Australia vs India 3rd Test: Day 3 Match Report as Australia’s Pacers Trouble India on a Disrupted Day in Brisbane

Only 33.1 overs were possible on what could arguably be the most stop-start day in Test cricket history, with as many as eight rain interruptions. Despite the disruptions, Australia strengthened their position to push for a 2-1 series lead with two days remaining at the Gabba. Resuming on the third morning, Australia extended their first-innings total to 445 before Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins dismantled India’s top order during the rain-hit sessions.

India ended the day at 51 for 4, trailing by 394 runs. Their immediate goal when play resumes will be to reach 246 to avoid the follow-on, which would significantly enhance their chances of keeping the series level heading to Melbourne. With rain also forecast for days four and five, Australia may face a race against time if they are required to bat again.

Carey’s Fifty and Bumrah’s Feat Highlight Rain-Hit Morning

Australia’s final three wickets added 40 runs to their overnight total of 405 for 7, despite brief rain interruptions on either side of the 17.1 overs it took. Jasprit Bumrah struck early, dismissing Pat Cummins to claim his sixth wicket of the innings and his 50th Test wicket in Australia.

Alex Carey, who had raced to 45 by stumps on day two, reached his half-century with a series of elegant strokes, including a stunning six over wide long-off off Akash Deep. Carey was eventually dismissed for 70, becoming Akash Deep’s first victim of the innings after inducing 53 false shots without success.

Australia’s Pacers Exploit Gabba Conditions to Trouble India

Australia’s fast bowlers showcased their ability to extract far more from the Gabba surface than India’s quicks, aided by home conditions and their significant height advantage, with Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins all towering over 6’5″. They consistently found seam movement when hitting a length or just back of it, and at times generated awkward bounce, as seen when Hazlewood struck KL Rahul’s wrist with his first delivery of the match.

India were already a wicket down by then, with Yashasvi Jaiswal departing second ball, flicking an uppish delivery from Starc straight to Mitchell Marsh at square leg. Starc struck again in his next over, slanting a full delivery away from Shubman Gill, who drove away from his body with his head not aligned. The ball raced quickly to gully, where Marsh pulled off a spectacular diving catch to his left.

While the pitch offered assistance, India’s dismissals stemmed from avoidable shots. The pattern persisted when Virat Kohli, who had earlier fended off a sharp Starc bouncer rising towards his head, drove loosely at a wide delivery from Hazlewood and edged behind. Kohli’s early exit extended his struggles outside off stump in a series marked by uncertainty.

Rain Breaks and Cummins’ Precision Add to India’s Woes

Rain returned immediately after Kohli’s dismissal, leading to an early lunch, followed by another interruption just 11 balls into the resumption. While these delays hampered Australia’s victory push, they kept their fast bowlers fresh and forced India’s batters to settle in repeatedly.

This combination of interruptions and superb bowling brought about India’s next wicket. Pat Cummins delivered a masterful delivery to Rishabh Pant, slanting one across him from over the wicket. The ball landed on the perfect line and length, drawing an uncertain forward-defensive push. Australia had clearly noted Pant’s tendency to aim straight down the ground when defending balls angled across him, instead of playing later and squarer with the angle. This particular delivery appeared to swing back in before nipping away off the surface, catching Pant’s edge and carrying through to Alex Carey.

Lone Ranger KL Rahul Stands Firm Amidst the Chaos

Throughout the disruptions, KL Rahul batted with impressive assurance, displaying excellent judgment in the fourth-stump channel and a willingness to drive balls pitched up to him. His intent and precise weight transfer allowed him to execute his drives with confidence. Barring one sliced shot that flew through the backward point region, Rahul’s strokes were controlled, and he found the boundary three times through the covers on his way to an unbeaten 33 off 64 balls at stumps.

At the other end, his captain Rohit Sharma remained cautious and yet to get off the mark.

Australia vs India 3rd Test Summary

Australia: Australia 445 (Travis Head 152, Steve Smith 101, Carey 70; Bumrah 6-76)
India: India 51/4 (KL Rahul 33*; Mitchell Starc 2-25) trail Australia by 394 runs

Looking Ahead to Day 4

Day 3 was an immensely frustrating affair, with the rain in Brisbane behaving like a persistent mosquito—vanishing briefly only to return and torment once more. Amidst the constant interruptions, India endured another difficult day.

Australia resumed their innings in the morning, adding around 40 runs to their overnight total before turning the spotlight onto India. The visitors got off to a poor start as Yashasvi Jaiswal edged his first delivery for four and was dismissed off the very next ball. Hopes of a steadying partnership from Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli quickly faded as both fell chasing wide deliveries outside off stump. Rishabh Pant followed soon after, nicking one to the keeper, leaving India reeling at 44/4.

The frequent rain breaks did little to help India’s cause, denying their batters any chance to settle in. As it stands, India trail by 394 runs, and their position in this game looks precarious. Looking ahead to Day 4, the outlook doesn’t get any brighter. Heavy showers and storms are forecast for both the morning and afternoon, meaning today’s disruptions may well continue into tomorrow, further complicating India’s already uphill battle.

Read More: Australia vs India 3rd Test Preview: Underperforming Batters Prepare for A Challenging Trial at the Gabba

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