to open his account at the crease.
Key dismissals in India’s innings:
- Rishabh Pant (9) was caught behind off Pat Cummins.
- Virat Kohli (3), Yashasvi Jaiswal (4), and Shubman Gill (1) failed to make an impact and were dismissed cheaply.
Australia’s bowlers, led by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, dominated the Indian top order, leaving the visitors in a vulnerable position.
Australia’s First-Innings Dominance
Earlier, Australia posted a commanding total of 445 runs in their first innings.
- Alex Carey contributed a crucial 70 runs to the total.
- For India, Jasprit Bumrah delivered a stellar performance, picking up 6 wickets.
Australia’s innings was powered by centuries from Travis Head (152) and Steve Smith (101), setting the stage for a challenging task for the Indian team.
Weather and Series Update
The match has been heavily impacted by poor weather conditions.
- Day 1 saw only 13.2 overs of play.
- On Day 2, Australia crossed the 400-run mark, courtesy of Head and Smith’s centuries.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains evenly poised at 1-1. India won the first Test by 295 runs, while Australia bounced back with a 10-wicket victory in the second Test.
Playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain), Mohammed Siraj.
Australia: Pat Cummins (Captain), Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (Wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
All eyes are now on Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as they try to rescue India from a difficult position in this crucial Test.
