Australia managed just 17 overs to India on another rain-affected day in the third Test in Brisbane, but it was enough for their pace attack to dismantle India’s top order as they sank to 51-4 to end on day three 394 runs back. the hosts.
After Australia’s tail wagged a little longer to reach 445 early on Monday, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood quickly had India in trouble with a devastating opening spell at the Gabba.
Starc (2-25) took the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill in his first two overs to set the tone, before Hazlewood (1-17) claimed Virat Kohli’s prize just before one of the many passing showers . early lunch with India at 22-3.
After removing Jaiswal (4) on the first ball of the innings in the second Test in Adelaide, Starc needed just two balls at the Gabba to remove the tourists’ opener.
The 22-year-old bowled the first ball through the gully for a boundary, but the second took a simple catch to Mitch Marsh at midwicket for a gentle dismissal.
In his next over, Starc struck again with Marsh diving acrobatically to take a two-handed catch at Guly to remove Gill (1) and India were 7-2.
Hazlewood, returned to the squad after a side strain ruled him out of last week’s second Test, then rocked India further, teasing a lead from veteran Kohli to put India three down as the rain set in to fall and pushed a meal early.
On resumption, skipper Pat Cummins (1-7) took his first wicket by removing Rishabh Pant caught behind to reduce India to 44-4.
Captain Rohit Sharma came out to join KL Rahul, but there was only time for a superb cover-drive boundary for the latter before another passing shower forced the players off the field.
How the wet weather leaves the third Test
Nathan Lyon takes out bails as rain halts play on day three
The rest of the afternoon looked to be clear, but just as the game looked set to resume, another passing rain would pass over the arena.
Play finally resumed shortly after 5pm local time, but only 17 more balls were bowled for three runs before another passing shower and worsening light forced the end of the day’s play.
Australia now have two days of play, weather permitting, and their path to a potential win looks set to hinge on bowling India out for less than 244 in the first innings and forcing the follow-on.
The hosts had resumed Monday on 405-7 and some big hitting from Starc and Alex Carey took Australia to 445. Carey was the last wicket to fall, drilling deep for an impressive 70 off 88 balls – his ninth Test half a century.
Jasprit Bumrah added another wicket to return figures of 6-76, having completed his 12th Test five-wicket the previous day.
India won the first Test by 295 runs in Perth, while Australia came back to win the second day-night Test in Adelaide by 10 wickets.
