India 180-4 on day 3 of 3rd test vs Australia, trail by 158

SYDNEY: Josh Hazlewood had India batsman Hanuma Vihari out of his ground by several feet with a spectacular direct hit on the stumps to leave the visitors 180 for four at lunch and trailing Australia’s first-innings total of 338 by 158 runs on the third day of the third cricket test.

With the weather finally cooperating at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday after two days of play-restricting rain showers, Hazlewood’s throw while diving to his right and falling to the ground from mid-off hit the stumps side-on, leaving Vihari (4), well out of his ground.

“It was good to get that kind of breakthrough,” Hazlewood said while walking off the ground at lunch.

At the break, India No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara was making painstakingly slow progress with 42 runs from 144 balls while wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was doing the opposite, scoring his 29 runs from 45. India scored 84 runs in the first session.

The only other India wicket to fall in the first session Saturday was when captain Ajinkya Rahane, attempting a cut shot, knocked the ball back on to his stumps on a delivery from Pat Cummins. Rahane was out for 22.

Australia captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine unleashed an expletive-filled rant at umpire Paul Wilson over test cricket’s umpire review system, asking for some “consistency.”

Paine was angered after Pujara survived a bat-pad review on 13, with no evidence he’d edged the ball. With Nathan Lyon searching for his first wicket of the Sydney test, Paine immediately sent the not-out call to the third umpire after Matthew Wade’s catch was turned down.

Legside hotspot replays were blocked by Wade’s body, while the “snicko” which indicates the ball hit the bat, showed very small movement as the ball went past the bat.

Third umpire Bruce Oxenford looked at the offside hotspot and didn’t see a mark as the inside edge of the bat turned, before sticking with the not-out call, prompting a verbal barrage from Paine.

Both India openers were out before stumps on Friday, Rohit Sharma for 26 and Shubman Gill on 50, to leave India at 96-2 going into the third day.

On Friday, Steve Smith’s 131, his first century since the 2019 Ashes and Australia’s first this series, helped lift the hosts to their total. India spinner Ravi Jadeja took 4-62 and completed a spectacular run out to dismiss Smith and end the innings.

Marnus Labuschagne made 91 off 196 balls for Australia, and shared a century stand with Smith to see Australia past 200 runs for the first time in five innings this series.

On Thursday, Will Pucovski set the tone with 62 on debut, before Labuschagne and Smith took over as Australia’s batting lineup finally clicked against India on a rain-interrupted opening day.

The four-match Border-Gavaskar trophy series is level at 1-1. The holder India is hoping to secure it with a victory in Sydney and Australia needing to win the series to reclaim it.

Australia won the opening day-night match in Adelaide by eight wickets and India responded with an eight-wicket win in Melbourne last week.

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