Australia all out for 151 as India dominate test
Cricket
India have opted against enforcing the follow-on after seizing a first-innings lead of 292 runs on day three of the third test in Melbourne, where Australia capitulated to be all out for 151.
Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded an inspired Indian attack, grabbing a career-best haul of 6-33 that made the much-maligned MCG pitch look anything but flat.
Virat Kohli decided to give his team’s bowlers a rest as they hunt a 2-1 series lead.
It means Australia’s tired attack, having spent 169.4 overs in the field during India’s first innings, will bowl for a third consecutive day.
Tim Paine spent longer at the crease than any member of Australia’s top six, which folded in embarrassing collapses of 3-29 and 3-13, but couldn’t manufacture any miracles with the tail.
Paine faces an uphill battle as he dreams of avoiding a defeat that would put India in the box seat to record their maiden test series win in Australia.
A draw would represent a moral victory for Paine’s team, given India have dominated the contest from the moment Kohli won the toss.
Such an outcome would likely require something far more remarkable than what Paine achieved in Dubai in October, when Australia batted 139.5 overs in the final innings to salvage a draw against Pakistan.
Yesterday’s collapse was the latest reminder of the immense void left by the absence of suspended superstars Steve Smith and David Warner, who have often rescued Australia in similar scenarios during recent years.
Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head and Mitch Marsh all got in and got out.
Harris and Paine, who faced 85 balls, both top-scored with 22.
Harris, having copped a thunderous bouncer blow to the helmet from Bumrah on Thursday, was out hooking another short ball from the same paceman.
Bumrah trapped Shaun Marsh lbw with a textbook slower ball to end yesterday’s morning session then made a mess of Head’s stumps.
The 25-year-old, who made his test debut at the start of the year, then fired out Paine, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood to clean up the tail shortly after tea.
Despite the carnage, there are unlikely to be any changes to Australia’s XI for the SCG Test.
Peter Handscomb is the only other batsman in the 13-man squad that has already been named.
Rob Forsaith