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Indian opener Shubman Gill scored his maiden Test century in India and his second overall, while Virat Kohli is unbeaten after scoring a fifty as India are 289/3 at stumps on day three of the fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India still trails Australia by 191 runs and will be looking to score runs quickly on day four to force a result in this game, which is vital for their qualification in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC).
Day three was another hot day at Ahmedabad as India resumed their innings at 36/0 in 10 overs with skipper Rohit Sharma and Gill at the crease. India completed their fifty in 13 overs as both the openers started looking comfortable.
Rohit and Gill added a 74-run opening stand from 126 balls with both the openers contributing almost equally. Rohit scored 35 off 58 balls, hitting three fours and a maximum before getting caught at cover off left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann through a soft dismissal.
Coming to bat at No.3, Cheteshwar Pujara joined Gill to continue India’s effort to put runs on the board. India went to drinks at 81/1 in 24 overs. Gill brought up his 50 off 90 balls as India completed their 100 runs in 29 overs.
Gill looked in total control of his shots and kept the scoreboard ticking while Pujara supported him well. The Gill-Pujara duo added their 50-run partnership for the second wicket off 88 balls as India were 129/1 in 37 overs at Lunch.
The first session on day three was won by India as they lost just one wicket and scored 93 runs in 27 overs.
In the afternoon session, run-scoring seemed a bit difficult as the Australian bowlers were disciplined in their line and lengths bowling tight overs.
Pujara was in his usual approach playing the ball on its merit and waiting for the loose balls, while Gill kept his ego aside and played out the phase where the Aussie bowlers didn’t give anything to the batters.
Soon, India went to drinks at 152/1 in 51 overs with Gill and Pujara continuing to stretch their partnership. Gill and Pujara added their 100-run partnership off 194 balls for the second wicket as India started looking in a comfortable position with the ball coming nicely onto the bat.
India got their first boundary nearly after 15 overs when Gill scored two fours in the same over off Cameron Green: a punch on the up to a good length ball through cover point and then a glorious cover driver to a half volley. Gill brought up his century off 194 balls through a sweep over the leg slip fielder off Nathon Lyon.
Just before tea, Pujara had a lapse in concentration as off-spinner Todd Murphy trapped him lbw while bowling around the wicket. Pujara went for the review but the on-field umpire’s decision stayed as he had to walk back to the pavilion on 42 off 121 balls, which included three fours.
At Tea, India were at 188/2 in 63 overs. The final session of the day began with Australia captain Steven Smith bringing spinners Lyon and Murphy into the attack.
However, Gill continued from where he left in the second session, playing a reverse sweep for a four off Murphy. Both Gill and Kohli ensured that they kept rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking. Gill finally scored a boundary after five overs as he came down the wicket to Lyon to whip him through mid-wicket.
Kohli drove left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc through mid-off to welcome him with a four and then flicked one through square leg to finish the over with a couple of boundaries. Kohli was decisive in his footwork and was picking the length early. He was watching the ball like a hawk and started opening up as his innings progressed, driving Murphy through cover for a boundary.
Meanwhile, when Starc pulled his length back, Kohli was quick to go on to the backfoot to use Starc’s pace and dab the ball through third man for four. Australia finally got the breakthrough in the 79th over when Gill got trapped lbw right in front of the stumps on the backfoot off a full ball from Lyon.
Gill was timing the ball really well and looked in total control of his innings. He scored a well-made 128 off 235 balls, hitting twelve fours and one six at a strike rate of 54.46 before getting dismissed.
At the other end, Kohli continued to score runs hitting Lyon through the fine leg to eventually complete his fifty off 107 balls. Kohli scored his fifty after 15 innings and 14 months in Test cricket and celebrated his half-century with a sigh of relief on his face.
Smith brought Starc into the attack as Australia took the new ball after 94 overs. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja finally broke the shackles by dancing down the pitch to loft Kuhnemann down the ground over wide long-on for a six.
With just three overs remaining in the day, both Kohli and Jadeja played out the remaining overs as India ended the day’s play at 289/3 in 99 overs.
At stumps on day three, Kohli is unbeaten on 59 off 128 balls with five fours, while Jadeja is on 16 not out off 54 balls with a six.
For Australia, Lyon (1/75), Kuhnemann (1/43) and Murphy (1/45) took one wicket each.
Day 3 Play (session by session):
First Session: India 93/1 in 27 overs
Second Session: India 59/1 in 26 overs
Third Session: India 101/1 in 36 overs
Brief scores: Australia 480 lead India 289/3 in 99 overs (Shubman Gill 128, Virat Kohli 59 not out; Matthew Kuhnemann 1-43, Todd Murphy 1-45) by 191 runs
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