Depleted India’s injury woes worsened Saturday as Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant underwent scans in a hospital after taking nasty blows from the Australian pacers
Cheteshwar Pujara’s singular lack of intent pushed an injury-ravaged India into a deep hole as Australia tightened the noose with a substantial 197-run lead on a forgettable Saturday for the visitors in the third Test here.
Pujara’s slowest Test half-century, a painstaking 50 off 176 balls, was soon followed by India being bowled out for 244 on the third day with the other batsmen feeling tremendous pressure of a dormant scoreboard.
A first-innings lead of 94 runs provided by the bowlers and some good fielding did help Australia’s cause.
By stumps, Steve Smith (29 batting) and Marnus Labuschagne (47 batting) gave an exhibition of how to bat on slow tracks with Australia reaching 103/2.
Labuschagne, in particular, showed how to bat positively on a dead track hitting six boundaries in 67 balls.
As Shane Warne pointed out…