Melbourne: Chasing Australia's score of 530, India first target would be to avoid the follow on and then use the conditions to score maximum as possible on Day 3.
Australia look set to take the lead with only two wickets in hand for India and it's just the matter of time to wind up the tail. The batsmen did their job and now Indian bowlers have the responsibility to restrict Australia to the least total as possible in order to get a minimum target to chase. The game is still evenly poised.
Ryan Harris was the pick of the Aussie bowlers, taking 4/69.
Rahane continued to score at a brisk pace en route to his third Test ton, all of those coming overseas. Kohli led India's fightback from the third ball of the day to the last ball of the day when Johnson had the last laugh after a lot of drama during the day's play.
There was a brief collapse after Rahane's dismissal, as debutant KL Rahul failed to make much of the opportunity and MS Dhoni and R Ashwin fell in quick succession, but Kohli's stand with Shami ensured India did not succumb in a hurry.
Tons from Kohli and Rahane led India's spirited reply as they reduced the deficit to 68. The massive 262-run stand was the highlight of the day. However, Australia hit back, taking 5 wickets in the final session.
Kohli walks back to a huge standing ovation by the crowd. His magnificent 169, and his mammoth partnership with Ajinkya Rahane ensured India didn't fall back too far behind in the Test.
India scored 357 runs in 89.2 overs bowled today and keeping the run rate of 4 runs per over today.
STUMPS DAY 3
India 462/8 after 126.2 overs (trail by 68 runs)
Mohammad Shami 9 (24)
Virat Kohli c Haddin b Johnson 169 (272)
OUT! The wicket they wanted! It was well outside off and Kohli wanted to squeeze out a drive but the ball gets an outside to Haddin who takes another stunner behind the stumps. He dived to his right and took the catch right in front of first slip. And it's stumps.
India 440/7 after 120 overs (trail by 90 runs)
Kohli 152 (250), Shami 4 (8)
The game has suddenly turned around in favor of Australia after 4 quick wickets. The big ban Virat Kohli gets his maiden 150 plus score in test cricket with a beautiful flick to mid-on. With just 20 minutes or so time left Virat and Shami need to play just defensive strokes and start afresh next morning. As expected, India's lower order has failed yet again and the visitors are suffering another batting collapse. Batsmen are repeating what they did during the chase of 364 runs in second innings of first test at Adelaide. Virat is short of partners on the other end here as well.
Mohammad Shami is in at no. 9
India 434/7
Ravichandran Ashwin c & b Harris 0 (4)
OUT! Now Ashwin is out! It was straight and Ashwin chipped it back to the bowler. Harris takes a good one-handed catch and balances it against his stomach.
Ravichandran Ashwin is in at no. 8. India is heading towards another batting collapse. Ashwin need to do here what Ryan Harris did while batting at no. 9.
India 430/6
MS Dhoni c Haddin b Harris 11 (23)
OUT! Another wicket! It was good length delivery outside off. Dhoni gets an edge straight to Haddin. Harris gets his third.
India 430/5 after 115 overs (trail by 100 runs)
Kohli 147 (235), Dhoni 11 (19)
MS Dhoni seem to be stuggling at the middle after he survived two lbw appeals. This is the last batting pair for India. However Ashwin is yet to bat but you cannot expect much from him and the tailenders are easy target for the bowlers.
India 415/5 after 110 overs (trail by 115 runs)
Kohli 143 (224), Dhoni 0 (0)
262-run massive partnership was finally broken by Lyon after Rahane misses the straight ball coming on to the stumps while trying to sweep. That was the highest partnership for India outside the sub-continent in the last 10 years. That brought test debutant Lokesh Rahul on strike and he should have just concentrated on taking singles rather than playing lofted shots. He was dropped by Peter Siddle but on the very next ball he tried to another big one but this time he was caught by Hazlewood. Is India heading towards another batting collapse? Eyes on MSD now!
Kohli who is on 143, his highest test score, surpassing his previous best of 141 made in Adelaide test. He shall now play cautiously and must not donate his wicket as they are still 115 runs behind.
Incomes the Indian skipper MS Dhoni
India 415/5
Lokesh Rahul c Hazlewood b Lyon 3 (8)
OUT! He tried to play big and gets a top edge to Hazlewood at backward square leg. Poor shot that was.
Debutant Lokesh Rahul is the next batsman in
India 409/4
Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Lyon 147 (171)
OUT! Much needed breakthrough for Australia. It was straight to the stumps and Rahane tried to sweep but missed. Loud appeal foe lbw by Lyon and umpire finally raises his finger. Rahane goes back after scoring 147 off just 171 balls with a standing ovation from the crowd. He gets a pat on his back by Kohli. The end of a massive 262 runs stand.
India 392/3 after 105 overs (trail by 138 runs)
Kohli 133 (210), Rahane 138 (163)
Johnson who had been terrorizing batsmen for the past year is gone for a century without a wicket at more than 4 rpo. His bouncers are easily carted away for fours and conceded three boundaries each in his two back to back overs. Australia is under immense pressure. India have scored at a run rate of more than 5 runs per over so far in this session. The dropped catches of both these batsmen really put Australia on the backfoot.
India 360/3 after 100 overs
Kohli 124 (197), Rahane 115 (146)
Kohli is really on fire here, smashing 15 runs of Mitchell Johnson after hitting three back to back boundaries. The running between the wickets has been good. They are taking singles and keep rotating strikes. The duo have now set up a 200-run partnership for 4th wicket scoring at the run rate of over 4 runs per over. Kohli had a problem but it's not entirely clear what it is. He got some ice-treatment by Physio. Could just be the onset of cramps.
Harris to start off after tea. Kohli is on strike.
The third and last session is set to begin. Indian batsmen need to dominate this session as well.
----------------------------------------
In 1981 at MCG, India's top 5 batsmen scored 20-plus each in an innings before this test and they won that one. This time it's the same scenario. Will India repeat the feat?
How far can Kohli and Rahane take India's innings; third session will again be crucial for the visitors. India certainly have the control over the match for now. They should not let Australia make a comeback and take the game away from them.
The Aussie bowlers tested the duo outside off before resorting to the short-pitched shuff. However, Rahane and Kohli have survived it all while blunting the second new ball. But the bowlers need to appreciated for not conceding even a single extra runs in 95 overs bowled.
The 189-run record partnership at MCG has been a treat to watch. Both Kohli and Rahane maintained a brisk pace throughout the session and have ensured India keep building towards Australia's total in a dominating manner. Both batsmen made most of an excellent run down under by reaching their respective centuries.
The session completely belonged to India. Kohli and Rahane scored centuries each to trim the deficit to 194. Rahane started off in a nervy manner, but settled down nicely to drive India forward.
TEA BREAK
India 336/3 after 95 overs
Kohli 104 (171), Rahane 111 (142)
Kohli and Rahane have now put on the record partnership of runs for India at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Virat Kohli gets to his century as well. That's his third ton in the series. He played a punchy drive wide of the covers for four. Both the batsmen have safely taken India to tea without losing a wicket in the second session. The follow-on has been avoided and they now trail Australia by 194 runs.
India 315/3 after 90 overs
Kohli 93 (154), Rahane 101 (129)
Rahane gets his third test century and 1st against Australia after hitting the ball hard over gully for four. Kohli too is just 7 short of his third century of the series. Kohli seem to be struggling with Johnson's short pitch deliveries after surviving couple of edges. These two had put on the 150+ partnership which is only the second highest stand for Indian batsmen this year.
India 287/3 after 85 overs
Kohli 88 (144), Rahane 78 (109)
India have done well to survive the first hour after lunch. The real test is now as Australia have taken the second new ball. Johnson and Harris started the proceedings but runs in the form of singles are still coming for the batsmen. The visitors will want these two to continue in the same fashion as one wicket might trigger a collapse. Kohli needs to play safe as he is well settled now. He survived after Watson dropped a catch at slips. The ball just popped out of Watson's hand. He need to get his concentration back.
Second new ball has been taken immediately by Australia.
India 276/3 after 80 overs
Kohli 84 (130), Rahane 71 (93)
Nathan Lyon dropped absoultely a sitter off his own bowling to Rahane. He didn't expect the ball to come his way. Flighted around off, Rahane checks his drive and chips it back to the bowler. Lyon puts his hand up and lets the ball burst through his hands. What a breakthrough that would have been just before the second new ball! The tactis of taking singles are working for India.
India 261/3 after 75 overs
Kohli 78 (120), Rahane 62 (73)
Rahane and Kohli are really building up the pressure for Australia. Rahane too gets his 3rd half century of the series and also put up the 100 run partnership with Kohli. India cannot afford to let the game slip away from here. That was what India needed from its middle order.
India 238/3 after 70 overs
Kohli 68 (106), Rahane 49 (57)
Good and safe start by the batsmen after lunch. Rahane is not shy taking on the short ball. He played a terrific pull shot for four and takes his score to 49.
Rahane takes the strike and Hazlewood to start the proceedings for Australia.
Kohli and Rahane are walking upto the middle.
Play is about to resume in moments.
---------------------------------------------
A shared session there, but Australia, still sitting on a lead of almost 300 would have gone back satisfied to see the back of M Vijay. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have added 77 runs in quick time. This stand is rattling along at a good pace and India would be hoping for more of the same.
Rahane and Kohli's stand has balanced the session out for India. It looked a bleak sight when Pujara walked off to the 2nd ball, edging behind, but ever since Kohli came in, he has looked right on the money. Drives flowed from his bat and his footwork was brilliant as he played every ball on its merit. His leaving outside off was very good too. Vijay looked composed until he was hit on the helmet by Johnson and then flashed at Watson to give his wicket away.
India scored 116 runs in 29 overs bowled in the first session at the run rate of 4 runs per over but they lost their overnight batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and Pujara early.
LUNCH BREAK
India 224/3 after 66 overs
Kohli 60 (94), Rahane 43 (45)
Kohli is back in form after twin failures at Brisbane. He gets to his half century with a controlled dab through gully. Rode the bounce well and played it in the gap. He Raises his bat as the Indian contingent clear their throats. Though he hit Johnson for back to back boundaries but he need not to play such aggressive at this moments of the match when two sessions of the day still remains.
India 196/3 after 60 overs
Kohli 41 (75), Rahane 34 (28)
The batsmen have started playing it safe after scoring some quickfire runs. Only 14 runs have been scored in last 5 overs.
India 182/3 after 55 overs
Kohli 37 (59), Rahane 24 (14)
Kohli and Rahane are batting aggressviely. They are scoring at the rate of 6 runs per over so far. Boundaries are coming in every over. Rahane hit two boundaries each of Lyon and Hazlewood and kept the bowlers under pressure. But they need to hold on as they need to settle down first and then play big shots.
India 147/3 after 50 overs
Kohli 26 (42), Rahane 0 (1)
Kohli and Vijay were batting beautifully with a decent partnership stand before he got out to Watson playing a loose shot at short delivery outside off at the score of 68. He tried to cut but edged it to Shaun Marsh at first slip. That was not the shot he needed to play at this time. Vijay was in no kind of hurry to score runs. He had been defensive so far in the morning esp after Pujara's dimissal. Kohli on the other end supported his partner well. His feet were moving nicely. Each ball is being played exactly as it should be played. The bat is meeting the ball right off the middle. They are constantly rotating strikes with taking singles. That's what they need to do the most right now.
Brad Haddin corrected his mistake of what he did yesterday. He took a wonderful catch to dismiss Pujara off Harris on the second ball of today's play at his overnight score of 25. It was a sensational one-handed grab to his right. Pujara played a nothing stroke and guided it with an open face, as he was unable to ride the bounce, it was going to Watson at 1st slip, but Haddin acrobatically leaps and snaffles a magnificent take.
Pujara takes the strike.
Pujara and Vijay are making their way to the middle and Ryan Harris is marking his run up.
We will be underway for the first session soon.
Brown grass on the wicket. As the match has progressed the grass has gotten browner. Not much for Nathan Lyon to play with. There is a bit of rough from the footworks for a left-hander. But India don't have many left-handers. So that won't be a factor. India will have to see the first hour through. The first hour of day 3 will decide the fate of this Test match.'
They will need a few more such sessions if they are to stop the Australian juggernaut. The morning session today will be crucial for India as they have the habbit of collapse.
India have crossed 100 with the loss of Dhawan but they face a steep climb as they are still 422 behind Australia. Solid batting from M Vijay has helped India to yet another good start in their innings. Throughout the series, Vijay has been India's most assured batsman and he continues to counter the Australia seamers with his patience.
