Australia Dominates Day 4 of Test 3 at Gabba: India Faces Uphill Battle

The third Test between Australia and India has been a fierce fight so far at the Gabba, with the host nation in firm command as the match enters Day 4. Despite many rain interruptions, Australia’s resilience with the bat and India’s lackluster bowling performance has put the visitors in a spot of bother.

Australia Sets a Tough Target

Steven Smith and Travis Head were the two major scorers for Australia in the first innings folded for a total of 445 runs. Smith, the backbone of the Australian innings, compiled a well-crafted 101, while the aggressive knock of 152 by Head proved to be the standout performance of the day. The two set up a very strong platform for their team and frustrated the Indian bowlers, who did not manage to break their partnership at crucial junctures.

Alex Carey chipped in with a significant contribution of 70 runs for Australia as the supporting role to consolidate the position. Although Jasprit Bumrah showed his class by picking up a couple of key wickets, that was just too late to bring things under control again for India. Mohammed Siraj too managed two scalps but as a whole, bowling from the visitors was nowhere near being effective with the Aussie batsmen riding comfortably over the Indian attack.

India’s Struggle in Response

The reply saw India under pressure straight away. Australian bowlers, first Pat Cummins and then Nathan Lyon, struck rapid blows into the Indian batting. By noon on Day 4, India’s score read 224/9, still 221 runs behind, and the game was slipping further away from them. Failure to capitalize on their strengths in batting has put India in a spot of bother.

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were the two bright spots for India in an otherwise dismal batting display on day three of the Brisbane Test. While all others disappointed, Rahul fought for his 84 runs, showing strong technique under pressure. However, Jadeja, not out with 77, still looks resilient, though the task ahead remains enormous as only the tailenders are left to bat, and this would require an extraordinary knock from him to keep India’s hopes alive.

Key Players and Moments

Perhaps, Jasprit Bumrah’s effort was the only silver lining for India in this match, in which he succeeded in containing the Australian juggernaut after a spate of runs, but by that time, the damage was already done, and Australia was firmly in command. On the other hand, India’s failure to break partnerships and stop the flow of runs early in the Australian innings has cost them dearly.

Smith and Head were magnificent for Australia in a partnership that showed just why they are considered two of the best in the business. The ability of these two to bat for long and punish the Indian bowlers has given their team a lead that now looks very difficult to surpass. Meanwhile, the vital 70 from Carey just made sure India’s chances of a comeback remained at a minimum.

India’s Hope for a Miracle?

Still, with Jadeja still on the crease, there is some semblance of hope for India, but the mountain to climb just looks insurmountable. The Indian batsmen must dig deep and fight out the remaining overs, and the task is Herculean. More than a couple of good knocks are what India needs if they are to make a match out of this. A good performance by Jadeja might give some relief, but in the face of Australia’s domination, and the remaining Indian batting looking quite fragile, the game looks well set in Australia’s control.

What Next?

Day 4, therefore, will be the deciding day, with India still trailing by 221 runs. If India’s tailenders fail to give any sort of support to Jadeja, the match might finish sooner rather than later. With some rain delays and a few interruptions, there could be a few more twists in the game, but going by the way things have gone so far, Australia would be difficult to stop from sealing victory.

FAQs

Q: Who were the most prolific performers of the Australian innings in India vs Australia’s 3rd test?

A: Steven Smith’s 101, Travis Head’s 152, and Alex Carey’s 70 ensured Australia set a target that the Indian batting would find very difficult to chase.

Q: How has India bowled so far?

A: The bowlers of India have failed to contain the Australian batsmen. Bumrah was the best with his important scalps, while the rest of the bowling for India has been unimpressive.

Q: Where does India stand in this India vs Australia 3rd test match?

A: India is still 236 runs behind with 209/8 wickets till noon on Day 4. Only KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja have shown some semblance of fight in India’s response so far.

Q: Can India make a comeback in this match?

A: While that looks highly unlikely, India’s hopes were centered around a big act by Ravindra Jadeja, but he got out on 77.