Virat Kohli Usman Khawaja
Virat Kohli Usman Khawaja. Image Credits: Twitter

The India-Australia first Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series has reached an interesting point thanks to the hosts taking an important lead, while visitors need to fight back hard. But they didn’t start well as opener Usman Khawaja was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin for cheap in the second innings.

At the start of the third day, Australia started well when Todd Murphy got a ball to hold its line and Ravindra Jadeja misread the delivery and shouldered arms to one which was an arm ball, and had his stumps disturbed.

But then Axar Patel and Mohammad Shami added an entertaining 52 runs for the 9th wicket with Shami hitting 37 runs in 45-odd balls with 2 fours and three massive sixes and got India closer to the 400-run mark.

Axar PAtel. Getty
Axar PAtel. Getty

Axar, on the other hand, continued to farm strike and inched closer to his maiden hundred, but then Todd Murphy returned and removed Shami, who was caught by keeper Carey and though Mohammed Siraj and Axar tried to add some more runs, Pat Cummins came back and bowled the all-rounder for 84 runs, ending India’s innings at 400 with a lead of 223 runs.

Usman Khawaja Bamboozled By Ravichandran Ashwin, Gives Easy Catch To Virat Kohli

Australia needed a good start and Usman Khawaja and David Warner came out with some intent. But India captain Rohit Sharma gave the new ball to Ravichandran Ashwin for the second over after Mohammad Shami had bowled an underwhelming first one.

Khawaja managed to hit Ashwin for a drive that went for four but was troubled by the wily bowler’s variations. On the fifth ball of the over, Ashwin floated one just outside off-stump and Khawaja went for an expensive cover drive, but only managed to edge it to slips, where Virat Kohli took an easy catch, leaving Ashwin ecstatic.

Ravi Ashwin and Virat Kohli. PC- BCCI
Ravi Ashwin and Virat Kohli. PC- BCCI

Khawaja had to walk back to the pavilion for 5 runs.

Here is the video:

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