Australia secured their spot in the final of the World Test Championship by defeating India by nine wickets in the third cricket test match at Indore on Friday. India, however, still have the opportunity to make it to the final if they win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad. But if they fail to secure a win, they will have to rely on New Zealand not losing 2-0 to Sri Lanka.
On the second evening of the match, Nathan Lyon’s impressive 8 for 64 helped dismiss India for 163. This left Australia needing only 76 to secure their first victory of the series. India, as the fielding side on the third morning, still held hope of defending such a low target.
Although R Ashwin managed to dismiss Usman Khawaja with the second ball of the day, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne prevented India’s hopes from turning into belief. The two played a solid defensive game, but also attacked when opportunities arose, ultimately securing the win for Australia in just 18.5 overs.
Although Australia now have a chance to tie the series 2-2, India will still hold the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the previous series between the two teams.
Australia had lost their last six wickets in 11 runs in their first innings. So Khawaja’s wicket early this morning might have made them a little bit nervous, even if momentarily, with both Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja finding turn, extracting bounce, beating the bat, and hitting the pads.
During that phase, Head and Labuschagne focused on survival; runs were an afterthought. In the first ten overs, Australia scored only 13.
Then came the momentum-shifting moment, or at least it looked like one in hindsight. The umpires noticed that a part of the seam of the ball had come off, and asked for it to be replaced. In the first over with the replacement ball, Head hit Ashwin for a four and six. From the other end, Jadeja leaked two boundaries, one each to Head and Labuschagne. That was enough to deflate India’s hopes.
Four more boundaries came in the next three overs as Australia raced to 56 in 15 overs. Rohit introduced Umesh Yadav into the attack after the drinks break but by then the result was a foregone conclusion. There was more interest in seeing if Head could bring up his fifty. He couldn’t, staying unbeaten on 49 off 53 balls as Labuschagne wrapped up the game with a four.
Before this Test, Rohit had hinted that India could request a green pitch in Ahmedabad if they win in Indore. They might have to revisit that now.
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