At the stumps on Day Three, India is on top in Dharamsala as they require another 87 runs to clinch the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy after ripping apart Australian batting line up.
The day three saw fall of 14 wickets on a turf which has assisted seamers and spinners equally.
When the stumps were drawn, the opening pair had negotiated six overs as they put on 19 on board with KL Rahul unbeaten on 13 off 18 balls and Murali Vijay not out on 6 off 18 balls.
Earlier, the new-ball had done wonders for the hosts as Australia lost three wickets inside ten overs at the score of 31 before spinners wrapped up Australian innings on 137 in 53.5 overs to see India needing 106 to win the four-match series.
During the second innings, Australia fell like the pack of cards as they had the first innings deficit of 32 runs after India was bundled out for 332 runs in 118.1 overs
The hosts’ bowlers bowled with pure aggression as Umesh Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed three wickets each. Umesh bowled his heart out to skittle Australia inside two sessions.
The last wicket had witnessed the high drama as the replays suggested ball touched the ground before Murali Vijay grabbed the ball with both his hands in the first slip.
However, Ashwin returned with the ball and trapped Josh Hazlewood in front before Hazlewood had gone upstairs for a review which was upheld after the ball clipped the top of the leg stump.
Pat Cummins who showed 49-ball resistance was caught by Ajinkya Rahane before Steve O’Keefe was sent back to the pavilion by Ravindra Jadeja. He knitted 15-run partnership with Matthew Wade.
Nathan Lyon was caught by Murali Vijay on nought of 6 balls.
Glenn Maxwell, who looked doing well in the middle, was adjudged leg before wicket by standing umpire Marias Erasmus when he offered no shot to a fullish delivery before Maxwell asked for the review. However, the replays suggested clipped the leg stump.
Following the back issue, Shaun Marsh, who came down the order as the left-handed batsman gloved the ball – to find Cheteshwar Pujara at the short leg region off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. He scored 1 off six balls.
Peter Handscomb, who had helped Australia to draw the Ranchi Test was undone by Ashwin’s straighter one which didn’t turn as Ajinkya Rahane hold on to a shoulder catch at the first slip while showing the great reflexes before falling behind on his back as the replays further showed he kissed the cherry out of joy.
Matt Renshaw was caught by Wriddhiman Saha when he was caught in the double mind whether to leave the ball or not. He was dismissed on 8 off 33 balls.
Australia skipper Steven Smith who had been on song in the Border-Gavaskar series was cleaned up when the inside edge crashed into his stumps. Smith added 17 off 15 balls before returning to the pavilion.
Opener David Warner was the first man to go as he had a rough series with just single fifty on his back in the ongoing series. The left-handed batsman was caught by wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha on the bowling of Umesh Yadav, who bowled the proving line. However, Warner in his eight innings had scored 193 runs at an average of 24.12.
Warner was also dropped by Karun Nair on day three in a similar fashion when the latter was put down on the very first ball of the series decider which was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Earlier, after starting from the overnight score of 248 for six Indian batsmen saw off the first and half hour before Australia picked flurry of wickets at the stroke of lunch.
The World Number One in Tests Ravindra Jadeja, who has been a revelation for India, scored 65 off 95 balls which included four sixes and four boundaries as he put on crucial 96 on board for the seventh wicket with Saha.
At the stroke of lunch, Kuldeep Yadav was caught in the deep on the bowling of Nathan Lyon who claimed his five-wicket haul.
After getting the lead of 17, India lost the seventh wicket in the form of Ravindra Jadeja when Pat Cummins uprooted his stumps to see India seven down at 317 in 113th over. Australia pegged back India by picking four quick wickets to wrap up India’s first innings
Adding a single to the tally, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0 off 7 balls) was neatly caught by Steven Smith in the very next over of Steve O’Keefe.
Pat Cummins banged a short pitch delivery which brushed the glove off Wriddhiman Saha as Steven Smith (31 off 102 balls) pulled a stunner in the slip cordon.
The pick of the bowlers for Australia was Nathan Lyon who picked five wickets while sending down 34.1 overs. He had conceded 92 runs. Cummins bagged three wickets in 30 overs.
Brief Score:
Second innings – India 19 for no loss in six overs require another 87 runs with two days to go
KL Rahul 13* off 18 balls
Murali Vijay 6 off 18 balls
Second innings – Australia all out on 137 in 53. 5 overs
Glenn Maxwell 45 off 60
Umesh Yadav 3 for 29, Ravindra Jadeja 3 for 24 and Ravichandran Ashwin 3 for 29