Australia looked set for defeat on day 4 until Pat Cummins came to the crease and looked all class which leaves the Aussies with hope on day
India is just two wickets away from victory with one day’s play remaining in the third cricket test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Chasing an unlikely victory target of 399, Australia will resume on Sunday’s fifth day at 258-8.
Set 399 to win, Australia reached 2-44 at lunch on Saturday after openers Marcus Harris (13) and Aaron Finch (three) again failed to set a strong platform for the host’s innings.
India took three vital wickets in the post-lunch session as Australia stumbled to tea at 138-5.
Usman Khawaja (33) and Shaun Marsh (44) looked composed before they were dismissed leg-before wicket to the bowling of Mohammed Shami (2-71) and Bumrah (2-53) respectively.
Mitch Marsh (10) holed out to cover in lame fashion from the bowling of Jadeja to reduce Australia to 135-5.
Travis Head (34) played a delivery from Ishant Sharma onto his stumps after tea at 157-6 and 19 runs later, Australia suffered a huge setback when captain Tim Paine (26) was caught behind off Jadeja’s bowling.
Pat Cummins followed his career-best bowling figures (6-27) in India’s second innings by then compiling his highest Test score with the bat, an unbeaten 61 in his team’s stumps score of 8-258.
The tailender has top-scored in Australia’s second innings, defending and attacking strongly against the second new ball just before stumps on Saturday with Nathan Lyon (six not out).
Michael Hussey was full of praise stating ,
“Not only is his technique good, but he has a great temperament at the crease. He bats very high for his club team in NSW, but today he showed he can actually play.”
– Micheal Hussey
“He’s certainly deserving of being put into an all-rounder category, but I wouldn’t be tempted to move him up the order just yet. After all his No.1 job in the Australian team is for his bowling.”
“Cummins is very correct with bat in hand. He’s got a good defence, but when he goes for his shots he has shown he can execute them perfectly. I really like his batsmanship skills. He knows the right time when to attack and when to defend, as well as still trying to rotate the strike through singles.”
“That shows to me he’s got a good thinking brain on him.”
