Cheteshwar Pujura’s patient double century at Ranchi yesterday has turned the third Test into a match only India can win.
It took Pujara an Indian-record 525 deliveries, eclipsing legend Rahul Dravid’s 495 for his 270 against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in 2004.
That gave India an unexpected 152-run lead over Australia’s 451, setting up a fascinating final day.
With a minimum 540 deliveries to face, and already two down, the bottle of the Australian batting will be sorely tested.
With David Warner and night-watchman Nathan Lyon the casualties, skipper Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw will resume later this afternoon.
It just so happens they are the only two Australians who have been consistent performers in this series.
Smith, the only two-time century maker on both sides, is averaging 87 and Renshaw is averaging 43 with a top score of 68.
Remember the Australians only needed 188 to win the second Test, but were bundled out for 112
So Australia will rely on Smith and Renshaw to set the scene and bat for a long time.
The first target is 152, but realistically Australia has to bat out the day, it’s as simple, and as difficult, as that.
Next up will be Shaun Marsh, and how often have we said it, his Test career is again on the line.
He’s been blessed so many times by selectors, but this is it.
Marsh has managed a 66 in this series, but only averages 18. It’s definitely head down and bum up for the Western Australian today.
Then there’s Peter Handscomb who went into this series with a Bradmanesque Test average of 99.75 on the back of two centuries and two half-centuries in seven visits, three of them not out.
That has been cut to a more realistic 55, however he’s had a start in every dig in India with 22, 19, 16, 24, and 19, but hasn’t gone on with it.
Today would be the perfect time to start.
Then there’s Glenn Maxwell, fresh from the innings of his life with a maiden Test ton that didn’t include one reverse sweep, nor a ramp.
Not interested in the fact one dig isn’t a career, countless Maxwell supporters were very quick to say ‘I told you so’ after the three figures, but today will be vastly different.
If Maxwell has to bat, Australia will be in deep trouble and demanding the Victorian sees the side safely through to stumps and a draw, with no heroics.
If the rest of the order – Matt Wade, Pat Cummins, Steve O’Keefe, and Josh Hazlewood have to bat – the troubles will be dire, forcing all four to raise their batting bar to heights they’ve never reached before.
Yesterday I predicted Australia would win this hard-fought series, and I stick by that prediction.
This team under Steve Smith has bottle. Today they will prove the point to keep danger men Ashwin and Jadeja at bay to go into the fourth and final Test at Dharamsala for the decider.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Your comment turned out to be so prophetic I reckon we should check to see if it was written before or after day 5. Brilliant analysis Chris
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
That's what I've always heard about it, which is why I always thought it funny that Adam Gilchrist was such a batsman yet was so bottom hand dominant!
Maggie
Guest
Ha! No didn't know that. Bit like the right-handed Michael Hussey batting left handed to copy his childhood idol, Allan Border. Theory usually put forward for right-handed batsmen batting with a left-handed stance is that it means their dominant hand is at the top of the bat.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
A bit of trivia here. Did you know that Sourav Ganguly is actually a right hander and his dad encouraged him to bat left handed as India values left handed batsmen because there have never been enough in the line up?
Thunder Nation
Guest
9.20am Let's get to the pitch now. Ravi Shastri says that as expected it is a minefield for Jadeja bowling to left-hand batsmen, but he also says there is enough deterioration now for batting to be really difficult
Thunder Nation
Guest
The first hour will make or break this Test. Predicting a very unsportsmanlike day from one of the teams. Take it to mean what you like. Reporting in from Ranchi is that the pitch is a different beast than last night with some new cracks, tears, divets, bumps and does not appear to have been rolled at the behest of Captain Kohli. I won't make accusations but let us such say the green keeper appears to be "doing his job".
Lostintokyo
Guest
The first hour today will be very telling.
Peebo
Guest
See Big Kev's comment below re your pet Warner ... perhaps if he was Victorian, you'd spend a bit of time deconstructing the myth he's a great player
spruce moose
Guest
Agree with all that... However there is a cracking website that I've been streaming from (I'm not sure if I can say what it is here) But if you were to type in your browser the first 4 letters of the word "cricket' and then the missing word in the phrase "What's the ..... Mr. Wolf? and then put a casual .com at the end of that fused word, then you can watch the series.
The Bush
Roar Guru
You didn't even take the time to put them in order spruce: a) Cowboy b) Aussie Ussie; and then, belatedly c) Carbon Tax.
Maggie
Guest
Interesting observation re disadvantage for left-handed batsmen on Indian wickets. In Australia and England, in particular, it has become common for natural right-handers to bat left-handed. You might be right that the pitches Indians grow up with are a disincentive for them to adopt that stance.
Thunder Nation
Guest
thanks maggie so will australia save this test or fall into a dirty heap? the pitch will have been doctored on the night of Day 4, expect a minefield
Mickyt
Guest
Of Warners 18 Test Centuries, 3 have been scored away in South Africa including a century in each innings at Newlands and 1 in "neutral" UAE. The rest of his 14 centuries are on Australian "drop in" pitches. The question I would be asking is not whether Warner can / can not play his natural game depending on match circumstances. Can Warner indeed bat on wickets outside Australia that provide turn (Asia) or movement in the air and off the pitch (UK)? If not maybe have Warner as a specialist "for Australia, in Australia" only player in test cricket.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It's clearly a much more placid pitch all over. Neither team could make 300 in any innings in the last test, but here we've seen a 450 first innings score as being well below par. It didn't seem to have changed that much well into day 4, the big issue for Australia here is the big scurge of the left-handed batsmen, footmarks! In rare situations like the recent Pakistan series where there was a plethora of left-arm quicks the right-handers found themselves having to deal with serious footmarks outside their off-stump too, but it doesn't happen as often, lefties have this issue all the time, and that's going to be the case here, it's going to be a lot harder to bat on as a lefty. Might be one reason why India doesn't have a lot of left-handed batsmen. In those sorts of conditions where the footmarks really come into it, being a lefty can be a significant disadvantage!
Tanami Singh
Guest
I blame Labor.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
I've got it on 774 AM in Melbourne
Maggie
Guest
Ok you will need access to digital radio to listen to the ABC radio broadcast. Or else the ABC broadcast can be accessed online, as below. Full details in the link. "Australia's Four Test Tour of India will be broadcast live on digital radio station ABC Extra, online and via the ABC Radio app." "Join Grandstand's Gerard Whateley, Alister Nicholson and Prakash Wakankar with experts Simon Katich, Dirk Nannes and Aakash Chopra live from India and experience every ball of every test on mobile, online and digital radio." Read more at: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/cricket-continues-live-india-abc-radio © Radioinfo.com.au
David Lord
Expert
Ace it up peebo, the way you and your ilk write, you'd swear Glenn Maxwell was the second coming. Sure his 104 at Ranchi was a superb knock, but one courageous innings isn't a career. Have you bothered to work out what Maxwell has done outside of Ranchi? His last 13 digs with one not out for Australia in ODIs is 233 runs at 19.43 with a top score of 78. In Sheffield Shield this season for the Vics five digs for 129, average 25.80 with a top score of 81. In the interstate 50-overs, 11 digs for 385, average 35, top score 78. Hardly second coming material, even with your rose coloured glasses.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Yes, Australian literally have to bat the whole day today to eke-out a draw in this Test match, though Ranchi pitch is not that bad as the Bangalore one on Day5.
Andrew
Guest
+1, cant argue that.