Twitter Reacts As Australia Takes Complete Control Of Proceedings Against India In The Sydney Test
Published - 09 Jan 2021, 01:50 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:21 PM
Australia have taken complete control of the proceedings of the third Test in Sydney after they knocked over India for 244 before consolidating their lead to 197 with eight wickets still in hand on day 03.
Starting the day at 2/96, India needed their experienced duo of skipper Ajinkya Rajabe and Cheteshwar Pujara to see off the opening hour and hopefully build a big partnership. However, both the batsmen were tested to the hilt by the short pitch ploy by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Rahane and Pujara started the day with the same cautious intent but just as it looked like the former was finally started to break his shackles after he danced down the track to hit Nathan Lyon for a six, Pat Cummins short pitch ploy broke the stand as Rahane chopped a well-directed bumper on his stumps.
Cheteshwar Pujara, after having stonewalled his way to a 100-ball 16, finally showed the first sign of intent- after having taken 33 balls to score his 1at run of the day- as he used his feet brilliantly against Nathan Lyon to smash three boundaries within a space of the next 16 deliveries.
Hanuma Vihari, however, once again failed to deliver as he got himself run-out for a 38-ball 4 thanks to a brilliant direct-hit by Josh Hazlewood at mid-off.
India desperately needed an impetus to their innings and that is exactly what Rishabh Pant provided them as he played a few enterprising strokes and along with Pujara took India to the score of 4/180 at Lunch.
However, tragedy struck the Men in Blue as they not only suffered a horrendous collapse- which started with the dismissal of Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored his slowest Test 50- but in the process, they also lost two of their main cricketers due to injury.
While Rishabh Pant was struck on his elbow by Josh Hazlewood, Ravindra Jadeja, whose unbeaten 28 helped the visitors reach 244 after they had lost 5/21, copped a blow on his thumb courtesy a Mitchell Starc bumper.
The duo did not take the field in Australia’s second innings as they were rushed to the hospital for scans. The home side lost both their openers for the score of 35 but an unbeaten 68-run-stand between Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith ensured that the Aussies took complete control of the proceedings as they stretched their lead to 197 at stumps.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Injury woes continue for team India with Rishabh Pant and Ravi Jadeja sent for scans ???? #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
First Test – Shami injured
Second Test – Umesh injured
In gap – Rahul got injured
Third Test – Jadeja injured#<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D— JSK (@imjsk27) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
16 off 100. 40 off 133. 50 off 174. There’s a method there. Those who tweet about Pujara’s approach to bed down and his (lack of) intent don’t get Test cricket. And they’ve probably forgotten that he batted 30-odd hours in India’s ONLY Test series win in Australia. #<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->s<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S
— Jamie Alter ? ?? (@alter_jamie) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Pujara – 28 plus S/R.
Rohit – 33.77.
Rahane – 31.
If this was a flat deck why are we seeing Rohit and Rahane striking in the 30s?
Not that easy.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Can we have a SUPER TEST back just once so that we can see Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah bowl in Tandem. #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Pujara is joint top-scorer, by the way…..
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Since Cheteshwar Pujara made his Test debut, no touring batsman has faced more deliveries at the SCG (502 balls) than him. Only five Australian batsmen have faced more balls here in that time than Pujara. #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Lyon v Pujara is one of the best head-to-head battles in modern Test cricket. Loop & bounce v footwork & hands. Pretty awesome to watch. #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Did Mark Waugh just say that Pujara needs to improve his stroke play against spin?
Cheteshwar Pujara, 75 ave v Spin
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Rishabh Pant in Tests in Australia:
25
28
36
30
39
33
159*
29
26* (today)First visiting player to score 25+ in nine consecutive innings in Australia.
Wally Hammond, Rusi Surti & Viv Richards have all did that in eight consecutive innings each.#<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->n<!---->M<!---->W<!---->7<!---->Y<!---->x<!---->K<!---->N<!---->B<!---->7— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
The Indian camp on their feet in the dressing-room as Cheteshwar Pujara walks back. They acknowledge the crucial role he’s played this morning. This is not a fast-scoring pitch #<!---->A<!---->u<!---->s<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
??: Dhoni Review System
??: Don't Review Skip#<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Rishabh Pant's false shot percentage in this series so far is 9.5%, the lowest of any batsman. #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Pujara scored 2 boundaries and then a quick running for 3 runs. Neend chhodo Nasha utar jaye fans ka.. #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
In the flattest pitch of the series so far, Australia have stuck to a plan and India are batting themselves to a corner #<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Cheteshwar Pujara scoring rate v pace in this innings:
v Full balls – 2rpo
v Good length balls – 0rpo
v Short balls – 0rpo#<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
Did anyone else hear this after Australia's unsuccessful DRS on Pujara?
Umpire Paul Wilson responding to Tim Paine's protest: "He's making the decision, not me, I'm not third umpire."
Tim Paine: "Fucking consistency, Blocker, there's a thing (spike) that goes past it." #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D— Andrew Wu (@wutube) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->8<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1
