Fast bowler Umesh Yadav and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin brought back India to bundle out Australia for 197 in the first innings on the second day of the third cricket Test here on Thursday. Australia started the day on a tight note, adding 30 runs in 16 overs in the first hour without losing any wickets.
India, however, took Australia’s last six wickets for just 11 runs to restrict them to 197 runs. Umesh (3/12) and Ashwin (3/44) scalped three wickets each in the morning session while Ravindra Jadeja (4/78) took four wickets on the first day.
India could only manage 109 runs in the first innings yesterday, giving Australia a crucial 88-run first innings lead. India has scored 13 runs in the second innings till lunch without losing a wicket.
Rohit Sharma is playing five while Shubman Gill is scoring four runs. The hosts still trail Australia by 75 runs. Earlier, Australia started the day with 156 runs for four wickets. India did not take any wickets in the first hour but Mohammed Siraj and Jadeja did not allow Peter Handscomb (19) and Cameron Green (21) to score easily.
India broke the partnership by dismissing Handscomb, after which it did not take long for Australia’s innings to collapse. Playing with a very defensive attitude, Handscomb handed a catch to Shreyas Iyer at short leg off Ashwin. Ashwin had to wait for almost an hour for his first over of the day but he showed his mettle as soon as he got the ball in hand.
After dismissing Handscomb, he also sent Alex Carey (03) and Nathan Lyon (05) to the pavilion. Umesh meanwhile targeted the stumps. He trapped Green lbw in his very first over and then bowled Mitchell Starc (01) and Todd Murphy (00) in successive overs.
