Border- Gavaskar Trophy 3rd Test Match ( 1st Innings)

Australia won the toss and decided to bat first in the 3^rd and crucial test mach of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia started the Innings with Matt R and David W and India started bowling with Pace Bowlers I Sharma and U Yadav. Australia started very aggressively and India kept dropping easy catches in the slip cotton. Australia batted superbly well in the 1^st Innings of the match and post total of 451 runs in 137.3 over’s at the loss of 10 wickets with top scores of Aussie Skipper S Smith who made 178 runs in 361 balls with 17 fours and strike rate of 49 runs in 100 balls faced, Glen M on his comeback to Aussie team made 104 runs in 185 balls with 9 fours and 2 sixes at the strike rate of 56 runs in 100 balls faced. Other contributors were Matt R who made 44 runs in 69 balls with 7 fours and Aussie wicket keeper batsman M Wade who made 37 runs in 50 balls with 6 fours.

For India R Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers with 5 wickets by conceding 124 runs in his 49.3 over’s, U Yadav chipped in with 3 wickets by giving away only 106 runs in 31 over’s and R Ashwin took 1 wicket by conceding 114 runs in 34 over’s and Josh H was out Run out by the combo of K L Rahul and R Jadeja.

Writers Analysis:  At one time Australia was in trouble when it lost its 4 wickets at the team score of 140 runs but it’s the partnership of S Smith and Glen M that took Australia pass to a very good score. If India could have managed to get Glen M or even S Smith cheaply, that would have helped India a lot. This total was going to be very challenging for India’s team and they need to bat properly to avoid conceding any more lead to Australia in this crucial Test match.