India vs Australia 2017, 3rd Test, Day 1: Steven Smith’s Century, Glenn Maxwell’s Maiden Fifty Put Visitors In Command
Mar 16, 2017 at 5:44 PM
Riding on skipper Steven Smith’s century and Glenn Maxwell’s maiden half-century, Australia put on a splendid show on Day 1 of the third Test against India at Ranchi.
The visitors were 299 for four in 90 overs when stumps were drawn as Smith was unbeaten on 117 off 244 balls which included 13 boundaries and Glenn Maxwell remained not out on 82 off 147 balls who struck two sixes and five boundaries.
As Australia is playing 800th Test, Smith notched his 19th Test century and it was his overall sixth hundred against India and 11th as a skipper.
Smith and Maxwell led the side from the front while keeping the scoreboard ticking to stitch a triple figure mark partnership off 159 after Maxwell went past his highest Test best of 37, who has played a composed innings.
Maxwell, who last played his third Test against Pakistan in 2014, came back strongly to answer his critics on his Test return while breaking into the Playing XI.
Breaking the numbers, Smith also became the joint seventh-fastest Test cricketer to score 5,000 runs in 97 innings. He also placed his name as the third fastest Australian to achieve the same feat after Don Bradman (56) and Matthew Hayden (95). Smith achieved the milestone in his 53rd Test.
In the 80th over, everyone was caught by surprise when wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha used the unconventional method by chasing down Smith when he missed the ball of Ravindra Jadeja which got stuck into his pads as Saha jumped over him to claim a catch which was left Ian Gould and stand-in captain in splits.
The pick of the bowler for hosts was Umesh Yadav, who bagged two wickets in 19 overs after conceding 63 runs. On the other hand, spinning duo claimed a wicket each across 53 overs while jointly conceding away 158 runs.
Earlier, the visitors’ batsmen had shown some courage by putting on vital partnerships in the middle as the pitch is further expected to test the batsmen as the game progresses. The balls didn’t spin much, but Australian batsmen have spun the hosts’ fielders following the sloppy fielding.
Seen as the big blow for hosts, skipper Virat Kohli injured his shoulder when he was chasing the ball in deep. Kohli landed on his right shoulder and winced in pain when Peter Handscomb completed three runs on the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja.
Kohli walked off the ground when team physio Patrick Farhart rushed onto the field to offer him the help.
However, later in the dressing room, Kohli was later seen using an ice pack as there was no exclusive news on his shoulder injury while filing this report.
Peter Handscomb received a toe-crushing Yorker from Umesh Yadav when he was batting on 19 off 47 balls. Handscomb put on 51 runs for the fourth wicket.
At lunch, the visitors were 109 for three when Smith was batting alongside Peter Handscomb.
Marsh, who had struggled, was caught brilliantly by close-in fielder Cheteshwar Pujara on the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin.
However, he was declared out on DRS when replays showed it was a bat-pad catch.
Interestingly, Marsh’s review was the first successful bowling review for India during the ongoing four-match Test series.
In the 23rd over, Renshaw was sent back to the pavilion after he nicked an out-swinging delivery of Umesh Yadav when he was batting on 44 off 69 balls. He was caught by Kohli in the slip cordon when Australia scoreboard halted at 80 for two.
Earlier after winning the toss Australian skipper decided to bat first which proved good for the visitors as they put on a 50-run stand between opening pair David Warner and Matt Renshaw.
Warner was caught and bowled on full-toss by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja when he held on to a sharp catch. He scored 19 off 26 balls.
Ranchi turf had further offered good bounce to Indian fast bowling spearhead, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma, as it is hosting the maiden Test.
Earlier, fit Murali Vijay replaced Abhinav Mukund and on the other hand, Australia came up with two changes by including Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins in the place of injured duo Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Starc.
Brief Scores: 3rd Test, Day One – Ranchi
Australia 1st innings 299 for four in 90.0 Overs
Steven Smith 117* off 244 balls
Glenn Maxwell 82* off 147 balls
Umesh Yadav 2 for 63 in 19 Overs.