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Australia consolidate hold on Sydney Test vs India after Pat Cummins burst

Pat Cummins took 4/29 to flatten India as Australia dominated the Sydney Test. At stumps on day 3, the lead was close to 200 runs.

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Pat Cummins had a superb run-out as well as a haul of 4/29 as Australia dominated the Sydney Test against India. (Image credit: ABC Grandstand Twitter)
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Cheteshwar Pujara reached a fifty off 174 balls. This was his slowest fifty even by his standards. The partnership with Rishabh Pant was over 50. It seemed the dup were all set to repeat the pains of the 2018/19 series for Australia at the same venue. However, in an inspired burst of bowling from Pat Cummins, Australia consolidated their hold on the Sydney Test. His 4/29, which included the big wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as well as the grit shown by Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, ensured Australia ended day 3 197 runs ahead in the Sydney Test on Saturday. To add more misery to India, a couple of injury concerns to Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant have compounded their situation.

However, credit must be given to Pat Cummins who cemented his reputation as the No.1 bowler in Tests with an amazing display of bowling on a wicket that was not assisting the pacers much apart from some uneven bounce. At the start of day 3, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara scored at a slow pace, with Pujara going about his work normally. Rahane broke the shackles with a four off Mitchell Starc and then pounded a six off Nathan Lyon.

Then, there was some action. Matthew Wade spilled a chance of Ajinkya Rahane and it seemed the horrors of Melbourne were going to bite Australia hard again. However, it was Pat Cummins who ensured that Australia would not pay a heavy price as Ajinkya Rahane dragged a shortish ball back onto the stumps. India decided to help Australia even more by gifting away a few wickets. Hanuma Vihari was run-out as Josh Hazlewood secured a direct hit but Rishabh Pant and Pujara ensured that India would bounce back in the contest.

Pant, Pujara and the collapse

Rishabh Pant was batting in his usual way as he looked to be aggressive and dictate terms to the opposition. Pujara was continuing to stonewall and Indian fans were hoping for a repeat of 2019 in which Pant registered the highest score by an Indian keeper overseas while Pujara’s great series was at a crescendo. Pant missed a few, but he scored confidently as the partnership went past fifty.

However, the first blow was struck when Pant copped a blow to his elbow from Pat Cummins. Josh Hazlewood pounced on the vulnerability and got Pant with a full and wide ball which the Indian keeper edged to David Warner at slip. Then, the moment which changed the match. After getting to his fifty, Pujara poked at a shortish delivery in the outside off channel and he fell for fifty. It was the fourth consecutive time that Pat Cummins had dismissed Pujara in the series, the first time that India's No.3 had faced this predicament. The run-outs of R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah only added to the misery. Ravindra Jadeja was the lone hope and he struck some boundaries. But, in one over of Mitchell Starc, he fended at a short ball and got hit on the left thumb which resulted in tape and a trip to the hospital. Fittingly, it was Cummins who got the wicket and Australia had a huge lead of 94 runs.

Ashwin, Siraj stike but Australia prosper

India managed to get the wicket of Will Pucovski and David Warner with Mohammed Siraj and R Ashwin showing their mettle. Ashwin dismissed David Warner for the 10th time in his career and showed that he is a left-hander’s nightmare. However, the absence of Jadeja on the field meant India lost the ability to hold one end up. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne continued their good form from the first innings and stretched the lead.

Labuschagne and Smith benefited from some deflated bowling from the Indians towards the end as the partnership crossed fifty and the lead neared 200. India have a mountain to climb in Sydney now and if they can restrict Australia to under a lead of 300, then it will give them a chance. But, Pat Cummins’ burst has ensured that Australia have consolidated their hold on the Sydney game.

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