Melbourne Test: Australia in Control, India Trails by 230 Runs at Lunch on Day 3

Early wickets from Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon in the first session on Day 03 of the Melbourne Test kept Australia in the driver’s seat, India continued to trail by 230 runs on Saturday.

At Lunch on Day 03, India stood at 244/7, with Washington Sundar (5) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (40) unbeaten on the crease for the visitors as they trail by 230 runs.

India started the first session at 164/5 with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja on the crease.

The duo of Pant and Jadeja continued to build a partnership on Day 03. However, India struggled infront of the Aussie bowlers.

There were two instances of run-out in the first session when Jadeja and Pant lacked communication. but Australia couldn’t benefit from it.

Scott Boland continued his top performance and successfully got rid of Rishabh Pant. The Aussie pacer dismissed the Indian wicketkeeper for 28 runs in the 56th over. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaced him on the crease and joined Jadeja to add runs to the scoreboard.

However, Jadeja succumbed to Nathan Lyon and had to leave the crease in the 65th over for 17 runs. Washington Sundar replaced the India all-rounder.

Nitish and Washington have cemented a partnership of 23 runs from 49 balls and will be looking forward to continuing to build on it and give India a sigh of relief.

In the final 10 overs of the first session on Day 03, India smashed 30 runs. While Australia managed to get one wicket.

Team India’s first challenge in the second session will be to add a further 31 runs on the board to avoid the follow-on.

Earlier on Day 02, a comeback spell from pacer Scott Boland put a screeching halt to India’s rebuilding efforts by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli as the visitors were left five wickets down at the end of the second day’s play of the fourth Test against Australia.

India started the final session at 51/2 on Friday, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (23*) being joined by Virat Kohli.

Jaiswal and Virat started to build a partnership, reaching the 100-run mark in 28.5 overs, thanks to a cracking boundary from Jaiswal.

Jaiswal reached his half-century, his ninth in Tests, in 81 balls, with seven fours.

Jaiswal upped the scoring rate after reaching his half-century and even Virat was looking in nice touch.

The century stand between the duo ended with a horrible mixup leading to Jaiswal being run out for 82 in 118 balls, with 11 fours and a six. India was 153/3 in 41 overs.

After that, India lost two quick wickets, with Virat falling to Scott Boland for 36 in 86 balls, with four boundaries. Once again the outside off-stump ball came into effect. Akash Deep, who came as a nightwatchman, was also dismissed for a duck, leaving India reeling at 159/5 in 44.3 overs.

The pair of Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja ensured India didn’t lose any further wickets on Friday.

Brief Scores: Australia: 474 (Steve Smith 140, Marnus Labuschagne 72, Jasprit Bumrah 4/99) vs India: 244/7 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 82, Nitish Kumar Reddy 40*, Scott Boland 3/37). (ANI)