Replying to India’s first innings score of 622 for 7, Australia were 236 for 6 on Day 3 of the Sydney Test today, when bad light stopped play and forced early stumps.
Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja put India back in command after a decent start by Australia on the third day of the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday. However, bad light and unpleasant weather gave the home team some relief. Australia were 236/6 in 83.3 overs, trailing India by 386 runs, when the umpires took the players off the field due to deteriorating lighting condition. Peter Handscomb and Pat Cummins held the fort for Australia, who have four wickets in hand and two more days to save the Test match.
Play has been suspended due to bad light. Australia 236/6 with Cummins & Handscomb at the crease #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ZbTut86qMO
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 5, 2019
Australia went to lunch at 122 for one but meekly surrendered soon afterwards, losing three wickets for 24 runs. Kuldeep Yadav ended with 3/71 and Ravindra Jadeja 2/62.
While aggressive rookie opener Marcus Harris blazed a career-best 79, senior players Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh and skipper Tim Paine all failed to deliver when needed most.
India took a stranglehold on the match over the opening two days, compiling a massive 622 for seven declared on the back of centuries from irrepressible Cheteshwar Pujara and livewire Rishabh Pant.
They lead 2-1 after victories in Adelaide and Melbourne and are fast closing in on a historic first-ever series win since they first toured Australia in 1947-48.
Skipper Virat Kohli’s declaration left Khawaja and Harris to face 10 nervous overs before stumps on Friday, when they crawled to 24 without loss.
Khawaja was dropped by Pant behind the stumps on nought but failed to make the most of his second life.