Welcome to our live report of the third day of the Australia-India Test from Melbourne. Join us for updates, analysis and colour. You can find our traditional ball-by-ball commentary here
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10.15am: Australia’s missed chances
They have not been at their best in the field…
3.6 Cummins to Shubman Gill, 1 run, dropped by Labuschagne. Was fuller around off and middle, Gill was looking to play on the leg side. Got the outside edge but Labuschagne put it down at third slip. Was a sharp chance, chest-high to the right but should have been taken
12.3 Hazlewood to Shubman Gill, no run, dropped? Length ball starting well outside off and cutting Gill in half, was there an inside edge? Looks like but it swings so much that Paine had to dive it to his left. He gets there alright but cannot hold on to it
55.6 Cummins to Pant, 2 runs, squirted off a thick outside edge, Green gets a hand on it but the ball goes to ground. Would’ve been a stunner had he grabbed that. Looks like he copped it on the wrist while diving low. Came quick and low to his left. Pant and India breathe a sigh of relief
80.3 Starc to Rahane, 1 run, dropped at second slip by Steven Smith! This one burst through his hands. Rahane jams his bat down to squeeze a full delivery through point, the ball flew off the thick edge. How costly will that prove to be? The ball wobbled a great deal as it came quickly towards Smith
91.3 Starc to Rahane, no run, Oh, dear! Another dropped chance. Travis Head puts down the chance diving forward from gully. Snorter of a short ball that pings Rahane on the glove as he looks away, it lobs enough for the fielder to run in and get to the ball, but Head grassed it as his elbows touched the turf. How costly will that prove to be? He was dropped earlier on 74, now on 104
10.00am: Building on Rahane’s brilliance
A magnificent century from India’s captain has put them in control of this Test. Now it’s a question of how far they can extend their advantage. Anything upwards of 150 would make it very difficult for Australia and even where it stands now, at 82, is very handy. There will be huge pressure on the home side’s batting when it comes to their second innings. The pitch continues to offer assistance, especially with the new ball, and there are signs of increasing turn for the spinners.
Here’s Dan Brettig on a position Australia only have themselves to blame for
“This is Test batting against a quality attack in testing conditions. Errors are bound to happen, but his control percentage of 88 was remarkable”
Sid Monga writes on Ajinkya Rahane#AUSvIND
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 27, 2020
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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