The Australian cricketers survived all attempts by Indian bowlers to commit mistakes and throw away their wickets on the fifth and final day of the third test at Ranchi to force a morale boosting draw. Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday had given hope of an Indian victory on Monday, but the pair of Shaun Marsh (53) and Peter Handscomb (72) showcased great application and dour defensive skills to bail the Aussies out of a tricky situation. The duo shared a 124-run 5th wicket stand to help the Aussies erase India's lead and eventually secure a draw that kept the series level on 1-1.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha's marathon effort had given India a 152-run lead on Sunday evening and Jadeja's twin strikes meant Australia went into stumps at 23/2. The final day started with Jadeja and UmeshYadav bowling in tandem, but Australian captain Steven Smith and opener Matt Renshaw put on a defensive play and kept the Indian bowlers at bay.
Ishant Sharma was introduced into the attack and he troubled Renshaw with his incoming deliveries from around the stumps. The duo had a bust up when Renshaw moved away from the batting crease just as Ishant approached the bowling crease, citing movements in front of the sightscreen. A miffed Ishant Sharma threw the ball away to the wicket-keeper in anger. While Ishant was walking back to his run-up, he had a verbal exchange with Australian skipper Steven Smith too.
Immediately after the exchange, a riled up Ishant caught Renshaw (15) plumb in front of the wicket to give the hosts their first breakthrough of the day. In the very next over Ravindra Jadeja deceived Australian captain Steven Smith. Smith shouldered arms to the delivery, thinking it would either hit his pads or take a sharp turn and go past the wickets. Jadeja had pitched the ball in the rough and it did take a sharp turn. Only for the ball to go and crash into Smith's off stump. The Australian captain was removed for 21, and the visitors were reduced to 63/4, still trailing the hosts by 89 runs.
That brought Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb together and the duo started a rearguard. Both Marsh and Handscomb showcased exemplary patience and defensive skills to first take the visitors safely to lunch at 83/4 and then kept on chipping away at India's lead, all the while keeping their wickets safe.
By the time the tea break was taken, both the batsmen had ensured that India's lead was down to just 3 runs. Handscomb was the first to reach his half-century and he was followed to the milestone by his partner Shaun Marsh. Jadeja eventually dismissed Marsh for 53, but by then a draw looked like the only possible result. Ashwin removed Glenn Maxwell for 2 to pick up his only wicket of the innings. That was the last wicket to fall as Virat Kohli shook hands with Peter Handscomb to accept a draw with the Aussies on 204/6 after playing 100 overs in their second innings. Handscomb stayed unbeaten on 72.
Pujara, Saha save India
Earlier a 199 run partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara (202) and Wriddhiman Saha (117) gave India a 151 lead after the Australians scored 451 runs in the first innings. The game which was progressing on a sedate note, following the pattern of the first three days, burst into life in the final session. First, Wriddhiman Saha, unbeaten on 99 at the tea break, duly completed his third Test hundred. Cheteshwar Pujara's third career double hundred - his second against Australia - followed soon after. After having crushed Australia's spirit with their 199-run stand for the seventh wicket which lasted five-and-a-quarter hours, both Pujara and Saha perished in their quest for quick runs before Jadeja stepped in to up the ante.
They had, however, done their job. India were already 76 runs ahead of Australia's first innings tally of 451 when Pujara fell for 202. The gallant Saha (117) followed his partner back into the pavilion 14 runs later, but not before giving the Aussies a lesson in the art of playing spin. The diminutive Bengali often danced down the wicket to Lyon and Steve O'Keefe, lofting them over the in-field to the boundary, while being quick to sway away from the short stuff dished out by the pacers.
After Saha's departure, Jadeja wielded the willow and cut to shreds a tired Australian attack. His quickfire unbeaten 54 off 55 balls, with five boundaries and two sixes, enabled Kohli to declare India's innings at 603-9 with just about 30 minutes play remaining on the fourth day.
Having toiled in the field for 210 overs over two days, the Australians were always going to find the task of saving the Test physically and mentally challenging on a fifth-day pitch. However, the manner in which they batted in their second innings convinced that the art of survival even on a slow turner continues to be alien to their thought process. In India's first innings, Pujara remained the fulcrum as the hosts scored 603-9 in the first innings and others batted around him. KL Rahul (67), Murali Vijay (82), Saha and Jadeja all played their parts to perfection, but Pujara stood out as the sheet-anchor.
