India post a strong reply to Australia total of 517 for 7 on Day 3 of the first Test
at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
India's
batsmen came good on a flat track, as the visitors ended the day on 369
for 5 (97 overs). Wriddhimaan Saha (1) and Rohit Sharma (33) were at the crease
at the draw of stump. Virat Kohli Captain made strong
115 completed a beautifully compiled century that was inclusive of 12
boundaries. But just before close of play, a superb low catch by Ryan Harris at
fine leg saw him walk back to the pavilion.
Mitchell Johnson banged one in short, Kohli went for the pull but failed to middle it,
bringing an end to his commendable innings. Kohli is the third Indian to score
a century on his captaincy debut, after Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar. This is
Kohli's second century at Adelaide and fourth overseas out of seven overall in
Tests.
Openers
Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan put on a strong reply after Australia declared
their innings closed at 517-7 before the start of play. India's batsmen played
a controlled innings. Vijay and Dhawan played with positive intent and went
after the bowling.
Their
attacking mindset bore positive results and Dhawan, who was the more aggressive
of the two, raced to 25 off just 24 deliveries. Harris sent in a probing
delivery that nipped back a fraction to catch an inside edge and cannoned onto
the stumps.
Vijay and
Pujara then frustrated the bowlers for much of the morning, the opener taking a
liking to Nathan Lyon, clubbing him for a six over his head and a four with the
same shot off the next ball. Vijay whipped three runs off his pads off Harris
to raise his half-century shortly before lunch.
Johnson nick from Vijay into the slips to remove the opener for 53. & also India’s
stand-in captain welcomed to the pitch in the 31st over by a Johnson bouncer
that stuck the Delhi batsman on his helmet.
Pujara and Kohli added 81 runs after lunch before Lyon struck after a sustained period
of pressure, bowling the number three batsman with a delivery that dribbled
through his legs and onto the stumps.
But on a
track that was good for batting, the Indian batsmen continued to make runs.
Ajinkya Rahane replaced Pujara in the middle and continued in the same as
the others before him.
Rahane
was finally dismissed when a Lyon delivery rose sharply after hitting the rough
and took his glove on the way to Shane Watson at slip.
Johnson
came back into the attack along with Marsh to try and plug the runs, but that
did not stop Kohli from completing a well-deserved century.
Sharma,
at the other end, looked sublime and found the boundaries whenever he met with
a bad ball. He got to
the pitch of the deliveries and took Lyon to task, hitting him to the fence at
the slightest opportunity.
No comments:
Post a Comment