India vs Australia: Mohali Test, Day 3 - As it happened

Live updates from the third day of the Mohali Test between India and Australia.

Zeenews Sports Bureau/Feroz Khan

MATCH REPORT» I SCORECARD» I COMMENTARY» ALSO READ: The break could help Watson find his mojo» ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA MAULED ON DAY 3 So, Shikhar Dhawan has blown the Australian attack to shreds today in Mohali notching up a record unbeaten 183. He has now the fastest Test century on debut and also the highest ever score by an Indian in his maiden Test. The interesting feature of Dhawan’s onslaught was the fact that he seldom looked to slog. Apart from one or two strokes he rarely looked out of control and completely dominated the pacers and spinners with ease. Not to forget should be the fact that Murali Vijay has been a strong support that has made the southpaw comfortable to play his shots. India are still trailing the Australian total by 125 runs with 10 wickets in hand. INDIA Overs: 58 II Score: 283/0 ( Vijay 83*, Dhawan 185*) Vijay whips one with great timing off Henriques for a boundary. Pacers on operation from both ends for the Aussies. The ball is reversing a little but the Indian batsmen not bothered much as they continue to play the way they have throughout. Lyon to bowl the last over of the day and Dhawan for a change is defending the off spinner and playing him from the crease. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 55 II Score: 277/0 ( Vijay 79*, Dhawan 183*) Dhawan’s use of the feet against the spinners has been a treat to watch. Huge six straight down the ground again from the left hander. Dhawan is hit on the pads and the Australians go up in appeal but the ball pitched slightly outside the leg stump. Vijay hits one ever so elegantly through covers for a four. Peter Siddle comes into the attack now. A quiet over bowled, just a single off it. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 50 II Score: 257/0 ( Vijay 71*, Dhawan 173*) Both the Indian openers have not set a foot wrong in this innings. Runs have come at a brisk pace and the visual pleasure that the two openers have provided is something fans had been missing for a long time. Steven Smith has come in for some serious hammering from Dhawan. Australian bowlers are struggling to contain the Indian openers. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 45 II Score: 229/0 ( Vijay 66*, Dhawan 150*) Shikhar Dhawan has reached his 150 runs in just 131 deliveries. He is continuing to plunder the Australian bowling. Even he might have not dreamt of such knock on debut. He has completely overshadowed everything in this Test. Off the 41st over bowled by Starc, Dhawan scored three boundaries – two drives and a punch to third man region. The second brought up the 200 run for India. Off the next Vijay scored a boundary to fine leg. In the 44th over, Dhawan and Vijay shared three boundaries between them – two being scored by the former. The southpaw reached 150 on debut with a single off Doherty. He has made batting look simple on this track. Effortless and full of grace! ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 40 II Score: 192/0 ( Vijay 52*, Dhawan 122*) Shikhar Dhawan is on his way to break yet another record. He is just fifteen runs away from equalling the highest score by a debutant for India in Tests. The current record is held by Gundappa Viswanath (137). In the 38th over of the innings, Dhawan lofted Lyon straight over his head for a six. Off the 36th over, Dhawan scored yet another boundary playing Lyon inside out over cover. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 35 II Score: 176/0 ( Vijay 52*, Dhawan 111*) If you were overawed by Dhawan, you can now spare a thought for Murali Vijay. He has completed his third Test fifty and has played a mature innings so far. Unfazed by the exploits of his opening partner, Vijay has nicely built his innings while staying in the background. But he hasn’t shied away from playing his strokes – the two sixes that he hit in one over of Lyon are enough proof of that. Besides that, he has also hit five boundaries to his name. Meanwhile, Dhawan is not taking his foot off the gas. He drove Lyon in the 32nd over for his 22nd boundary. Off the next over, Vijay went on the backfoot to play Siddle through covers for four. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 29 II Score: 156/0 ( Vijay 42*, Dhawan 106*) TEA! So, India have raced to 156 runs in replying to Australian first innings total of 408. India have scored 153 runs in 28 overs with Dhawan scoring a century on debut – the fastest ever by a debutant in Test! The 28th over saw Vijay score his fourth boundary off Siddle. The 29th over fetched them three runs. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 27 II Score: 144/0 ( Vijay 37*, Dhawan 100*) Oh yes! Terrific stuff from Shikhar Dhawan! The 27-year-old has raced to his maiden Test hundred in no time. A heart-in-the-mouth moment for the Indian as he set off for a really risky single off Peter Siddle to reach three figures. THIS IS THE FASTEST CENTURY BY ANY PLAYER ON DEBUT IN TEST HISTORY. Dhawan is delighted! Off the first delivery of the over, Dhawan slashed hard at a swinging delivery from Siddle that went through gully for a boundary. Shikhar Dhawan: 104* (85 balls, 21x4) ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 25 II Score: 134/0 ( Vijay 36*, Dhawan 91*) For all of you in Mohali, here is a suggestion -- get out of your bed/chair and head to the stadium for Shikhar Dhawan is playing a dreamy innings on debut as he is mauling the Australian bowlers all around the park. The southpaw has been in superb touch today and this doesn’t look like his first Test match! To stem the flow of runs, Clarke brought back Mitchell Starc in the 22nd over. Dhawan hit him for consective boundaries. The 27-year-old then took the life out of Xavier Doherty’s bowling by slamming four boundaries in the next over – a drive through covers, a reverse sweep, again a drive through covers and then a paddle to fine leg. Brilliant stuff from him! He did not stop there and again struck back-to-back boundaries off Starc in the next over. Clarke then turned to his most experienced bowler on the tour – Peter Siddle. He bowled a maiden. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 20 II Score: 90/0 ( Vijay 30*, Dhawan 60*) No mercy for Nathan Lyon as the Indians continue to milk him for runs. Dhawan shimmies down the track and drove it for another boundary. Six runs came in the over. The Indian score is 90 without loss in just 20 overs. The current run rate is 4.5 rpo. A brilliant start to the innings by Vijay and Dhawan. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 18 II Score: 83/0 ( Vijay 29*, Dhawan 54*) And Shikhar Dhawan reaches his maiden Test fifty with a boundary off Nathan Lyon. 53 runs in 50 deliveries for the Delhi lad. Has had a nice beginning to his Test career. Can he convert this into a 100? As if to prove his existence in the middle, Murali Vijay steps out later in the over to launch Lyon over long on for a six. After safely defending the next, He then followed that with another biggie deposited into the same area. An expensive over from Lyon – 17 runs from it. Dhawan has struck 12 boundaries so far. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 15 II Score: 57/0 ( Vijay 17*, Dhawan 40*) Shikhar Dhawan is dealing in boundaries. Fifteen overs have been bowled in the Indian innings and they have already crossed the 50-run mark. Three runs came off the 11th over. The 12th was a maiden. Off the 13th, Dhawan scored back-to-back boundaries - the second of which came off an edge while the first was a pull to midwicket region. 14th over bowled by Lyon gave them just two and Dhawan brought up the Indian fifty with a boundary through cover off the first delivery of the 15th over. A ball later, Dhawan added another boundary to his total much to the frustration of Henriques and Clarke. Runs are coming nice and easy for the home side. The Kangaroos need not just wickets but also keep the batsmen quiet as well. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 10 II Score: 36/0 ( Vijay 13*, Dhawan 23*) Shikhar Dhawan is playing some beautiful strokes here. Spin in Nathan Lyon has been introduced by Michael Clarke. Apart from the sixth over bowled by Siddle, the Indians have scored at least one boundary in the past five overs. Seventh over saw Dhawan pull one from Starc to fine leg. Vijay then struck his first boundary off Siddle in the next through covers. Off the next, Dhawan scored two boundaries – through point and through covers. Lyone was introduced in the 10th over. Vijay stepped out and dispatched him for his second boundary. ==================================================================================== INDIA Overs: 5 II Score: 12/0 ( Vijay 3*, Dhawan 9*) So the play has recommenced. The players are back on the field. The Indian pair of Vijay and Dhawan will be looking to provide a solid start to the innings while Australian bowlers will hope to rattle the batting team with some early blows. Four overs have been bowled and Dhawan has already struck two boundaries. The first of which came via a beautiful cover drive off Peter Siddle. The next was hit employing a pull to deep square leg region off the same bowler. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 1 II Score: 3/0 ( Vijay 3*, Dhawan 0*) So, the opening pair of Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan has walked on to the middle as India look to negotiate a tricky one over before going for a lunch break. Mitchell Starc has the new ball. Vijay has played 15 Tests while his opening partner is playing in his first. A big moment for the southpaw. A dream coming true. Vijay on the strike. And Starc takes off the bail as he drops the ball onto the stumps. A funny moment in the middle as Clarke suggests going to the TV umpire for the replay as Dhawan was clearly out of his crease as the ball took the bails off. In other words, Dhawan could have been on his way out after being run-out without facing a ball! Vijay safely negotiates the five first five deliveries. However, off the last he picks up three runs. So, folks it’s LUNCH! 38.5 overs were bowled in the morning session with three wickets falling and 138 runs being scored. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 141.5 II Score: 408/10 (Lyon 9*) Australia have been bowled out for 408 runs in their first innings on the third day of the third Test at Mohali. Australia have stretched their innings beyond 400-run mark. The Indian team will have to come back to bat for one over as twelve minutes are still remaining for the lunch. Riding on Mitchell Starc’99, the visitors have posted a strong total. Xavier Doherty was the last man to be dismissed after he was adjudged lbw off Ashwin. He scored 5 (12b) ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 140 II Score: 403/9 (Lyon 8*, Doherty 1*) A wry smile on Starc’s face as he left the crease after been dismissed for 99. He gets a pat on his back from his teammates as he enters the dressing room. His movements are enough to show how disappointed he is. However, keeping the bigger picture in mind as Australia have crossed the 400-run mark successfully after they looked to fritter away a brilliant start on the second day. But thanks Steven Smith and Starc, the innings hasn’t crumbled. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 138.5 II Score: 399/9 (Lyon 5*, Doherty 0*) OH DEAR! What has Starc done? Mitchell Starc has been dismissed by Ishant Sharma on 99! This would have been his maiden Test century. He went after a length delivery from Sharma and ended up edging it to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni who took a good diving catch. But nevertheless, it is a strong statement and a message to the ‘specialist’ Australian top order. A lot of drama here. But what is cricket without drama (ask Mickey Arthur!)? Starc looked eager to get to three figures as he swung wildly at two deliveries that eluded his blade. Those were ‘heart-in-the-mouth’ moments as was evident from the reaction of David Warner sitting in the pavilion. Xavier Doherty is the new man in the middle. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 135 II Score: 390/8 ( Starc 91*, Lyon 5*) A causal boundary from Nathan Lyon has edged Australia closer to 400-run mark. Lyon drove Ojha’s final delivery of the 135th over back to him but the fielding was sloppy and it went away for a boundary. Meanwhile, Starc is in the nineties and he is enjoying this outing. The southpaw scored another boundary that came off an inside edge in the 133rd over. Things are certainly getting brighter and brighter for the visitors today. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 130 II Score: 373/8 ( Starc 81*, Lyon 0*) The 126th over saw Australia add just a single to their total. However, Starc continued with this merrymaking as he took 11 runs off the next over bowled by Pragyan Ojha. Eight of them came in boundaries. The first two sweeper cover while the next to fine leg via an inside edge. Starc then swept him away in his next over to score his 11th boundary. Starc has not shied away from scoring runs today and has been lucky at times. He is showing Indians that he is no mug with the bat. A thick edge off Ojha and then a single off the next takes him to 81. Can he go all the way to triples figures? ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 125 II Score: 348/8 (Starc 56*, Lyon 0*) India finally broke the ever threatening 8th wicket over night stand as Pragyan Ojha removed Steve Smith for 92 when he deceived him with a flighted delivery. Dhoni then stumped Smith brilliantly to deny him a well deserved century. Smith, who is making a comeback in this match, played really well to pull Australia out of the woods. Meanwhile, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc proved his class as a batsman as well as he completed a fine half-century off 86 balls with 7 hits to the fence. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 120 II Score: 325/7 (Smith 84*, Starc 45*) Two runs came in the 111th over. Off the next, Starc added another boundary to this total playing one over Ishant’s head. Seven runs came from it. The 117th over bowled by R Ashwin turned out to be a maiden – a first for the day. The fifth delivery of the 120th over hit Smith on the pads and the Indians appealed for it. That looked close but umpire Aleem Dar turned it down. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 110 II Score: 301/7 (Smith 72*, Starc 34*) R Ashwin opens the proceedings of the day. On strike is Mitchell Starc and the southpaw safely negotiates the first five while off the sixth, he steals a single to keep the strike. Partnering him from the other end is Ishant Sharma who has two wickets to his name. Sharma tries to intimidate Starc with a bouncer but the batsman sends the message loud and clear. OK not loud but it is clear that he won’t be bogged down by short stuff as he pulls it away for a boundary. Starc shows his prowess with the bat as he flicks Ashwin for another boundary to deep backward square leg boundary in the next over that fetched them five runs. Smith, who has been a mute spectator to the proceedings, scores a boundary off Ishant in the next. It turns out to be a good over fetching them eight runs. Indian skipper MS Dhoni takes the new ball after 108 overs, throws it to his new ball specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Four runs from his first over of the morning. So, the shimmering rock is in the hands of Sharma. Can he get the breakthrough? His first ball hits Smith on the pads. Bat was involved and umpire rightly turned it down. Smith then asserts himself with a brilliant boundary down the ground off an overpitched delivery. A double off the next brings up the 300 and fifty-run partnership. Six runs from the over. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Overs: 104 II Score: 273/7 (Smith 58*, Starc 20*) AT STUMPS: Australia began well with the opening pair of Ed Cowan and David Warner adding 139 runs for the first wicket on Day 2. However, their middle order once again crumbled and even Michael Clarke, their pillar of hope, failed as they lost three quick wickets in the space of 12 runs. Cowan and Warner slammed half-centuries before being dismissed by Ashwin and Jadeja respectively. Their skipper made first ball duck while Phil Hughes could only add two to his total. Pacer Ishant Sharma took two wickets in 21 overs. Steven Smith is still at the crease with 58 along with Mitchell Starc.