Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara's wickets came as a big blow for India in the second session of the final day of the ongoing Pink Test against Australia on Monday here at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
At the tea interval, India's score reads 280/5, and it is still 127 runs away from the target. For the visitors, Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin are currently unbeaten on 4 and 7 respectively. In the second session, 74 runs were scored from 26 overs.
Resuming the second session on the final day at 206/3, Pant and Pujara stuck to their individual approaches of scoring runs, and mixed caution with aggression to keep the scoreboard moving. However, Australia came back strongly as they got the crucial wicket of Pant (97) with India still 157 runs away from the target. Pant was sent back to the pavilion by Nathan Lyon, reducing India to 250/4.
With the second new ball, Josh Hazlewood provided yet another big breakthrough as he cleaned up Pujara (77) and India's hopes of surviving the final day took a big hit. Vihari pulled his hamstring in the second session and as a result, he was unable to run quickly between the wickets.
In the end, Vihari and Ashwin ensured that the hosts did not lose any more wickets before the tea interval.
Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane (4) departed early in the first session but Pant and Pujara ensured that India showed a fight and kept hopes alive on the final day. At the lunch break, India's score read 206/3, with 201 runs needed to win the match.
On day four, Australia had set a target of 407 for India to win the third Test. Cameron Green and Steve Smith played knocks of 84 and 81 respectively as Australia declared their second innings on 312/6.
Brief Scores: Australia 338 and 312/6d; India 244 and 280/5 (Rishabh Pant 97, Cheteshwar Pujara 77, Nathan Lyon 2-101).
( With inputs from ANI )
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