What happened on Day 3 of the 1st India vs Australia BGT 2024-25 Test in Perth?
Team India continued their domination of Australia on Day 3 of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, November 24. Resuming their second innings on 172-0, India declared on 487-6 on the back of tons from Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100*), setting Australia a massive target of 534.
In response, the hosts crumbled to 12-3 in 4.2 overs by stumps. Jasprit Bumrah trapped Nathan McSweeney (0) lbw with one that kept low, while Mohammed Siraj sent back nightwatchman Pat Cummins (2), having hit caught at second slip by Kohli with a good length ball outside off. Bumrah then trapped Marnus Labuschagne (3) lbw as the out-of-form batter left a back-of-length delivery that would have hit the stumps.
The day belonged to India from start to finish. Playing in just his 15th Test, young opener Jaiswal went on to notch up his four Test hundred. Significantly, Kohli returned to form with an unbeaten century, his 30th Test ton and seventh in Australia. The right-hander's sublime knock featured eight fours and two sixes.
Kohli looked in good touch and even played an on-drive off Cummins pretty early in his innings, which went for four. A few overs later, he carved a six over the slip cordon off Mitchell Starc, which hit an unsuspecting security guard. Having settled in nicely, he eased to a half-century by clipping Cummins wide of mid-on for three. He even walloped off-spinner Nathan Lyon for a six.
The 36-year-old, who had a horror series against New Zealand at home, brought up his 30th Test ton with a four off Labuschagne. He blew kisses to his wife Anushka Sharma even as skipper Bumrah declared the innings.
Jaiswal notches up a memorable ton in Perth
Earlier, Jaiswal and KL Rahul carried on from where they left off on Day 2 in Perth. In the second over of the day, Rahul cover drove Starc for a four. Jaiswal, who was unbeaten on 90 overnight, then brought up his century in sensational fashion, playing the ramp shot to a bouncer from Josh Hazlewood. What followed was a rather long celebration as the youngster celebrated a proud moment.
There was some joy for Australia when Starc managed to find the edge of Rahul's bat, bowling from round the wicket. The Indian opener was dismissed for a defiant 77 off 176 balls, a patient knock in which he hit just five fours. Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal added 74 for the second wicket. The latter, however, could not build on a start and was dismissed for 25, caught at second slip off Hazlewood.
Jaiswal went on to convert his hundred into 150. Amazingly, all his four Test hundreds have been scores of 150-plus. The Indian opener was eventually dismissed in rather soft fashion, cutting a short and wide ball from Mitchell Marsh to point. His brilliant knock featured 15 fours and three sixes.
Following Jaiswal's dismissal, Rishabh Pant perished for one, stumped as he tried to go after Lyon. Dhruv Jurel (1) was trapped lbw by Cummins with one that came in with the angle. Kohli then added 89 runs for the sixth wicket with Washington Sundar (29) and an unbroken 77 for the seventh wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (38* off 27), who impressed yet again.