ICC Test Championship
Border Gavaskar Trophy
Australia VS India Test Series 3rd Match
Played at SCG Sydney From 7-11 January 2021
Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day One
Australia 166/2 in 55 Overs (Marnus Labuchagne 67*, William Jan Pucovski 62, Steve Smith 31*, Navdeep Saini 1/32, Mohammad Siraj 1/ 46)
On the rain affected day one curtaining 90 overs play to only 35 overs Australia ending at 166/2 if not in complete command appears in comfortable position. Debutant Pucovski (62), Labuchagne (67*) and Smith (31*) took Australia to driving seat. Depleted Indian attack (Sami, Yadav absent through injury) toiled to contain Australian top order has challenging task at hand on day two for restricting Australian 1st innings to manageable proposition. SCG test is very crucial for the ultimate fate of the series now locked at 1-1. Australia won the pink ball day night 1st test at Adelaide by 8 wickets. India bounced back at MCG winning by the same margin. The SCG test is the rat race for forging ahead of two top dogs of world cricket.
The New Years test usually starts on 3 January every year. But for fresh round of COVID community contamination the test was put back to new schedule (7-11 January). The fate of 4th and final test scheduled for Gabba Brisbane is still hanging on the balance. Cricketers and match officials required travelling from NSW to Queensland would require Quarantining.
Australia appeared with a new set of opening batsmen to address their batting issues. Ace opener David Warner was back in action after recovering from Injury.
William Jan Pucovski a Melbourne Boy born not very far from my place at Malvern Melbourne made his dream debut. Struggling Joe Burns was axed. Travis Head was replaced. Stopgap opener Mathew Wade would now bat lower down at late middle order. India was forced giving Navdeep Saini new test cap replacing injured Yadav.
Australia won the toss and on a flat batting wicket opted to bat despite of overhead muggy condition. Warner was caught in the trap set for him early attempting playing square cut to a Siraj delivery leaving him and offering a catch to Pujara in the slip. Debutant tall Pucovski looked impressive showing no nerves of a first timer. But the first session was short lived as rain interruption caused long delays. When play resumed Pucovski and Labuchagne exploited the condition expertly. For the first time in the series Australian top order batsmen dominated the Indian. Wicket keeper Pant dropped the debutant Pucovski twice and once Bumrah failed to return the ball quick enough to get him run out. Otherwise, the debutant looked truly impressive scoring 62. Finally, another debutant Saini had him trapped in front. The 2nd wicket partnership produced possibly series defining 100. The fall of Pucovski brought together Labuchagne and Smith yet another time. Prolific Smith unusually subdued in the series so far appeared to recover his masterly touch. The dynamic duo for unfinished 3rd wicket partnership has already added 60 priceless runs. At stumps of the rain curtailed first day Labuchagne was batting on 67 and Smith at 31. Indian bowlers must find some way to remove both as early as possible on day two. Otherwise, they would bat Australia to impregnable position by lunch if there is no more rain interruption. The feature of day was Ashwin and Indian bowlers trying to strangle Smith on and around leg stump line. Smith appeared managing his game well. The prolific Australian batting duo already signalled alarm to Indian camp.
BDST: 1458 HRS, JAN 08, 2021
AP
