BGT 2023, 3rd Test Day 1: Kuhnemann, Khawaja take Australia ahead of hosts

Ravindra Jadeja has picked all four wickets while Usman Khawaja has top-scored with 60 as Australia lead by 47 runs at the end of Day 1.

On the first day of the third Test, hosts India found themselves in a deep pit as they were all out for 109 and the visitors have taken a lead of 47 runs with six wickets in hand. Peter Handscomb and Cameron Green were at the crease at the end of Day 1. Ravindra Jadeja picked all four wickets while Usman Khawaja has top-scored with 60. 

Starting the innings, Australia lost Travis Head early, but Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne provided some stability and added 96 for the second wicket. Jadeja broke that partnership with a ball that stayed too low for the liking of Labuschagne. Steve Smith tried to add quick runs but Srikar Bharat was agile to catch him behind the stumps on the bowling of Jadeja. 

Usman Khawaja could not sustain for long and eventually fell to Jadeja. At the end of the Day 1, Green and Handscomb managed to stay not out.  

Earlier in the day, after winning the toss and deciding to bat first, India had a damaging start and fell to 45-5 with Matthew Kuhnemann doing most of the damage.

Rohit was the first to fall, dancing down the pitch to go over mid-on but couldn't get to the pitch of the ball as it turned sharply and was stumped off Kuhnemann.

The left-arm spinner returned in his next over as Gill perished to a defensive prod and was caught at first slip. Lyon then got one to turn in sharply and break through Cheteshwar Pujara's defence to hit the stumps. Ravindra Jadeja's promotion backfired as he couldn't keep the cut down and was caught at cover off Lyon.

In the next over, Shreyas Iyer chopped on to his stumps off Kuhnemann for a two-ball duck. While other batters crumbled, Virat Kohli looked assured in his defence and also found some timely boundaries. But his stay ended at 22 when off-spinner Todd Murphy trapped him in front of stumps.

Axar Patel and Srikar Bharat tried to salvage some pride and helped the hosts reach 109 in 33.2 overs before being bowled out. Virat Kohli top scored with 22 while Kuhnemann finished with figures of 5-16. 

On Day 2, India would look to roll over the Aussies as soon as possible while the visitors would look to add at least 53 more runs to the lead to make it 100 and put pressure on the hosts.