IND vs AUS: Inevitable Jadeja-Ashwin rip Australia apart
Ravindra Jadeja claimed a sensational 7-fer [Source: AP]
When the Australians returned to the pavilion with satisfaction on their faces at stumps on day 2, they seldom knew what would strike them the next morning.
Third day of a Test match in India, the pitch unleashing all its tricks; it was inevitable that an Ashwin-Jadeja masterclass would do the job for the home side.
So, when the visitors were shell-shocked at the sight of one of the most epic collapses in recent times, the Indian crowd was casual, as if they were already briefed about it by a soothsayer.
How the battle panned out?
The session began with Australia well-placed at 61 for one, with Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne looking all set to bat long in the second innings.
But Ravichandran Ashwin, who had an off time with the ball yesterday, deceived Head to take the feather edge of his bat straight through to KS Bharat. And what followed next was nothing short of harakiri from the visitors.
Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw were trapped in front by Ashwin, while Jadeja cleaned up Labuschagne and Alex Carey before treating Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon similarly.
Thus, the battle which seemed to thrill the spectators with its twists and turns for at least one more day, turned to be a completely one-sided affair in the morning session.
While the sheer demolition traumatised the Australian spectators, the local audiences greeted it with a smile, dancing with jubilance.
However, India suffered an early setback, as KL Rahul continued his poor run, being dismissed for just one by Nathan Lyon.
But, fortunately for the hosts, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara prevented the visitors from getting another Indian wicket, safely negotiating the remaining overs.
Talking Points
- The Australian batters didn't trust their defence like they did in the post-tea session on day 2. Their counter-aggressive approach proved fatal for the visitors, letting them down big time.
- Ravindra Jadeja became the first-ever Indian bowler to claim a ten-fer against Australia in Delhi. He also recorded the best bowling figures in an inning by an Indian against Australia at the venue.
Expectations from the second session
The kind of grip and turn the spinners are getting from the surface, India will likely lose few more wickets. However, as the target is just 115, we expect the hosts to chase it down in the second session.
But for that to happen, Rohit Sharma must bat long along with his teammates, as he has been comfortable on this challenging surface.
Brief Scores
Australia 2nd innings: 113 (31.1)
Travis Head 43 (46), Marnus Labuschagne 35 (50);
Ravindra Jadeja 7/42, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/59
India 2nd innings: 14/1
Rohit Sharma 12* (11), Cheteshwar Pujara 1* (10);
Nathan Lyon 1/2
India need 101 runs to win.
 "Debashis Sarangi")
