IND vs AUS 3rd Test, Day 4 Lunch: Australia lose openers in 399-run chase

IND vs AUS 3rd Test, Day 4 Lunch: India need 8 wickets to win to the Boxing Day Test

India’s struggle with the bat in the 2nd innings continued on day 4 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). However, they managed to set a colossal target of 399 runs for the Aussies to win. At the lunch break, the hosts were at 44/2 with Shaun Marsh (2*) and Usman Khawaja (26*) at the crease.

Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal resumed the Indian innings at 50/5 this morning and they added 33 more runs to their overnight total. The rookie Indian opener looked extremely dangerous as he held the nerves pretty well, hitting 2 sixes two Nathan Lyon in a single over.

Batting patiently, he entered into the 40 for the second time in the game but unfortunately; he fell short of 8 runs from completing his 2^nd international fifty as Cummins struck again and completed his 5-wicket haul.

Cummins went on to register his career-best figures (6/27) as he too bagged a six-fer after dismissing Ravindra Jadeja (5) in the 37^th over. 3 balls later, Rishabh Pant (33) fell off Josh Hazlewood’s short delivery and Indian skipper Virat Kohli declared the innings with a healthy lead of 398 runs.

In reply, the Aussies once again witnessed the inconsistency of their opening pair as Bumrah knocked out Aaron Finch (3) in the second over. A short of a length delivery moving away from the off stump lured Finch to play the cut shot but the ball took a thick edge and Kohli made no mistake in taking a catch in the second slip.

Usman Khawaja was the next man in and joined Marcus Harris at the crease. The duo struggled pretty well and added 27 runs for the second wicket with Marcus Harris (13). The duo checked their shot selection, even as India wasted a review against Khawaja in Ravindra Jadeja's (1-20) first over.

Jadeja struck in the 10th over though as a bat-pad chance got stuck under Agarwal's arm at short leg and Harris had to walk back, causing further trouble for Australia.

The visitors had scored 443/7 declared in the first innings thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara's 17th Test hundred. Jasprit Bumrah then picked career-best figures of 6/33 as Australia were bowled out for 151 runs in reply on day three, conceding a 292-run lead.

The four-match series is level at 1-1 after India won the first Test in Adelaide by 31 runs and Australia claimed the second in Perth by 146 runs.