Boxing Day Test live scores, updates, video, day 3

Khawaja falls as pitch plays up

Usman Khawaja was looking confident but his dismissal for 21 saw Australia fall further into disarray.

The left-hander prodded forward to spinner Ravindra Jadeja and got an inside edge that was snaffled by short leg to leave the home side reeling at 3/53.

That wicket saw Travis Head join Shaun Marsh, who was looking ordinary as he took 17 balls to get off the mark.

All of a sudden the wicket that seemed so easy for batting on days one and two didn’t seem so flat, especially after Jadeja’s wicket ball exploded with a puff of dirt after pitching, which Channel 7 analyst and NSW seamer Trent Copeland said would worry the Aussie batsmen.

“Beautiful bowling from Jadeja but scary things to come,” he said.

And suddenly this is not a flat track anymore… #AusvInd

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) December 28, 2018

‘Ridiculous’ brain snap in Aussie disaster

Aaron Finch fell for India’s trap when he clipped a ball on his pads to short mid-wicket for eight.

The visitors got their first breakthrough in the fifth over of the day as debutant Mayank Agarwal took a sharp catch low to his left off Ishant Sharma’s bowling.

Marcus Harris then followed a handful of overs later for 22 when he cas caught hooking Jasprit Bumrah to fine leg. The left-hander was struck on the head by a short ball yesterday and today got a top edge to a well directed bouncer that went straight to Ishant Sharma in the deep.

India made batting look so easy for two days but the Aussies are already in early trouble at 2/36.

Ridiculous batting from Marcus Harris. Trailing by 407, and he hooks down to fine leg and is caught. You’re an opening batsman.. is that really necessary!?! #AUSvIND

— Jack Mendel (@Mendelpol) December 28, 2018

Harris (22) hooks after 40 mins play when the need is to BAT TIME.

Wasn’t he watching Pujara? Even Pant showed more restraint.

2-36.

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) December 28, 2018

Aussies’ ‘cruel’ cop out

Pat Cummins was Australia’s best with the ball but apparently that wasn’t enough for the Aussies, who wanted him to help out with the bat as well.

Cummins took three wickets — both Indian openers and centurion Cheteshwar Pujara — in 34 overs on a dead MCG track. Only off-spinner Nathan Lyon sent down more deliveries.

The fast bowler’s iron-man effort is even more impressive given his injury history but he kept charging in for the better part of two days, always asking questions of the visitors.

India declared late on day two and gave itself six overs to attack Australia’s batsmen with the new ball — and Cummins’ job wasn’t done. He was asked to pat up and go to the crease as a nightwatchman if the hosts lost a wicket.

Aaron Finch praised his teammate’s attitude in accepting the tough job after an unforgiving two days in the field, but respected Indian broadcaster Harsha Bhogle said he “couldn’t believe” the speedster was asked to do someone else’s job after what he’d just put his body through.

I cannot believe Australia have Pat Cummins in readiness to come out as nightwatchman. He bowled 34 overs pounding the ball in on a slow deck and was on the field through. If anything, the next batsman should say, you rest I’ll bat.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 27, 2018

According to the Herald Sun, Bhogle also said it was a “cop out” from the batsmen, adding: “I could not believe Australia could be as cruel and heartless to a bowler in that heat. He was the only one really banging the ball into the turf.”

Ex-Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson also said it was a “silly” plan to send Cummins is as a nightwatchman.

Yeah I agree with you, batsman should be batting if the wicket falls. Silly to put Cummins as nightwatchman

— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) December 27, 2018

Writing for ESPN Cricinfo, Daniel Brettig said being given nightwatchman duties was reflective of how valuable Cummins is in all facets of the game.

“If this sounds like cruel and unusual punishment for Cummins, after he had been the chief reason for most of India’s uncomfortable batting moments over the preceding two days, then it was hard to imagine him complaining in anything but the most light-hearted of ways,” Brettig wrote.

“In the way Cummins bowls, plays and carries himself, he is perhaps the closest thing Australia currently have to an archetype of the ‘it’s your game’ mantra being repeated at every available moment of this summer.”

Kohli injury fears eased

All eyes will be on India skipper Virat Kohli on day three of the third Test, even more so than usual given his dodgy back has flared up.

Kohli appeared to tweak his back while helping India amass a total of 7/443 on day two of the contest at the MCG.

The superstar received treatment from team physio Patrick Farhart after the setback then was dismissed soon after, guiding a short ball from Mitchell Starc to Aaron Finch at deep third man.

Kohli took his customary position in the slips following the change of innings but is likely to be assessed again by Farhart on Friday morning. The 30-year-old, speaking earlier this year after a persistent back problem flared up in England and clearly affected his running between the wickets, admitted the “back can be very tricky when it goes off”.

“It’s sore,” Kohli said at the time.

“It happened in the latter half or the last leg of the South Africa tour (at the start of the year).

“That was very sudden.”

After play Indian coach Ravi Shastri eased fears about his skipper’s health and said he was fine and Cheteshwar Pujara, who shared a record 170-run stand with Kohli, suggested the latest setback is not serious.

“Obviously I’m not a physio so I can’t say much about it,” Pujara said.

Kohli didn’t move with complete freedom when he took the field on Thursday but was nonetheless in good spirits.

The world’s best batsman, subjected to “you are a w***er’ chants from Bay 13, doffed his cap and bowed to Australia’s fans.

AAP

Finch reacts to Indian declaration

Aaron Finch wasn’t surprised by Virat Kohli’s declaration late on day two of the third Test, suggesting it is exactly what most captains would have done in the same situation.

Kohli called India in at 7/443 on Thursday, opting against extending Australia’s taxing stint in the field that had already spanned 169.4 overs. Some pundits questioned if India had enough runs on the board and whether Kohli was guilty of taking his foot off Australia’s throat.

The tourists were unable to create a breakthrough in the ensuing six overs, with Australia to resume at 0/8 on Friday, but Finch knew full well it could easily have been quite different.

“Most teams in their position would have done the exact same thing,” Finch said of the declaration.

“I wasn’t surprised at all. With a team being in the field for a long time … the prospect of having a team two down in a seven-over burst is so attractive.

“As an opening batter I certainly would rather have walked out tomorrow after about 10 overs. Six overs before stumps is a no-win position for a batsman.

“There’s no worse time to bat.”

Finch admitted opinion was split among Australia’s fielders as to what Kohli was planning.

“Some guys thought they might bat out the day then have a little dart tomorrow, go big,” he said.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who spent almost eight hours at the crease during his second ton on tour, is confident Kohli made the right call.

“It’s tough pitch to score runs on,” Pujara said. “We have enough runs on the board.”

AAP