Perth, Dec 16:
Captain Virat Kohli became the second fastest to 25 Test centuries before India’s pacers made Australia labour for an overall 175-run lead, leaving the second match evenly poised here Sunday.
Usman Khawaja scored an unbeaten 41 runs as Australia reached 132 for four at stumps on day three. Tim Paine (8 not out) was keeping company at the other end.
Earlier, the Indian skipper scored 123 runs off 257 balls. It was his sixth Test hundred on Australian soil, joining boyhood hero Sachin Tendulkar, and he became the second-quickest batsman in Test history to score 25 Test hundreds (in 127 innings) after Sir Donald Bradman’s 68 innings.
Post tea, Aaron Finch (25 retd hurt) didn’t come out to bat after being hit by Mohammed Shami (2-23) in the 13th over. He retired hurt but scans cleared him of serious damage on his right hand’s index finger.
It was a fiery spell of fast bowling from the Indian pacers. Marcus Harris (20) too had been hit on the helmet earlier in the eighth over off Jasprit Bumrah (1-25).
The opener, dropped on 1 off Ishant Sharma (1-33) at first slip by Cheteshwar Pujara, added 26 runs with Khawaja.
Harris was bowled off Bumrah in the 18th over, attempting to leave the ball, assuming it would move away only for it to crash into the stumps. It became two wickets in four overs as Shaun Marsh (5) was caught behind off Shami.
Australia’s lead had barely crossed 100 at that stage, as Khawaja and Peter Handscomb (13) put on 21 runs. There was a lot of chatter in the middle while the latter was at the crease, owing to controversy over Virat Kohli’s dismissal earlier in the day.
Ishant trapped him lbw in the 26th over as Australia were reduced to 85 for three. The big partnerships weren’t coming as Khawaja and Travis Head (19) added another 35 runs, helping the hosts cross 100 in the 30th over.
Head threw it away just like he did in the first innings, holing out to third man off Shami. Only Khawaja stood tall among the regular wickets and anchored the Australian innings. (PTI)
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