"Another meek surrender on the cards" - Twitter reacts as Team India face an uphill task of saving the SCG Test on the final day
Team India have a monumental task in hand to save the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) after a plethora of dropped catches and careless dismissals have handed Australia a significant advantage.
Australia resumed Day 4 on 103-2 with both Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne at the crease. However, on the second ball of the day, Hanuma Vihari dropped an absolute sitter off Labuschagne at square-leg, a dismissal that could have slowed down the hosts.
The Indian bowlers looked largely clueless, and the Aussies took full advantage by scoring at a brisk pace. Half-centuries from Labuchagne, Smith and the young all-rounder Cameron Green saw Australia declare their second innings at 312-6 at the stroke of tea.
Asked to chase down 407 runs in four sessions, Team India, depleted by injuries to Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, were off to a good start to their second innings.
Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill put on their second 50-run opening stand of the match, playing with freedom and not looking fazed by the Australian pace attack. However, after adding 71 runs on the board, Gill edged one behind to Tim Paine off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.
The embattled Cheteshwar Pujara survived an early LBW scare through a review and looked resolute in his defence. Rohit Sharma continued to play with a positive intent, bringing up his maiden half-century as an opener in an away Test.
However, just when the star opener looked set for a long innings, the 33-year-old tried to needlessly take on a short ball from Pat Cummins. The pacer couldn't believe his luck, as Rohit Sharma smashed the ball straight into the hands of Mitchell Starc at deep fine leg.
With just 15 minutes left in the day, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane walked out to the middle. Both Rahane and Pujara saw off the final burst from the Aussie quicks as Team India ended an eventful Day 4 on 98-2.
With another 309 runs to pull off a win, Team India could have a tough task to survive the last day. They will hope their two most experienced batsmen at the crease bat for large swathes to keep the hosts at bay.
Twitter dissects Team India's chances of saving the SCG Test
Fans on Twitter were unhappy with the way Rohit Sharma threw away yet another promising start. Injuries to Pant and Jadeja mean that a depleted Team India face a tough task to save the Test match.
However, some fans expect Pujara and Rahane to bat out the entire day, ala VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in the famous 2001 Test at the Eden Gardens against the same opposition.
Here is what some of the fans had to say: