• Home
  • Match Hub
  • Ind V Aus 3Rd Session Report Smiths Blinder Counters Pujara As Australia Sit Aloft

IND v AUS, 3rd Session Report: Smith's Blinder Counters Pujara As Australia Sit Aloft


image-ler1as3pCheteshwar Pujara scored his 35th Test fifty (Source: Twitter/@BCCI)

While Cheteshwar Pujara's resilience had India see Australia eye to eye, he could not do it all alone as no one except Shreyas Iyer helped in the scoring. 

The session started with Iyer dominating the Aussie spinners as he scored five boundaries, including two sixers. However, he was immediately sent back to the dressing room by Mitchell Starc when the pacer came into the attack.

Srikar Bharat also could not contribute much and was cleaned up by Nathan Lyon.

The partnership between Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin lasted for eight overs and 22 runs, however, the former looked to have gone into the shell.

Before Ashwin was found plumb in front of the stumps on a Lyon delivery, Pujara brought up his fifty. While the scoring-rate was kept quiet by Australia, Pujara decided to go against the run of play and tonked a six.

When the half-centurion seemed to be having a move on, Smith grabbed a stunner at leg-slip that again inhibited India.

Lyon again struck in the form of Umesh Yada's dismissal as the batter aimed for a maximum but was caught near the boundary. 

Completing his eight wickets in the innings, Lyon dismissed Mohammed Siraj as India got bowled out for 163 runs.


Talking points 

Smith's blinder: Stationed at the leg-slip, Smith took a one-handed screamer to end Pujara's innings.

Lyon's eight-for: Lyon took 8-64, his second-best figures in Test cricket.


Expectations 

To win this game from here, India need nothing less than a miracle from their spinners tomorrow. While, Australia can comfortably win their first match of the series. 


Brief scores:

India- 163/10 (60.3)

Cheteshwar Pujara 59 (142), Shreyas Iyer 26 (27);
Nathan Lyon 8-64 (23.3), Mitchell Starc 1-14 (7)

India lead by 75 runs.