WTC Final Day 3 Highlights: India still in it; Australia 123/4, lead by 296

World Test Championship Final, India vs Australia Day 3 Highlights: India fought back hard as they not only got to 296 after being 151/6 early morning, but have held Australia at 123/4 with lead 296

11:14 PM

This is where the game stands at the end of Day 3 in WTC Final 2023

11:13 PM

Nearly 35 overs have been wasted so far in this match

 

If we look at the day-wise play in the WTC Final 2023 will show that a total of 34 overs have been lost due to timing, innings change and other things. On the first day, 85 overs were bowled and only one team batted. On the second day, only 74.3 overs were bowled. This meant a loss of nearly 15 overs. This is because Australia batted for 36.3 overs and India batted 38 overs on the same day. 

 

And now on the third day of play, India started its innings from the 39th over onwards and went on to play 30.4 more overs. Australia played 44 overs, making yet another day with only 75 overs of play possible. As a result, nearly 35 overs have been lost so far in the game. Though overs are always lost during the innings break, 35 overs is a huge number. 

 

10:56 PM

Why India will be the happier team at the end of Day 3?

 

India will be the happier of the two teams heading back to the dressing room at the end of the third day's play in the World Test Championship Final at the Kennington Oval. Why should this be the case even as Australia have a lead of 296 runs and are 123/4 with Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne at the crease? It is because the day belonged to India. 

 

After losing Kona Bharat in the first over, Ajinkya Rahane partnered Shardul Thakur to bring the Aussie lead below 200 which was 318 at the start of the day with only four wickets left. Both players scored half-centuries. 

 

The tail though didn't wag much, but they shone with the ball, removing Warner early on. Khawaja failed in the second innings too. The centurions from the first innings, Steve Smith and Travis Head played rash shots to get out and Australia now, do not have anyone to rely upon.

 

Carey did score 48 in the first innings, but other than him no one looked in great touch. So, if Indian bowlers come out firing all cylinders on Day 4 and restrict Australia below 200, it could be game on. 

 

10:35 PM

IND vs AUS Day 3 Live Score: Almost got Green here

 

Mohammed Shami beat Marnus early in the over by almost cutting him in half. But he nearly got him on the fifth ball of the last over of the day as Green almost chopped it on. But he survives and so does Australia as the day ends with their score at 123/4 and the lead 296 runs strong. 

 

Australia Live Score 123/4, Lead by 296 runs

 

10:28 PM

Moment of the day has to be Marnus waking up to find that he must go and bat

10:26 PM

WTC Final Live Blog: This one’s interesting

10:21 PM

What would Australia like to have from here on?

 

The last half an hour of play is in progress and the first thing that Australia would like is, not to lose any more wickets. Although 15 pavers are to be completed, hardly five of them would be. In those five, they would like to get past 130 if possible and then try and add 120 runs the next morning to get the target beyond 400 and then attack the Indian batters from ball one in the fourth innings. 

 

Australia Live Score 120/4, Lead by 293 runs

 

10:15 PM

What is the logic behind Australia playing the way they are?

 

It is very hard to comprehend Australia’s approach so far in the second innings. Leading by 173 runs, they should have gone gung-ho from the start and tried to get 250 runs as quickly as possible. 

 

However, after losing Warner early, they slowed down. Khawaja chased a wide one to get caught by the keeper. Smith stepped out to a short ball and got caught. Head, even after being dropped two balls ago, kept on the attacking approach and hit one back to the bowler. Yes, a left-hander got caught and bowled against a left-arm orthodox spinner. 

 

Australia Live Score 116/4, Lead by 289 runs

 

10:08 PM

Umesh Yadav drops, but Jadeja doesn’t as Head is removed

 

It seems like Australia are trying to achieve something that is very hard to decipher by people. They are attacking the Indian bowlers vehemently, but unfortunately not succeeding. Head hit one with the spin and almost got caught at deep mid-wicket by Umesh Yadav who dropped it. But two balls later he played it straight back to the bowler and Jadeja didn’t drop. 

 

Australia Live Score 112/4, Lead by 285 runs

 

9:42 PM

Perfect description by Harsha Bhogle

9:37 PM

Steve Smith bites the dust

 

Steve Smith, who was batting an aggressive approach has been removed by Ravindra Jadeja. It was a shot that Smith would not play even in his nightmares in Test cricket. He went down the ground way ahead of the ball being bowled, Jadeja shortened it and Smith, without reaching the pitch of the ball, went ahead with a slog, and got caught by Thakur near mid-off. Smith is out for 34 off 47.

 

Australia Live Score 87/3, Lead by 260 runs

 

8:57 PM

Steve Smith complaints, man in red T-Shirt is asked to change seats

 

Steve Smith, who hit a century in the first innings, complained of distraction by a man wearing a red T-Shirt and sitting in the stands, straight off the pitch. The man was eventually taken to a different seat by the authorities. The duke ball is also red and that’s why the distraction complain by Smith. 

 

Australia Live Score 62/2, Lead by 235 runs

 

8:54 PM

Australia past 50, Smith applies the aggressive approach

 

The Australian team has gone past the 50-run mark in the second innings and the lead has increased to 229 runs. Steve Smith has shown aggressive intent and as a result, Labuschagne too is looking to score quickly.

 

Australia Live Score 56/2, Lead by 229 runs

 

8:24 PM

Umesh concedes runs just after the wicket

 

India needed to tighten the screw on the Aussies after the wicket of Khawaja, however, Umesh ended up giving away seven on the next two balls, going for a three and a four back-to-back by Steve Smith and Labuschagne. 

 

Australia Live Score 31/2, Lead by 204 runs

 

8:21 PM

Umesh Yadav finally strikes, and Khawaja’s game over

 

Usman Khawaja, the highest run scorer for Australia in the World Test Championship 2021-23, would be walking back to the pavilion thinking what he had done. 21 dot balls and the pressure built on, and he threw his bat on the ball wide outside off from Unmesh Yadav and he nicked it to Kona Bharat behind the stumps. Umesh Yadav gets his first wicket of the match. 

 

7:51 PM

Its Tea on Day 3, Australia lead by 196

 

Tea has been taken on this day and Australia sit comfortably at 23/1, leading India by 196 runs. They lost Warner early in the innings as he was caught behind off Siraj. In this session, only 21 overs were bowled and only 59 runs were scored while five wickets were lost if both sides are combined. 

 

Earlier in the session, Australia took four quick wickets as Rahane was unable to add any more runs to his tally of 89 before Lunch. Thakur went on to complete his fifty but was out for 51. Cummins, who was denied a wicket due to a minuscule no-ball before Lucnh, picked two afterwards as India lost its remaining four wickets for only 36 runs to be bowled out for 296. Australia got a comprehensive 173-run lead. 

 

7:37 PM

WTC Final Day Live: Marnus hit again by the Indian pacer

 

Marbnus Labuschagne whose fingers were sprained in the first innings by Mohammed Shami, has been hit again by Siraj, but this time around on the thigh it seems. He was already on the front foot and the ball jumped from the backfoot and hit him high on the thigh.

 

7:28 PM

India vs Australia Live Score: Siraj strikes, Warner gone early

7:27 PM

Australia conceded just 36 more runs post Lucnh to dismiss India

 

India, who scored 109 in the first session, couldn't keep up with the momentum in the second session as they were bowled for 296 with all four wickets falling for meagre 36 runs. Pat Cummins took 3/83 while Boland, Starc and Green took two wickets each. For India Ajinkya Rahane top scored with 89 while Shardul Thakur hit 51. The duo also added 109 for the seventh wicket to get India past the follow-on score. 

 

7:26 PM

WTC Final Live Score: India fell apart easily post Lunch

7:23 PM

WTC Final Live Score: The only three Indian batters who did well

7:22 PM

WTC Final Live Score: Fifty for Shardul Thakur

6:00 PM

Cummins finally has Rahane, Green takes a stunner

 

It took a stunning catch from Cameron Green in the gully to remove Ajinkya Rahane in the second over post Lunch. Pat Cummins, who was denied two wickets by very minute no-balls, finally has his second wicket. Rahane is out for 89. India are nine down for 260, trail by 209 runs. 

 

5:40 PM

Cummins and the saga of no-ball wickets

 

After having gotten Ajinkya Rahane leg before wicket on Day 2 and the ball being termed no-ball by centimetres, Pat Cummins bowled yet another no-ball, which was called for by millimetres and guess what, this time around, Shardul Thakur was the one adjudged LWB. This time around too the decision would have been upheld as the umpire’s call was out and the hitting. In frustration, Cummins kicked the ball with his boot on the last ball of the over in which this incident happened. 

 

5:28 PM

This is what happened in the morning session

 

India, which trailed by 318 runs at the start of the day, have added 109 runs and lost only one wicket in the entire session. Shardul Thakur has partnered with overnight batter Rahane well. The duo has so far added an unbeaten 109. The Australian lead is down to 209 now and India need only 9 more runs to avoid the follow-on.

 

Rahane was dropped on 71 by Carey and is batting on 89. Shardul Thakur has had three chances where he was dropped twice on 2 and 8 by Khawaja and Green respectively while Pat Cummins gifted him his wicket a third time by bowling a no-ball when the Mumbai player was adjudged LBW by the umpire. 

 

Earlier in the morning, Scott Boland removed Srikar Bharat in the first over of the day itself.

 

India Live Score 260/6

 

4:54 PM

250 up for India, 100 run stand between Rahane and Thakur

 

Ajikya Rahane and Shardul Thakur have brought up the 100-run partnership for the seventh wicket, the highest ever in a WTC final for India. Courtesy of the partnership reaching 100, 250 has also come up for the Indian team which now trails by just 210 runs. 

 

India Live Score 259/6

 

4:51 PM

Rahane dropped, Australia continue giving India chances

 

After having dropped Thakur twice, now Ajinkya Rahane has also been given a chance as Alex Carey has dropped him on 71. 

 

India Live Score 239/6

 

4:44 PM

Five thousand Test runs for Rahane

 

Ajinkya Rahane has become the 13th Indian batter to get past the 5000-run mark in Test cricket. He has joined the list of players like Tendulkar, Dravid, Gavaskar, Laxman, Sehwag, Ganguly, Kohli, Pujara, Vengsarkar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Kapil Dev and Azharudddin. 

 

India Live Score 234/6

 

4:25 PM

India vs Australia Day 3: Starc mixing up his line and length

 

Mitchell Starc is mixing up his line and length and trying to get a wicket for the Australian team as their shoulders are dropping after the seventh-wicket partnership has started to raise the Indian hopes. 

 

India Live Score 223/6 

 

4:15 PM

WTC Final Live Score: Summary of the first 12 overs this morning

 

The World Test Championship Final 2023 is taking place at the Kennington Oval, London between India and Australia. It is Day 3 in action. India, who trailed by 318 runs at the start of the day, have added quick runs and lost only one wicket. Boland removed Srikar Bharat in the first over of the day itself.

 

Shardul Thakur has partnered with overnight batter Rahane well. The duo has so far added an unbeaten 62. The Australian lead is down to 254 now and India need only 54 more to avoid the follow-on.