Sri Lanka test series: Key takeaways for India

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A three-test series, billed as part of the first full tour by an Indian team since 2009, ended in 11 days of play. Sri Lanka managed to cross 300 only once in the first two tests, and then, couldn't even cross 200 in the final test. Such was India's domination that they had a first innings lead in excess of 300 in all three tests and enforced follow-on in the last two matches. When one team scores nearly 2,000 runs in three and a half innings (avg. RPW of 61), while the other team cannot even manage 1,500 runs in six innings (avg. RPW of 24), it demonstrates, not just the different performance levels, but also the gulf in class between the two sides. The winning team, therefore, finds it difficult to take positives from the series. However, on account of bold team selection as well as some luck, India managed some positives from this series.

Hardik Pandya's emergence as an all-rounder

With 178 runs in 3 innings and 4 wickets in the 32 overs he was asked to send down, Hardik Pandya began repaying the faith that the team management has shown in him, over the last 12 months or so. His rise through the ranks has been meteoric. A first class debut in November 2013 was followed by selection in the Mumbai Indians playing XI in the 2015 IPL season. The India limited overs cap didn't take too long and he impressed one and all with his explosive batting and effective bowling. In fact, it was the rapid improvement in his bowling that encouraged the Indian team management to earmark him for the longest form of the game. A casual glance at his batting numbers in this series, esp. his strike rates, may give the impression that he played the same way as he does in the ODIs and T20s. But while he did provide the impetus in the first test by scoring a quickfire 50, his maturity stood out in the 3rd test. He strode in at 322/6 after the fall of Ashwin's wicket and India quickly lost Saha at 339. On a pitch that was giving some assistance to the bowlers, Pandya first stitched together a patient 62-run partnership with Kuldeep Yadav and then, when running out of partners, smashed 70 out of the last 86 runs while consuming 42 of the last 69 balls. Three out of the four wickets he took, were that of established batsmen. He also pouched four catches, second only to Rahane amongst non-wicket-keepers. A genuine all-rounder is worth his weight in gold and given that the overseas tours of South Africa, England and Australia are coming up, a pace-bowling all-rounder like Pandya could make a big difference.

Kuldeep Yadav firmly established

It was only due to the suspension of Jadeja from the 3rd test, that allowed the left-arm chinaman, Kuldeep Yadav, to play a test match in this series. Despite his series-winning performance in his debut test against Australia in March, once the captain and coach had made up their minds to play Pandya as the third seamer, it was always difficult for Kuldeep to feature in the starting XI. However, it didn't take Kuldeep too long to make a mark. He ran through the Sri Lankan middle and lower order in the first innings to hasten them to 135 all out and then broke a dangerous partnership between Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews in the 2nd innings. Overall, he picked up 5 wickets in his only test match at an impressive average of 19 and an even more impressive strike rate of 36 balls per wicket. Once again, the selectors and the Indian team management deserve a lot of credit for blooding this Kanpur lad and what has been very impressive is that Kuldeep has been effective across all formats of the game. The fuller length that Kuldeep prefers is ideally suited for test matches; yet it has worked wonders in the slam bang variety too. This is mainly on account of the disguise that Kuldeep deploys, wherein he's able to bowl both the normal chinaman as well as the wrong-un, with a scrambled seam. Given Ashwin and Jadeja's struggles in the Champions Trophy, Kuldeep would ideally be the no. 1 choice spinner in both ODIs and T20Is. And his performances in the limited opportunities he's got at the test level, should firmly establish him as the no. 3 spinner. In fact, I believe that in the upcoming overseas tours, if India decide to play with 2 spinners, Kuldeep's wrist spin would be far more effective on the bouncy pitches as compared to the finger spin of Ashwin and Jadeja.

KL Rahul continuing from where he left

KL Rahul was in a rich vein of form before injury halted his golden run. Till the 4th test against Australia in Dharamsala, Rahul had hit a half-century in each test of that series including five consecutive ones. Given his form in IPL 2016 and his vastly enhanced attacking strokeplay, the Bangalore lad was supposed to make a big impact in the IPL as well as in the Champions Trophy. Unfortunately, his shoulder injury required a surgery and that meant, 4 months out of the game. Then again, in Sri Lanka, he was laid low by viral fever and had to sit out of the first test at Galle. However, the tall right-hander was amongst runs as soon as he was back in the playing XI. He scored a half-century each in the two innings he batted, thereby becoming the first Indian batsman to score 7 consecutive test 50s. The only worry for Rahul would be that his last 8 test scores in excess of 50, have all ended short of the century mark. Nevertheless, the captain would be very pleased to see Rahul back in the team and his inclusion at the no. 4 spot for the upcoming ODIs is a sure indicator of the high esteem in which Rahul's technique, temperament and performances, are held by the Indian team management. 

Mohammed Shami's successful return from injury

Mohammed Shami, India's best quick bowler in test matches over the last few years, has had long-injury layoffs over the last two and a half years and this has caused him to miss many test matches. He returned to play in the West Indies tour in July 2016 after the knee surgery post-the 2015 World Cup, kept him out of the game for several months. Then, he was laid low again by knee injury against England and he missed out the 2nd half of the England series as well as the entire Australian series. A penetrative, test match class, quick bowler is such a rare commodity for Indian cricket and hence, his performances in this series must have been keenly watched by both selectors as well as the team management. And Shami didn't disappoint. He picked up 10 wickets, which was 3rd behind Ashwin and Jadeja, at a very impressive average of 17.7 and an amazing strike rate of 36.5. He was truly in his elements in the 3rd test, bowling at blistering pace and prising out 5 wickets while conceding less than 50 runs. All this augurs very well for future tours but India needs to manage Shami's workload properly so that there's no recurrence of the knee injury.

India has rested all their main test bowlers for the ODI leg of the tour. While this seems to be a sensible strategy for fast bowlers, at least one of Jadeja or Ashwin should've been part of the squad, as their one-day form, of late, hasn't been impressive. On the other hand, the ODI batting line-up seems to be at full-strength and the likely first choice line-up for the 2019 world cup. Interestingly, while Yuvraj has most likely been left out for good, Dhoni seems to have secured his swansong as his closest rival, Rishab Pant, has been unfairly dropped from the squad. India is expected to experiment and use this series as a build-up to the 2019 world cup. Here's then, wishing for a more competitive one-day series!

Champions Trophy 2017: Asian Party in London

Let's start with a short quiz. When was the last time India played Pakistan in a major tournament final? Most of you will get it right - it was indeed the ICC T20 World Cup final 10 years ago. But what if the question was limited to finals of ODI tournaments involving more than 3 teams? One has to go back more than 23 years i.e. to April 1994, when the then reigning world champions, Pakistan, beat India in the finals of Australasia Cup (in Sharjah) to win their 3rd successive title. And the last time India and Pakistan met in the finals of a major global ODI tournament was in March 1985, when the then World Cup holder, India, beat Pakistan in the finals of the World Championship of Cricket (held in Australia).

The Romance of India-Pakistan encounters!

The South Asian cricketing giants have met less frequently in the last decade or so, as volatile political environment has restricted bilateral tours. The cricketing world has been poorer for this. This, and the fact that Pakistan is still banned from hosting cricket in their own country (8th year running) as well as excluded from IPL, has seen India-Pakistan matches lose their edge recently. This is such a far cry from those two decades (mid 80s to mid 2000s) when India and Pakistan ODI encounters produced edge-of-the-seat thrillers. Cricket fans would remember the match when India won while defending a lowly 125 runs in Sharjah (1985) or when Miandad hit a last-ball six off a Chetan Sharma full-toss to help Pakistan win the first Australasia Cup, also in Sharjah (1986). We all remember the world cup encounters, esp. the 1996 quarter-finals and the 2003 slug-fest. But, how many of you remember that 40-over ODI in 1987 where India, having set Pakistan a target of 239 and having them struggling at 174/6, still lost mainly due to Salim Malik's brilliance (who scored 72 of the last 80 runs at a strike rate of 200!)? Or, even that 1991 match in Sharjah where a young Tendulkar almost helped India chase down 258 against a bowling line-up comprising Wasim Akram, Aaqib Javed and Waqar Younis, in fading light (India lost by 4 runs!). Sharjah may have slowly faded into insignificance but India and Pakistan continued producing thrilling encounters - in Toronto (1996), when India lost by 2 wickets when defending 264 and despite having Pakistan down at 221/8 (Salim Malik the tormentor again); in Dhaka (1998) when India won the Independence Cup by chasing down a then-record 315 (won by 3 wickets); in Brisbane (2000) when Pakistan won by 2 wickets when chasing 196 and looking down and out at 153/8 (Saqlain and Waqar, as batsmen!); in 2004 (Karachi), when India sneaked home by 5 runs despite setting Pakistan a huge target of 350, as Moin Khan couldn't do a Miandad off the last ball, despite getting a full-toss.

Although, India and Pakistan produce the occasional brilliant game even now, since 2006 India have dominated their neighbours, having won 17 out of 27 completed games. Contrast this with the overall record - it still stands at 72 wins for Pakistan vs. 52 wins for India. Their first game in the Champions Trophy 2017 was representative of how India has dominated Pakistan since 2006. Pakistan will hope that there's no encore in the final.        

What has India done well so far in Champions Trophy 2017?

India, the pre-tournament favourite, has lived up to their reputation and are functioning like a well-oiled machine. The top order has been both solid as well as swashbuckling, with Dhawan and Rohit topping the run charts and Kohli too in the top 5. Each of the middle and late order batsmen have played at least one significant innings or cameo. While Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar haven't picked up a bunch of wickets, they've been very economical (going at less than 4.75 RPO). The fielding has been very good too, with the fielders effecting 6 run outs so far and catching having improved significantly since the first match against Pakistan. Except for the 2nd innings against Sri Lanka, India has been very clinical in all their other games. They've won when defending a target (against Pakistan) as well as when chasing one (South Africa, Bangladesh).

Yet, certain phases of their bowling performance in the league game against Sri Lanka as well as the semi-final against Bangladesh will worry Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble. India's bowling has been largely unsuccessful to pick up wickets in the middle-overs. Sri Lanka successfully chased down 322 quite comfortably while Bangladesh, having crossed 150 in the 27th over for the loss of just 2 wickets, were on course for a 320+ score before the part-time off-spin of Kedar Jadhav induced a mid-innings collapse. In the finals, India will surely demand more wickets from their front-line spinners (esp. Ashwin) as well as their pace-bowling all-rounder, Hardik Pandya.

What has propelled Pakistan to their first Champions Trophy final?

Pakistan has been the most improved side in this tournament. They were the bottom-most ranked team when the tournament began (at no. 8) and even their most ardent fans gave them little chance to make the finals. But the Pakistani team decided to live up to its age-hold billing as "mercurial and maverick". After the big loss against India in their tournament opener and having lost Wahab Riaz due to injury, facing the top-ranked South Africa in a must-win game was daunting. But they've strung together a series of such amazing bowling performances that they've restricted strong batting line-ups of South Africa, Sri Lanka and England for less than 250 in 3 successive games. This has mainly been on account of penetrative middle-over pace bowling by Pakistan and this hasn't allowed the opposition to follow the tried-and-tested model of accumulation in the middle-overs followed by acceleration towards the end. Hasan Ali and Junaid Khan are amongst the top 5 wicket-takers and as a result, they've been economical too (less than 5 RPO).

However, Pakistan's batting is still a big concern. They got slightly lucky against South Africa with rain and D/L coming for help. Then, they were staring at defeat against Sri Lanka when chasing a modest 237 before an unbroken 8th wicket partnership of 75 runs rescued them. It was only against England in the semi-final that Pakistan produced a clinical batting display to chase down 212 with 8 wickets in hand and 77 balls to spare. Yet, Pakistan will be very aware of India's batting depth and it's unlikely, in case they are chasing, that they'll face a less-than-250 target in the finals.

So how does it look like?

If one looks at the strong and weak areas of both teams, they represent perfect contrasts. India will love to have Pakistan's bowling penetration in the middle-overs while Pakistan will feel complete if they can match India's batting prowess at the top order. To the die-hard fans on either side, this would sound very similar to a recurring theme in the 90s - Indian fans wished their team had a bowling attack (esp. fast bowlers) like Pakistan and Pakistani fans wondered when they'll get the kind of batting depth like India. 

The weather seems to be clear for the final and hence, toss may prove critical. Both teams would like to chase, esp. Pakistan. The final will be played on a fresh track and this may aid run-scoring. For Pakistan, Mohammad Amir will likely be back while India may retain the same team that won the semi-final. If India bat first, they'll look for a score close to 300 (may not want to go hard for a 325+ score). If they bat second, the Indian team would be confident of chasing down any score upto 325. Let's hope for a repeat of the high-scoring Independence Cup final in 1998 (the third final). That'll surely rekindle the old romance! 

Classy India overcome tenacious Australia

In the end, India's all-round class proved too much for Australia. Till Day 2 in Dharamsala, Australia competed on equal terms, never let India run away and put enough pressure through their tenacity and resolve. This was best exemplified by their bowling performance on Day 2 - didn't allow India to score quickly, and picked up crucial wickets in the top and middle order. Then, on Day 3, it all came apart. Almost as if, the Aussie dam made up of resolve & grit couldn't hold up any more as India's superior class burst through.

Match recap

Australia won a very important toss and elected to bat. While Smith's men were unchanged from the last match (see my blog on Ranchi test), India made two changes. With Kohli injured, India chose to hand a debut to "chinaman bowler", Kuldeep Yadav. Further, given the likelihood that the ball would swing, India opted to replace Ishant Sharma with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The changes meant that India went into the series decider with five bowlers i.e. a batsman short. 

Australia 1st innings

Bhuvneshwar Kumar started to swing the new ball immediately and could've had Warner off the first ball, but Karun Nair dropped a slightly tough chance at 3rd slip. Umesh got Renshaw with a beauty in his first over, but then Smith and Warner launched a very aggressive partnership. Smith especially looked in sublime form and punished both the seamers. The spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja put some brakes on the run-rate but both Smith and Warner looked largely untroubled as Australia galloped to 131-1 at lunch. The match completely turned in the post-lunch session. The Indian captain, Rahane, continued with Kuldeep Yadav after lunch (he was introduced just before lunch) and the debutante's left-arm chinaman completely bamboozled the Australian middle-order. He first took out Warner with a flipper (caught at slip), then foxed Handscomb by a flighted chinaman which bowled him through the gate and then out-thought Maxwell by a fast googly which zipped through the surface and took out his off-stump. In between, Marsh fell to a loose shot, caught behind off the bowling of Umesh Yadav. Suddenly, at 178-5 having lost 4 wickets for 34 runs, Australia were under tremendous pressure and understandably, Smith became very circumspect. He eventually scored his 3rd hundred of the series and Rahane knew that the Aussie skipper had the ability to combine effectively with the lower order and put up a huge 1st innings total. He introduced Ashwin before tea and the tall off-spinner prized out Smith for 111. Australia went to tea at 208-6, adding just 77 runs during the session and losing 5 wickets in the process. Wade and Cummins tried hard with Wade specifically, having little problems dealing with Kuldeep Yadav. Wade went on to score a well made half-century but eventually, Australia were all out for 300, well short of the score they had in sights at lunch. For India, all the bowlers picked up at least 1 wicket with Kuldeep Yadav being the star, picking up 4 wickets. 

India 1st innings

Unlike Australia, India started slowly, reined in no doubt, by tight Aussie bowling. Hazlewood got rid of Vijay very early, and that brought together India's most prolific pair of this series. KL Rahul and Pujara again combined well, with the in-form Rahul completing his 5th half-century of this series. However, soon after reaching his half-century, Rahul's concentration wavered as he played a few loose shots and was eventually bounced out by Pat Cummins. Rahul and Pujara put on 87 for the second wicket. While Cummins was hostile, the Aussie spinners were not looking penetrative. However, the pitch offered bounce and soon enough, Lyon started to find his groove. Immediately after tea, Lyon accounted for Pujara (who had reached another half-century) as the extra bounce generated by the overspin, got the bat & pad, and lobbed to short-leg. Karun Nair didn't last long either, as he got out to Lyon in a similar fashion. Rahane and Ashwin put together a fifty-partnership before Lyon struck again. He took out both Rahane and Ashwin in quick succession, and India were on the backfoot, having lost the last 5 wickets for 113 runs. With Saha and Jadeja new to the crease, and India still 79 runs behind, Australia sensed an opportunity to take a sizable first innings lead. They took the 2nd new ball and were immediately presented with an opportunity. Cummins had Saha edging to an out-swinger but Renshaw dropped a fairly straightforward catch. This was his second drop of the match (he had dropped Rahul earlier) and one that would prove decisive in the context of the match. Like in Ranchi, the 7th wicket partnership proved match-turning for India. The pair added 96 runs for the 7th wicket before Jadeja was dismissed for a well made 63. India eventually got all out for 332, a lead of 32 on a pitch that was rapidly deteriorating. Lyon took a 5-wicket haul and looked at his most dangerous since Day 1 in Bengaluru.

Australia crumble, India rumble

India's lead wasn't substantial and Australia would've been confident of quickly wiping that off. Instead, they were greeted by India's best all-round bowling performance of the entire season. Both Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were very hostile to begin with, bowling at high pace, swinging the new ball as well as bowling nasty bouncers. Even though Karun Nair let-off Warner in the slips again, it didn't prove costly for India as the seamers got rid of both the openers, as well as the batting mainstay, Steve Smith, before Australia could even erase India's lead. Maxwell and Handscomb then led a min-revival as they put on 55 for the 4th wicket. Both Ashwin and Jadeja, however, were getting enough assistance from the pitch and causing problems for both Maxwell as well as Handscomb. Finally, just before the tea interval, Ashwin forced Handscomb to nick a straighter delivery to 1st slip and in the very next over, Jadeja got Marsh caught at short leg. By then, Australia had lost 5 wickets and were ahead by only 60. Maxwell was holding fort from the other end and had reached an aggressive 45, before he padded up to an off-break from Ashwin and was adjudged LBW. That finally broke the back of the Aussie resistance. They eventually managed 137, setting India a target of 106. Ashwin, Jadeja and Umesh Yadav, each picked up 3 wickets.

A target barely crossing 100 was never going to test this Indian team, given that the pitch was still good for batting. KL Rahul got another half century (his 6th 50 in 7 innings in this series) and even though, Vijay and Pujara departed early, an aggressive Rahane ensured that win was achieved quickly and without any further hiccups. India won the match by 8 wickets and the series 2-1. The series win ensured that India regained the Border-Gavaskar trophy and also made India the holder of test trophies against all test playing nations simultaneously (only the 3rd team ever to achieve this). Ravindra Jadeja, with 127 runs (63 in this match) and 25 wickets (4 wickets in this match) in the series, was adjudged as the Man of the Match and Man of the Series. India's gamble of playing five bowlers worked and the debutante, Kuldeep Yadav, picked up four crucial wickets in the first innings.

In the end, India just had too much firepower, too much class for Australia. Like in Bengaluru (see my blog), Australia lost the match due to a poor batting performance in their 2nd innings. Ultimately, they needed someone other than Smith to produce a gritty batting performance (like Handscomb and Marsh did in Ranchi). India finished their 2016-17 test season with 10 wins, 2 draws and just 1 loss - joint 2nd for most test wins in a season. And though they dominated both New Zealand and England, this victory against the gritty Aussies would taste the sweetest!

    

Dharamsala test: Series decider in the shadow of the Himalayas

So we finally arrive in the hillside city of Dharamsala, with the series tied at 1-1, with hours of exciting cricket already played, and yet with everything to play for in the venue's debut test. There's been some banter on-the-field, some words spoken off-the-field, the media has played its role but overall, these incidents have been overshadowed by some terrific cricket played by both teams. Many expected India to steamroll their opponents but clearly Smith & his team were quietly confident about their chances, even before the Pune test. Its perhaps apt then, that they come into the decider on the back of a hard-fought draw, with both teams confident of their chances and yet, aware of the opposition's threat.

Will India make it 10 for the season?

Leading up to this series, India had won 8 tests and drawn 1 during this home season. In this series, they've won their 9th test, drawn their 2nd and lost their 1st test match of the season. Kohli & Co. will undoubtedly look to record their 10th victory at Dharamsala and take the series along with it. Given the quality of their opposition, this would be one of Kohli's sweetest series victories as a captain. In each of the three tests, Australia has grabbed the initiative and put India under severe pressure. And yet, apart from the failure in Pune, India has stood up to the challenge. They turned the tables both in Bengaluru, where they won, as well as in Ranchi, where they put Australia under tremendous pressure on Day 5. The bowlers have looked good and if the batting clicks as a unit, the Border-Gavaskar trophy could be won at this picturesque venue.

Will Smith & Co. conquer India in India?

Australia's last test series victory in India was in 2004-05. In fact, since that series winning test at Nagpur, Australia went 11 tests in India without a victory. They finally broke that winless run in Pune and had chances both in Bengaluru, and less so in Ranchi, to seal the Border-Gavaskar trophy (as a previous winner, Australia will retain the trophy even if they draw the series). Despite that, it can't be denied that the Aussies have held on valiantly after the morale-crushing defeat at Bengaluru and the subsequent sidelining of Mitchell Starc on account of injury. Pat Cummins showed in Ranchi that he's perfectly capable of filling in as a strike bowler. If the Dharamsala pitch lives up to its reputation of assisting seamers, then Australia can pick up Jackson Bird in place of the struggling Nathon Lyon and hope that they can use Maxwell's off-spin more effectively. A win or a draw will help Smith & Co. to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, a result unthinkable for many, even in the Australian press, just four weeks ago!    

How are the teams placed?

Australia is likely to field the same eleven that secured a draw in Ranchi. Pat Cummins has been cleared to play after precautionary tests on the back. Australia would be hoping that Nathan Lyon comes back into form on a pitch that will likely to have more bounce and pace than Ranchi. If the curator leaves more than a tinge of grass on the wicket, then Australia may be tempted to replace Lyon with Bird. However, that seems unlikely and even Australia won't want to change a stable, successful combination for a crucial test like this.

India has been bothered by a few injury issues, the biggest among them being the shoulder injury of Virat Kohli. Cricket fans will remember, that twelve years ago, Australia headed into the Nagpur test 1-0 up and on a greenish pitch that offered massive assistance to fast bowlers, India's captain (Sourav Ganguly) had to miss the test due to injury. The Aussies were pleasantly surprised by that pitch; their seamers picked up 16 wickets to help Australia win the match by a huge margin and secure the series. With the likelihood of a pitch assisting the seamers and the captain missing out on account of injury, there's a sense of déjà vu. Indians would be hoping to avoid an encore though. Shreyas Iyer has been called as a cover for Kohli, and Rahane will captain if Kohli fails to pass the fitness test. An additional headache has emerged in the form of M Vijay's fitness. He didn't attend the practice sessions and it's likely that the shoulder injury, that kept him out of the Bengaluru test, has flared up. If he does sit out, then Abhinav Mukund will take his place. On the bowling front, it's unlikely that India will tinker with the combination, except if there's potentially some swing available. In that case, Bhuvneshwar Kumar may replace Ishant Sharma. 

Pitch

The pitches in this series have come under intense scrutiny. And the quality of the pitches have thrown up some intriguing battles. The pitch at Dharamsala has traditionally assisted pace bowlers. And the cool climate (with temperatures in the low 20s) is likely to assist swing. Kohli expects the pitch to have bounce and carry. With the almost anti-climatic behavior by the Ranchi pitch after the massive hue & cry raised prior to the match, the predictions have been far more guarded this time around. Or may be, with so much at stake, everybody is too tense to venture into predictions!    

India & Australia: Perfecting the Art of Comeback

At the end of day 5 in Ranchi, a draw was probably a fair result. And the series scoreline, with a test to go, is also a fair reflection of how both teams have competed relentlessly on even terms. The Ranchi test ebbed and flowed in a manner symptomatic of this series. Australia pushed India on the back-foot through a sizable first innings total and by making inroads into the Indian middle-order. India then pulled things back through a monumental 7th wicket partnership and then applied pressure on the Aussies by picking up their first 4 wickets cheaply. Finally, it was left to the young, Handscomb and the experienced, Shaun Marsh to combine and save the day for the visitors.

Recapping Day 4 and Day 5

Australia had a slight upper hand going in to Day 4 with India still trailing by 91 (Check out My previous blog). The overcast conditions (necessitating the use of flood-lights) seemed to be tailor-made for Cummins and Hazlewood. However, the ball was soft (50 overs old) and the next new ball was available only after another 30 overs. Australia tried very hard, dried up the runs but couldn't break the resistance offered by Pujara and Saha. While Pujara remained resolute in defence, Saha used his feet intelligently against the spinners. Even though only 75 runs were added in the morning session, this pair ensured that India didn't lose a wicket and in the process came very close to the Aussie first innings total. Australia took the new ball as soon as it was available, in the hopes of breaking the partnership & then running through the Indian lower middle order. Those hopes were to remain suspended for another session though. And any hopes of India going for quick runs in the 2nd session quickly evaporated as the overnight pair ensured another wicketless session with the addition of 68 runs between lunch and tea. Post-tea session, however, was the most eventful of the match. Saha quickly completed his 3rd test century and then Pujara completed his double century, the 3rd of his career and 2nd against Australia. He got out shortly after that, giving Lyon his first wicket since the first innings of Bengaluru test, and ending a monumental 199 run partnership with Saha. Jadeja quickly got into the groove and even though Saha departed shortly after Pujara, he along with Umesh Yadav piled on further misery on the Australians by putting together a 54 run partnership. Jadeja got a quickfire fifty (54 off 55 balls) before Kohli declared, with India 152 in front and Australia facing the daunting task of seeing off 8 overs before close of play. They ultimately didn't have to play the full 8 overs as the nightwatchman, Lyon, fell to 2nd delivery of the last over. Jadeja was expected to be the danger-man for Australia and he got both Warner and then Lyon by two absolutely top class deliveries. Australia ended Day 4 at 23-2, still 129 runs in arrears, and staring at a real prospect of defeat.

Day 5 began with Australia's most prolific pair (during this series) on the crease. Both Renshaw and Smith had played the Indian spinners reasonably comfortably throughout the series and India knew that breaking this partnership would almost mean a foot in the door. The pair survived for another 21 overs and had brought the lead down to less than 100, when Renshaw fell LBW to Ishant. The Indian quick who was bowling from round the wicket, set up Renshaw very nicely. He bowled a couple of nasty bouncers and followed those up with a full delivery that caught Renshaw on the crease, dead in front of the stumps. Three balls later, Jadeja accounted for Smith when the Australian captain, in a moment of indecision eerily similar to his Indian counterpart in Bengaluru, padded up to a delivery that was relatively full and in line with the stumps, and lost his off-stump. With both in-form batsmen back in the hut and Australia still 89 runs behind India, Kohli & Co. must have started harbouring hopes of wrapping up a victory in the 2nd session. That however proved to be a false dawn with Shaun Marsh and Handscomb displaying superior defensive technique and putting up an outstanding rearguard action. Very importantly, the rightie-leftie pair kept the scoreboard ticking thereby eating away at India's lead. By the time Jadeja got Marsh, they had added 124 runs, eaten up 62 additional overs and the match was already in the last hour. Even though, Ashwin got Maxwell shortly thereafter, both Handscomb and Wade ensured no further damage and finally, with 10 minutes left, Kohli and Handscomb shook hands, signalling the end of a very thrilling encounter. 

Stats Stack-up

Two of the top 3 batsmen from both teams continue to dominate the batting charts. And, Peter Handscomb is slowly starting to make his mark in this series. He combined brilliantly with Shaun Marsh (who's at no.6 in the list below) to pull Australia out of the woods and help them save the Ranchi test. And who would've thought that Kohli would muster less than 50 runs in 5 innings! 

Data source: ESPNcricinfo.com

There's not much change in the bowling charts either. Jadeja has emerged as the most effective as well as the most consistent bowler from either side. Steve O'Keefe has been steady over the last two tests following his spectacular 12-wicket haul in Pune. Both the off-spinners will be slightly disappointed - they've been good in patches (one inning each in Bengaluru) but haven't looked consistently penetrative. Umesh Yadav continues to be the best fast bowler from either side but he may be in for some competition from Pat Cummins (given the likely conditions in Dharamsala). 

Data source: ESPNcricinfo.com

Everything on the line in Dharamsala

The next test in Dharamsala starts in 5 days and this gives very little time for the players to recover. This is especially true for bowlers - on an average, the fast bowlers bowled 40 overs while the spinners bowled 70 overs (mainly because of Jadeja and O'Keefe) in this match. However, with the season coming to an end, the respective team managements will push the players to give it all. Plus, there's plenty on line here. Whoever wins the next match, wins this series as well as the Border-Gavaskar trophy. In case of a draw, Australia will retain the trophy. 

A fighting draw in Ranchi may give the momentum to the Aussies and hence make them favourites for the next test, but there've been enough instances during this series where teams, when counted down and out, have made spectacular comebacks. Recall how India seemed down and out at the end of Day 1 in Bengaluru (check my blog during Bengaluru test), and having already lost the Pune test (check my blog after Pune test), were in serious danger of losing the series. Instead they mounted a superb comeback, led by their bowlers as well as Pujara and Rahane, and pinned the Aussies on the mat. Coming into the 3rd test, remember the kind of pressure Australia and Steve Smith were under (following the DRS-issue). India were considered heavy favourites to continue their winning momentum in Ranchi. And yet, Australia, led by Smith and comeback man Maxwell, mounted an impressive first innings total. Further, Pat Cummins, returning to test cricket after 6 years, put India under serious pressure. Then again, Pujara and Saha rescued India with the bat while Jadeja, with both bat and ball, gave a mighty scare to the Aussies. Prediction won't make for a lucrative profession in this series. 

Dharamsala, making its debut as India's 27th test centre, will have a much cooler climate. It has traditionally assisted fast bowlers. We are all set for the final test of this season. Here's hoping that Dharamsala adds another exciting chapter to this riveting series!