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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Geoff Lemon (earlier) and Jonathan Howcroft (later)

Australia and India draw third Test – as it happened

Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari
India and Australia’s players were pleasant after drawing the third Test but there was plenty of spice during play at the SCG. Photograph: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images

Summary

Right, that’s all you need from me for now. Thank you for joining us on this memorable day of Test cricket. What a treat it has been.

I’m sure Geoff will furnish us with something masterly over the coming days, then it’s back to the OBO again in Brisbane on Friday. See you then.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari
Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari after their epic rearguard on day five. Photograph: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images

Tim Paine was “pretty confident” about his team’s chances and believes they created enough chances. “We just didn’t hold our catches, myself in particular.”

Steve Smith player of the match

Knocks of 131 & 81 means Smith thoroughly deserves his magnum of sponsor’s product, but a few Indian’s stuck their hands up for honours today. He plays Gilchrist’s questions with a straight bat, lamenting how docile the pitch played today and looking forward to moving onto the livelier Gabba.

The final day told in two innings. When Pant was at the crease the match was alive with ambition. Then Vihari showed extraordinary grit to avoid defeat. Each remarkable knocks in their own ways.

Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Stars is underway in an hour. It is match 36 of 61 in this year’s BBL.

140 of them batting on one leg after pulling a hamstring. What an effort.

The players and staff troop off shaking hands, but there was plenty of spite in this contest and Paine’s sledging of Ashwin will be repeated often before the final Test at the Gabba. Added to the allegations of abuse from the outer and the tense negotiations to get the BCCI to agree to play in Queensland, and that fourth Test is set up to be a very spicy affair.

Paine’s three drops today were significant, as was Abbott’s failure to hold on at square-leg. Australia will be bitterly disappointed not to finish the job after coasting from midway through day three.

Match drawn

The final over will not be bowled. A draw has been offered and accepted. What a rearguard performance from India!

131st over: India 334-5 (Vihari 23, Ashwin 39) Target 407; 1 over remaining - Vihari glances Starc for four to begin the penultimate over of the match. The bowler responds by whistling down a gorgeous delivery that angles in with reverse swing then seams away; too good for Vihari to edge. The next ball is not dissimilar, but a little wider, and the batsman is more culpable for fishing.

130th over: India 330-5 (Vihari 19, Ashwin 39) Target 407; 2 overs remaining - Hazlewood’s tired too, and his underpaced opening delivery is pulled handsomely for four by Ashwin, then a backfoot drive through the offside deserves runs, and this time Vihari dares to limp two! Perhaps relaxing too much, Ashwin then plays and misses outside off. He quickly recovers composure and keeps out a well-directed in-swinger.

It’s a real shame Vihari has been unable to run. This could have bene a real classic.

Updated

129th over: India 324-5 (Vihari 19, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 3 overs remaining - Starc again, but this is the poorest over of his spell. He looks tired and a bit ragged, spraying the ball all over the place. It ends with him being slapped through point by Vihari up on his tiptoes. That brings up the 50 partnership off a million and sixty four balls.

This is from that contretemps earlier between Paine and Ashwin. It’s certain to make headlines.

Updated

128th over: India 320-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 4 overs remaining - Hazlewood replaces Lyon, which prompts Ashwin to readjust his chest guard. He starts with a leak down the leg-side, but then hits his mark and stifles an appeal after finding some in-swing that hits Ashwin’s pads off an inside-edge. The ball then refuses to reverse and drifts harmlessly wide of off stump before a bouncer pitches nearer the bowler than batsman, giving India’s No.7 an age to get out of line. Hazlewood does get some tail again by pitching up but Ashwin responds with an elegant clip through midwicket off his toes. That was worth three easily, but this pair opt not to run. And again, from the final delivery of the over, only this was a very handsome backfoot straight drive.

Zia has the answer to the shadows question, thanks Zia. “The fielders shadow can be on the pitch but they are not allowed to move while the ball is being delivered.”

127th over: India 320-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 5 overs remaining - Starc continues to pound his way in, and his limbs are finally flowing loosely like you see when he’s in full flight. He goes length, short, then at the body, almost inducing a flick to leg gully from Vihari. Then he’s full with some reverse outswing, length drawing a leading edge, and length again with plenty of tail and some uneven bounce taking it lifting well past the outside edge. Terrific over, but still no breakthrough.

Toby Chadd has an excellent email, and I don’t have a ready answer. Anybody out there in the hive mind with the knowledge? “Are fielders are able to place themselves such that their shadows are on the wicket and even where the ball pitches? As the silly point is this over. I thought that the law about fielders not distracting batsmen included shadows?”

126th over: India 319-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 6 overs remaining - Ashwin blocks Lyon’s 46th over with the minimum of fuss.

125th over: India 319-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 7 overs remaining - Starc is bowling with his best rhythm of the day, somewhat belatedly, and he begins his latest over by ripping one past Vihari’s outside edge from around the wicket. There’s a hint of reverse tail away from the right-hander but Vihari is watchful, playing late and with soft hands to minimise any threat. Even so, he still can’t get bat to a yorker that swings away treacherously late that misses the off stump. He’s then alert to a straighter toe-crusher to see off the over.

It is quieter out in the middle now, and yet somehow more tense. It’s in this kind of pressure that diamonds are made, and Vihari and Ashwin are sparkling.

Keeper’s all the way for mine. The gap between keeper and slip is quite big too, only reinforcing that instinct.

124th over: India 319-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 8 overs remaining - Ashwin looks a tad jittery now, in these closing stages, but he sees off another Lyon over, played largely off the front foot with bat out in front of pad.

123rd over: India 319-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 9 overs remaining - Starc replaces Cummins. The left-armer has bowled just 17 overs, compared to Hazlewood’s 24 and Cummins’ 26. He starts well, nailing a bouncer from around the wicket that Vihari is fortunate comes off the handle and down away from short-leg. Another short ball follows, then a searing yorker that squirts off the leading edge and away to safety. Then he finds the perfect line and length, draws the outside edge, AND PAINE DROPS THE CATCH! WOW! That was one he should have taken. He went one-handed, it was between keeper and slip, but it hits the ground after being grassed with a hard hand.

Social media is suggesting I missed plenty from Paine’s sledge to Ashwin. I can’t imagine he’s any happier now. He’s had a miserable day with the gloves. Three drops now.

122nd over: India 319-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 10 overs remaining - Lyon mixes it up, starting from around the wicket to Ashwin for a change. After a couple of dots Ashwin pulls away and it sparks some choice words from Tim Paine, who is not at all happy. I caught “can’t wait to see you at the Gabba,” but I’m sure there was more. Ashwin pulls away again, and a third time, with Paine continuing to chunter between deliveries. Lyon moves back over the wicket, and the desperation is revealed with a massive appeal for an LBW with Ashwin miles outside off stump and possibly even inside-edging it, and a further one for a glove down the leg-side.

The fallout from this Test will be fascinating. The Gabba Test promises to be no holds barred.

If you were wondering what was going on in the home dressing room:

121st over: India 319-5 (Vihari 15, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 11 overs remaining - Vihari has the confidence to glide a Cummins short ball over the cordon for four. He then stays inside two further bouncers angled down the leg-side before poking a thick edge at one that keeps low and watching it scuttle away for another four. After over 120+ balls at the crease Vihari more than doubles his score in an over. Cricket, eh?

120th over: India 311-5 (Vihari 7, Ashwin 33) Target 407; 12 overs remaining - Lyon continues to tease outside the off stump but Ashwin is equal to it, driving a rare four to the cover boundary. Lyon almost gets his revenge by catching the batsman off balance and almost succumbing LBW and run out, but for all the energy in the middle Paul Reiffel remains unmoved.

Australia’s attack hasn’t executed the short ball tactic well today. Starc in particular looked out of sorts.

119th over: India 307-5 (Vihari 7, Ashwin 29) Target 407; 13 overs remaining - It had to be Cummins from the other end, and so it is, but Ashwin escapes to the non-striker’s end first ball with a glance to fine-leg. Vihari then does superbly to rise onto his tiptoes and safely smother a well-directed short ball despite a cluster of Covid-non compliant Australians in his nostrils. The rest of the over is a bit of a non-event with Vihari ducking well under a couple of bouncers and defending firmly on the front foot.

118th over: India 305-5 (Vihari 7, Ashwin 28) Target 407; 14 overs remaining - Lyon returns to the attack for one final shove. It’s a testing over, loopy and droppy landing outside off stump, drawing Vihari into areas he doesn’t want to be playing the ball. There are some half-appeals and plenty of oohs and ahhs, but no clear chance.

Updated

Drinks, and then the final hour of the match.

117th over: India 305-5 (Vihari 7, Ashwin 28) Target 407; 15 overs remaining - Is it just me, or has this rearguard action broken Cricinfo? Nonetheless Hazlewood continues his Sisyphean task, Ashwin returns his shoulder to the wheel, and another over disappears without a wicket. It even ends with a full toss clipped away through midwicket for four!

Colum’s woken up. “Went to sleep with Pujara and Pant beginning to shows signs of aggression in the company of your esteemed colleague Geoff Lemon, he emails. “Wake up on a Monday morning in Naples to find India still have a ghost of a chance of saving this with Vihari and Ashwin. Bloody hell, Test cricket. I hope they make it. Incredible depth of character and willpower from India.”

116th over: India 301-5 (Vihari 7, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 16 overs remaining - Paine throws the ball to Cameron Green in the hope his golden boy has a golden arm and picks up his first Test wicket when his side desperately needs it. He starts with bouncers around the wicket to Vihari, in an undisguised display of leg theory, but the radar is miles off and after a wide he reverts back to over the wicket and line and length. Vihari navigates it comfortably.

Michael Slater still thinks an Australian win is the likely result.

115th over: India 300-5 (Vihari 7, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 17 overs remaining - Hazlewood continues to bend his back, bowling length, short, cutters and even a yorker, the latter tailing in menacingly at Vihari’s boot, but he manages to evade LBW and even accept a single after a long run of declining any advance to the score.

114th over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 18 overs remaining - More from Labuschagne, who invites a big drive from Ashwin - for no runs - it just goes to show how even in the heat of a battle this fierce instinct can still take over. Ashwin reverts to type thereafter, defending without alarm. He has now faced 85 balls, Vihari a round 100.

113th over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 19 overs remaining - Aside from fine-leg every Australian is within pleasantry-sharing distance of the batsmen. A cluster of these are on the leg-side to allow Hazlewood bowl very straight and it’s a tactic that almost pays dividends on four occasions. The first is flicked by Vihari just in front of leg-gully, the second is wide of midwicket, the third is fended into the gap where leg slip might have been, then a bat-pad skirts just to the left of short-leg.

112th over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 20 overs remaining - Paine is running out of options now, so he has another look at some Labuschagne allsorts. They land reasonably well, and there’s a little turn for the part-time leggie, but Ashwin plays him comfortably from the crease and smashes a full toss straight at Wade standing at silly mid-off. Wade, typically, doesn’t flinch. I think he’s made of punchbag stuffing.

111st over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 21 overs remaining - Unsurprisingly, Starc is replaced, and it’s Hazlewood who comes back. This could be the last roll of the dice for Australia. Hazlewood has looked the most threatening today and this is likely to be his final spell. He’s immediately onto a good line and length to Vihari, and there might even be a smidgen of reverse swing into the right-hander. It’s a beautiful over, the first to really test India since Tea. Vihari doesn’t know whether to come forward or not, and he’s trapped on the crease repeatedly with the ball fizzing past outside edge and in. But no breakthrough.

“If the Aussies have a go at Vihari and he gets hit on the helmet, how would Mother Cricket view a concussion replacement?” emails Keith from New York. “Vihari clearly cannot run. Who is his like for like replacement (Argawal?) and would India go for it if that were to happen? Who ultimately determines if a concussion replacement is a possibility? That would keep the series buzzing if it played out in that manner.” I think they’d have to call out Jake The Peg or Agarwal with a broomstick down one of his strides.

110th over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 22 overs remaining - Lyon starts over, but then moves around the wicket, but Ashwin and his dead bat is equal to it. Wade, Labuschagne and co are making plenty of noise under the batsman’s nose.

Will Pucovski left the field earlier after hurting his right shoulder diving in the field. He is now in his civvies after receiving plenty of strapping. Let’s hope he pulls up OK for Brisbane.

109th over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 23 overs remaining - Starc varies his approach over and around the wicket to Vihari, but it’s an over the Indian batsman has no difficulty seeing off. Starc has lacked rhythm today, and he’s increasingly looking like a man trying to bowl to a strategy he is ill-suited to, instead of trusting his Elastoplast and “F*ck it, bowl fast”.

108th over: India 299-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 24) Target 407; 24 overs remaining - Ashwin, with three Australians under his nose and a couple behind his ears, defends capably against Lyon and even picks up four for his troubles with a checked drive to an over-pitched delivery that scooted away to the long-off boundary. And he doubles his money with another boundary, this time a square drive! Maybe the 407 is on again? (Don’t @ me, I know it isn’t.)

“On a lifeless 5th day SCG wicket the “best pace attack in the world” is resorting to leg theory,” emails John. “The definition of brain dead cricket.” It’s hard to disagree. Considering it’s a five-man attack, and line-and-length has proven so successful all series, quite why they’d deviate from the script now, and for so long, seems odd.

107th over: India 291-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 16) Target 407; 25 overs remaining - Starc resumes his barrage at Ashwin, but it lasts only two balls before the strike is rotated. India’s makeshift No.7 as acquitted himself superbly so far. Weathering all manner of storms and wearing plenty of bruises. Vihari barely has to play the remainder of the over. Starc’s radar has been off today, pretty badly at times.

106th over: India 290-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 15) Target 407; 26 overs remaining - There are four men around the bat, and they are growing increasingly grumpy as Lyon begins another over. It’s a testing one from the offie, landing consistently outside off, drawing Vihari forward and teasing the inside edge. There’s a huge appeal for a bat-pad catch but it’s not given on-field and with only one review remaining Paine does not go upstairs.

105th over: India 290-5 (Vihari 6, Ashwin 15) Target 407; 27 overs remaining - Maybe Mitchell Starc’s the answer? He begins with a wide half-volley that Vihari drives through the covers - and elects not to run. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear, India are settling for the draw. The next ball Vihari again pierces the offside (a regulation two) and they take the single this time, perhaps thinking they could make a second, only to find Green too quick on the chase. Now it’s Starc’s turn to harass Ashwin with bouncers, but they’re all badly directed down the leg-side and another over ebbs away.

104th over: India 289-5 (Vihari 5, Ashwin 15) Target 407; 28 overs remaining - Ashwin leans forward like a praying mantis and calmly pushes away a maiden that lacked wit from batter or bowler. Australia need to find something to raise the tempo, and soon.

There’s some chuntering out in the middle while Vihari tries to rearrange his chest guard at the non-striker’s end. Australia’s fielders are having none of it. Telling India to get on with the game.

103rd over: India 289-5 (Vihari 5, Ashwin 15) Target 407; 29 overs remaining - Vihari (5 off 70) sees off another Cummins over without much alarm. The fifth delivery was sent down from around the wicket as Australia strive for a breakthrough.

102nd over: India 289-5 (Vihari 5, Ashwin 15) Target 407; 30 overs remaining - Vihari comfortably sees off Lyon, even working a single from the final ball.

101st over: India 288-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 15) Target 407; 31 overs remaining - After his early rib-tickler, Ashwin is fortunate to watch an edge loop off the shoulder of the bat and away for four over gully. Then Abbott (on as a sub) DROPS ASHWIN at square-leg. It was a meaty pull but the fielder got two hands to it diving away to his right. How costly will that prove?

“If India lose this series, it’ll be to a fair extent because they have lost three important players (so far) to hand and arm injuries caused by fast balls directed at the head,” emails Mark. “Australia has traditionally taken pride in bouncy wickets and 2-metre fast bowlers. And glorified courage among batsmen. But should we really take pride in winning by injuring the opposition?”

I can see the perspective here but I don’t share it. I don’t think Australia have necessarily been targeting the head, the pitches have been true, and this type of hard cricket has been played for 100 years all over the world. I think this series may cause a legitimate conversation about batting technique though. So many of the injuries suffered have been a consequence of batters not getting inside the line of the ball.

Updated

It’s Cummins’ turn to spray down the leg-side, but his follow-up is on the money, forcing Ashwin to fend an inside-edge into his ribs. That looked painful. You know what comes next - out comes the physio.

100th over: India 284-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 11) Target 407 / 32 overs remaining - Australia’s tactics are not sophisticated - Hazlewood is bowling to four catchers on the leg-side and hammering the ball into the pitch and towards Ashwin’s tenderised flesh. As is so often the case, the approach disrupts the bowler’s line and length and he ends up straying down leg and eventually offering an easy deflected single behind square.

99th over: India 283-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 10) Target 407 - Consecutive leading edges for Ashwin. After surviving Hazlewood he almost offers a return catch to Cummins but this time loops one agonisingly over the bowler in his follow through. An easy single materialises to rotate the strike. Vihari continues his vigil.

On the Indian balcony Jadeja is seen requesting a banana, but requiring the assistance of a teammate to peel and hold it for him, such is the pain, and/or numbness, in his left thumb.

98th over: India 282-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 9) Target 407 - At Tea Australia’s analysts have clearly told their pacemen to go upstairs to Ashwin. Hazlewood is the latest to send down a rising missile that clips Ashwin’s right shoulder, followed up by one that doesn’t get up much and smashes him in the sternum. The speeds are all low-mid 130kph but it’s brutal. What can Ashwin do? He flicks from off stump to the leg-side and gets a steepling leading edge. Is there a fielder under it? Nope. Vihari limps through for a single.

97th over: India 281-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 8) Target 407 - After surviving that early trial by bouncer Ashwin shows his resolve to defend from the crease, then work a single into the leg-side. Ordinarily it would be two, but Vihari’s hamstring prevents any more than a casual saunter down the pitch. He sees out the over.

Following that first ball drama, guess what? ANOTHER INJURY! Cummins sends down another beautiful bouncer, this one cannons into Ashwin’s right shoulder and the phsyio is back out again with the magic spray. India’s No.7 is soon able to continue. This is a thrilling start to the session. Terrifying fast bowling from Cummins.

NOT OUT! Drama immediately after Tea. Cummins slips a nasty bumper at Ashwin who fends and loops a catch to the diving Paine who only just got his webbing under the ball. Ashwin reviews and it’s clear the ball looped off the armguard, not the glove, the only question is whether it grazed the glove on the way through. The decision is no, it didn’t.

First ball after Tea and Cummins has Ashwin caught behind... or does he?

Ok, the players are back out on the field. The next 36 overs, across two-and-a-half hours or so, promises to be gripping.

I agree.

Lovely stuff.

“Me and the SCG go back a LONG way,” begins Peter. “I used to go sit on the Hill back in the good old days of the 60s when God was in His Heaven, Dougie was thrashing any and all, eskis were chocka, and the Hill was the Hill. Much of the fun was banter with whatever fielder was in ear shot (later on I moved to Melbourne and Bay 13 of the MCG. Same thing). But even then: there was an etiquette. We might have said many things to the opposing side fielders —and to our side too. Among them, the immortal comment to the notoriously slow-scoring Jim Burke, a stalwart for NSW: “Burkey, I wish I were a pigeon and you were a statue”. We might have called the Poms “bloody Poms”. But racist abuse? I believe and hope, never. If anyone had ever ventured such a thing, we would have shut him up. I am saddened to hear not just that a gang of drunk idiots said such a thing. But even more, that decent cricket Ozzies sitting around did not shut them up.”

Tea - India 280-5 chasing 407 with 36 overs remaining

96th over: India 280-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 7) Target 407 - Ashwin safely deals with four Lyon deliveries so that prompts the bowler to come around the wicket and Paine to bring in four chattering catchers around the bat. The result is a streaky edge away for a single. Vihari keeps out the final delivery and “Tea” is called. The end of an engrossing session in what has been a fascinating day. 36 overs remain, all four results are still in play.

95th over: India 279-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 6) Target 407 - The pattern continues of India dead-batting Australia away. Vihari sees off Starc again with no alarm. The hamstrung No.6 is now four from 51 deliveries.

37 overs remain.

94th over: India 279-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 6) Target 407 - Ashwin plays Lyon watchfully, plonking his front foot down the pitch and bringing his bat down alongside it, with no gap for the bowler to penetrate. One thick edge was a regulation single, but Vihari is far from regulation fitness.

93rd over: India 279-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 6) Target 407 - Mitchell Starc returns for a burst, bowling his left-arm rockets from around the wicket to the right-handed Vihari. The batsman makes little attempt to move his feet or show any initiative, dead batting anything on his stumps and aiming tentative prods outside off, one of which just missed the outside edge after keeping low.

92nd over: India 279-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 6) Target 407 - Beautiful over from Lyon, testing Ashwin on the inside and outside. The Indian spinner defends from the crease and survives a DRS review then opens his shoulders and clouts a length ball over cow corner for four. Maybe India are operating Plan A and a half, and not fully Plan B after all.

Not out

The ball did not strike Ashwin’s bat or gloves on the way in or the way out of his forward defence before popping up to silly point. Australia down to just one review.

Australia review

Lyon thinks he has Ashwin caught at bat pad. Umpire Reiffel disagrees.

91st over: India 275-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 2) Target 407 - Vihari dots out a Hazlewood maiden. India do appear to have begun Plan B. They have 41 overs to survive.

David Markham emails in: “While everybody talks about whether a shot is played or not for LBW, can I point out that that is not what Law 38 says. It talks about ‘a genuine attempt to play the ball with the bat’. If you plant your front forward with your bat tucked in behind the pad, you are not making a genuine attempt to play the ball with the bat.”

The definition of genuine - determined by the umpires - seems not to be agreed upon by Nathan Lyon and Cheteshwar Pujara. Not that it matters much for this match any more.

90th over: India 275-5 (Vihari 4, Ashwin 2) Target 407 - Lyon ripping through his work, trying to hurry India. Ashwin picks up an easy single then Vihari is beaten by a wider ball that barely bounces. A further easy single ends the over.

Wisden India has more on the Steve Smith pitch scratching situation.

Updated

89th over: India 273-5 (Vihari 3, Ashwin 1) Target 407 - Ashwin comes to the crease ahead of Jadeja and he defends three deliveries then calls Vihari through for a quick single, seemingly oblivious to his partner’s injury. Vihari barely breaks into a jog and would have been run out with a direct hit from mid-on. Surely India’s approach now adapts to digging in for a draw?

WICKET! Pujara b Hazlewood 77 (India 272-5)

Bosh! Josh Hazlewood lands the new ball on a perfect length, it holds its line, ghosts its way past Pujara’s defensive blade and clatters into off stump. In a match of massive moments, that may prove the massivest. Brilliant bowling to end an magnificent innings lasting 205 deliveries.

88th over: India 272-4 (Pujara 77, Vihari 3) Target 407 - An eventful over begins with Nathan Lyon bellowing for an LBW against Pujara despite the ball striking the pad outside off stump and a shot clearly played. It’s obvious Australia’s interpretation of a shot is different to that of Paul Reiffel and Che Pujara this series. Then all the action revolves around Vihari’s hammy.

Still nowhere near the best hamstring injury on Australian TV.

Oh no...

Vihari defends one ball from Lyon, then confers with Pujara, looking very likely he’s about to retire. But he’s convinced to stay on.

The physio applies a compression bandage to Vihari’s right hamstring. In the commentary box, the best of the bunch by the length of the Flemington straight - Ricky Ponting - suggests if Vihari’s running is compromised he should retire hurt. His inability to run will halt India’s run-chase. However, he could return later to plug up an end if his side ends up blocking out for a draw.

While there’s a break in play, can anyone add anything to this enquiry?

A slight delay for - you’ll never believe it - another Indian injury. Vihari and Pujara scampered through for a quick single and it ended with the former pulling up very gingerly and clutching at his right buttock. On comes the physio...

Updated

87th over: India 271-4 (Pujara 76, Vihari 3) Target 407 - Hazlewood replaces Cummins and his first delivery is on the money - and edged into the ground and through the gully region for four! Australia’s pacemen continue to attack the stumps, looking to exploit the variable bounce rather than work with swing and seam to tickle the outside edge.

Hmmm. Pucovski has now left the field for treatment.

86th over: India 266-4 (Pujara 71, Vihari 3) Target 407 - Marnus Labsuchagne saved four from silly point, puffing his cheeks out instead of demonstrating pain, then later in the over Pucovski dived awkwardly on his right shoulder, drawing concerned looks from teammates already aware of his preexisting condition. The young Victorian continues. Vihari inches India two runs closer to history.

Updated

85th over: India 264-4 (Pujara 71, Vihari 1) Target 407 - Vihari gets off the mark with a stab behind square on the leg-side in a Cummins over where the plan of attack is very straight. There are only two slips in place, despite the brand new ball. A reflection of the fine balance Paine now faces between attack and defence, and also the nature of the surface and the presumed preferred method for taking wickets.

Meanwhile, Jadeja has emerged padded up on the balcony!

Interesting; very interesting!

Thank you very much G-banger, what a pleasure it is to step into the hotseat at such an extraordinary moment. Rishabh Pant has already treated us to one of the great fourth-innings performances, a knock that has turned a humdrum Monday from a procession to something containing that wondrous crackle of possibility that only the fifth day of a Test match can deliver.

Three hours remain. All four results are very much alive. Let’s get it on.

Send your emails to jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com and tweets @JPHowcroft.

Ah, Rishabh Pant.

84th over: India 262-4 (Pujara 70, Vihari 0) The new batsman will have to find a way into the game. Vihari sees out a maiden from Hazlewood, and that will be drinks.

What a day. I’ll be watching rest avidly to see what more is to come. There’s nothing like that low, building, burbling excitement of a fifth-day classic. That’s it for me on the OBO today. For the final stages, the throne room scene, I shall leave you with the lithe and fearsome Jonathan Puma Howcroft.

83rd over: India 262-4 (Pujara 70, Vihari 0) Pujara keeps going, driving the first ball of Cummins’ new over for four. Too full, a simple push through the line. Next ball, much more flourish, back cuts for four! Got width, got all of it, wafting the wrists to get the bat moving in a circular motion and make the ball vanish to backward point.

Cummins corrects, and that’s three in a row! Cheteshwar Pujara, you rogue. A straighter line and so he drives through mid-on this time, sweetly timed. No one anywhere near it. This makes things interesting for Australia. Three boundaries in a row off Cummins with the shiny new Kooka.

India need 145 to win. If this pair can get that to double figures things will get extremely interesting.

82nd over: India 250-4 (Pujara 58, Vihari 0) A good sign from Vihari, as he comes onto the front foot to drive Hazlewood crisply, though it gets stopped at cover. A maiden in the end.

Aditya Anchuri was prescient not long before the Pant wicket. “Hoping I’m proved wrong, but India still has an extremely small chance of avoiding defeat. Essentially we need to have a perfect session, where we go into tea 3 (at most 4) wickets down. And even then, in the final session against this Aussie attack one more wicket will draw a collapse (especially with Jadeja unfit to bat).”

81st over: India 250-4 (Pujara 58, Vihari 0) The new ball, Cummins, all that jazz. How will India go about it? At Headingley, Bairstow came in after a wicket around the time of the second new ball, and attacked it to take 66 from it with Ben Stokes from about 10 overs. The bowlers will be tiring. But this batting pair are the men least likely to take to the bowling. Cummins gets some good deck off the seam, cutting into Pujara an absolute mile. Keeps it out of his stomach off the gloves. Then movement away from Pujara, who resists playing at it.

So what’s the scenario? 157 runs needed from 51 overs. No wickets to play with. But, that’s only three an over. If this pair can keep working the runs down, that will make life harder for Australia. That seems the better approach than just defending.

80th over: India 250-4 (Pujara 58, Vihari 0) Lyon gets five balls at Hanuma Vihari, another right-hander, who blocks them out. Labuschagne is getting sledged by his own teammates after he starts chattering again. “Don’t just chat when we get a wicket, Marnus, got to keep it going all day,” says Warner. And now it’s time for the new ball.

Well, I’m sorry to Robert Smithson, who wrote a few minutes ago wishing luck to Pant.

“I’m in London, and about to go to bed. All a test cricket fan ever really wants is for a match to go down to the last session on the last day, and it seems that somehow that’s what we might just get. I haven’t even been watching this test, just reading it, and it’s glorious stuff. So thank you Rishabh Pant for being a lunatic and thank you Geoff & pals for telling us about it.”

WICKET! Pant c Cummins b Lyon 97

Aaaaaaahhhh he falls! Short of the ton, and well short of the win, but Rishabh Pant has changed the game. The way he played was always going to bring that risk. He advances at Lyon, looks to drive through cover again, but Lyon gets enough purchase and turn. Takes the thick outside edge to backward point where Cummins dives forward and claims a good low catch. Celebrations for Australia, while Pant walks off trailing his bat on the ground like Paul Bunyan dragging his axes. What an entertainer, what a fight.

79th over: India 250-3 (Pujara 58, Pant 97) Green coming in over the wicket, bowls short and Pujara pulls for four! The first pull shot I can recall him playing in this innings. That was played with authority, middled along the ground through square leg, precise as you like. The set-square and compass man, Pujara. (No, not saying that he’s a Freemason.)

78th over: India 246-3 (Pujara 54, Pant 97) Pujara still using the dancefloor approach to Lyon, flicking square and taking a single as Cummins dives across from midwicket. Pant drives a run down the ground. Pujara goes to square leg again. They’re milking the spin effectively now. Pant takes on Lyon once more, charging and flogging it flat to long on. Shouts of catch but the man is too square and Hazlewood can’t get there. And when Pant attacks Lyon, he attacks in twos. Down the track, bat-pad flinches, cover sprawls, but Pant has opened the face and slayed it through cover for four more!

He’s on 97, and India need 161 to win!

“I think Cummins is possibly the only Australian bowler immune to thoughts of Stokes with the lead under 200. 12 overs on the trot from that man, thanks,” writes Eamonn Maloney. I suspect you’ll see that in two overs once the new ball arrives.

77th over: India 235-3 (Pujara 52, Pant 88) Green bowling, and Pant won’t put his shots away as the day goes on. Gets width, throws the full IKEA display kitchen at it, and slices it over the slips for four! There’s a deep backward point almost, for Pant, rather than a traditional third man, but he can’t get around. Next ball? Same again! Width, swing, and this one more outside edge than slice, and it goes a little finer. Next ball? Wide, swings, drives it hard to cover for no run.

55 overs left, 172 to win.

Headingley klaxon! “Paine, Labuschagne, Wade, Warner, Lyon, Cummins and Hazlewood must be getting a few harrowing flashbacks to Leeds a year last September...” writes Ian Forth.

Fifty! Pujara 52 from 170 balls

76th over: India 227-3 (Pujara 52, Pant 80) The half-century for Pujara with a beauty, dancing down at Lyon, whipping hard with a lot of wrist, on the bounce and nutmegs Wade at short leg before smoothly rolling for a boundary at deep square leg. He’s found a method against Lyon and it’s worked so far. 180 to win.

75th over: India 223-3 (Pujara 48, Pant 80) Green bowling instead of Starc now. I reckon this plays in India’s favour, letting them get their eyes in ahead of facing the second new ball. Pant drives Green out through cover for three, and that gives David Warner’s groin a workout (if you’ll forgive the image) as he chases it to the rope and keeps it in. Pujara just ducks and weaves against the rest, including one bouncer so high and tailing so far that it’s called a wide. When Green pitches up, Pujara on-drives a single. The runs keep coming, 184 to win in 57 overs.

74th over: India 218-3 (Pujara 47, Pant 77) Lyon to Pant, who cuts hard and gets a thick bottom edge into Paine’s shin pad behind the stumps and then to slip. Hope no one tries to claim that one as a drop, that was rocketing. As a contrast, Pant sedately turns away a single to allow Pujara to block out the rest. Pujara has 6000 runs in Test cricket after that last over. He’s faced over 13,000 balls to get them.

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73rd over: India 217-3 (Pujara 47, Pant 76) Short from Starc and an uppercut from Pujara for four! Quite the shot. Just instinct I think, Starc angles the ball in at Pujara from around the wicket, and while first thinking of protecting himself Pujara just opens the face of the bat late and deflects it high over the cordon to the boundary. Then shapes to pull but bails out, before nudging away a less short ball for a run. Pant pulls a single to follow. 190 to win.

72nd over: India 211-3 (Pujara 42, Pant 75) Lyon to start proceedings to Rishabh Pant, with that bat-pad in place on the off side. Pant skips immediately and drives a run to long-on. Some ODI batting. Pujara comes down as well and flicks away, and it’s a chance but a near impossible one. Wade at short leg sidesteps with Pujara as he advances, and the shot is middle straight into Wade’s hand and then away to midwicket. He was hit by the ball, there was no chance of seeing it, but it could have looped up somewhere. To follow up, Pujara scores a run to point.

The target is under 200 now. 199 to win.

71st over: India 209-3 (Pujara 41, Pant 74) Starc will resume after lunch, this is interesting. Hazlewood and Cummins are the danger pair after a pause, but are they being saved for the new ball? It’s 10 overs away. Starc bumps Pant, and clips him on the side of the helmet. Not a blow that does damage, it’s angled across him and flies away to third man for two leg byes. Another short ball and Pant pulls a run to fine leg. With the right-hander on strike though, Starc is bowling like a busted. Wide or down the leg side, easy to leave.

Lunch – India 206 for 3, with 62 overs left and 201 to win

What a session of Test cricket: that’s as good as just about anything else I’ve seen. Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon all bowling really well. The anticipation overnight, the dismissal of India’s captain early. But then the masterstroke of sending the team’s most attacking player out there, something that may not have worked nine times out of ten, but this is the ten. Rishabh Pant took them on like you rarely see in Test cricket, hitting three sixes and eight fours, and severely disrupting Australia’s premier spinner.

Australia’s problems have been Starc bowling poorly and Paine’s two dropped catches behind the wicket. He’ll get plenty of scrutiny for those, although I’d class them as the type that a keeper doesn’t have control over: they either hit the gloves or they don’t.

The numbers still say it’s Australia’s Test: the likelihood is that the one erratic ball will come along, the partnership will end, and the probable result will arrive. But for now, the chance of something far more remarkable happening survives. Enjoy that feeling while you contemplate your sandwiches.

70th over: India 206-3 (Pujara 41, Pant 73) Last over before lunch, Lyon to Pujara, a slip and twin bat-pads either side of him, but Pujara isn’t shutting up shop when he sees the slightest touch of shortness, stepping back and cracking it through cover point for four!

Neil Titterington emails. “I cannot be the only Aussie sat here not-so-secretly willing India on here, can I?! After the troubling events yesterday, I would genuinely love for them to be able to give the ultimate two fingers to those so-called Australian fans.”

69th over: India 202-3 (Pujara 37, Pant 73) Cummins to Pant, around the wicket, but Pant is playing circumspectly for the time being, blocking and leaving. Cummins tries an off-break slower ball but it’s outside the stumps and left alone. Pant ducks a bouncer rather than hooking it. Two minutes until lunch is probably why. Maiden over.

68th over: India 202-3 (Pujara 37, Pant 73) Lyon gets his shot at Pant, has men in the deep, so Pant happily pushes a single through cover point. That makes 100 runs in the session for India. Pujara advances and defends, knocking the ball away with the knee-roll of his pad that raises shouts of “Catch!” No bat there. Plenty on the next ball though, as Pujara skips down and whips through midwicket for four. Lovely shot, up on one foot as he struck it, balletic and elegant. What a player he is. It raises the team 200 and the 100 partnership, batting on day five to stay in a Test match.

67th over: India 197-3 (Pujara 33, Pant 72) Pujara has kept the strike to face Cummins, who bowls over the wicket to the right-hander, back of a length, in at the gloves. One bouncer in the over. Pujara doesn’t mind any of it. He is the headland, bowlers are the sea.

66th over: India 197-3 (Pujara 33, Pant 72) Ha. A cheer of celebration from Paine as he sees Pujara edge the ball, then turns back to see it in Steve Smith’s hands at slip. Only problem was that it bounced first. Lyon bowling around the wicket to Pujara and he still looks dangerous, four balls that have the batsman discomfited, having to defuse them more than play them. Sixth ball Pujara advances and whips a run square.

65th over: India 196-3 (Pujara 32, Pant 72) Back to the big guns. Paine turns to Cummins. Has him come around the wicket at Pant, the same approach that Cummins took when he smashed the batsman on the arm in the first innings. Cummins bluffs though, doesn’t bowl short but bowls a length for the first few balls. Fifth ball is too full, and Pant cover-drives him for four!

Tom Bowtell writes in. “I’m getting distinct Pant-focused flashbacks to this final day. Am hereby predicting an identical final result here, with Lyon’s 400th wicket taking the place of Anderson’s 564th as the denouement.”

64th over: India 192-3 (Pujara 32, Pant 68) Lyon to Pujara, who is looking to score once or twice but can’t beat the field with his nudges. Fifth ball there’s a proper appeal, Lyon gives it the genuflecting spirit fingers and all the sauce. Umpire Reiffel says nahhhh. Smashed Pujara on the pad but it was high and spinning down leg side. Massive turn for Lyon though. Maiden over.

63rd over: India 192-3 (Pujara 32, Pant 68) Another boundary for Pant! He loves to start an over this way. Starc makes it easy by bowling very full outside his off stump, allowing Pant to drive hard through it to the cover boundary. It’s a no-ball too! Then he takes a single from the next. You would think the Australians want Pant on strike because he’s the one they’d have more chance to get out, but effectively he’s managed to get off strike first ball of the over and cost them five runs in the process.

Pujara though gets moving a little, gliding a couple of runs behind point, then glancing a straight one for a single. Pant back on strike. Smacks a wider ball to point but Pucovski puts in another good diving stop to make it a dot ball. Not the final ball though, too short and Pant pulls it for four! No protection out at midwicket. This is a remarkable innings. The over costs 13 and India need 215.

62nd over: India 179-3 (Pujara 29, Pant 59) Pant pushes an early run to point from Lyon. Australia having to go some Plans B & C now. Two short legs in for Pujara against Lyon, who changes to over the wicket for one ball, then changes back and goes around. Wants to draw that edge into pad. But Pujara does not misread the line of the ball once in this over. What a player Pujara is. He’s faced 117 balls now. They’re down to 70 overs left, and 222 runs behind, the Richie Benaud.

61st over: India 178-3 (Pujara 29, Pant 58) Starc to Pant, short, fended away without alarm for a single to the leg side. Starc comes around the wicket to Pujara, left-hander to right-armer, an approach that Starc enjoys when he gets the ball to reverse. We’ve seen him absolutely demolish a couple of line-ups doing this, in Galle against Sri Lanka and in Durban against South Africa and in Melbourne against Pakistan, most notably. Can reverse it away from the edge to get nicks, or inwards to hit stumps. It’s not really swerving for him today though. Pujara picks up a couple of runs clipped behind square leg, his spot, no matter how well it’s guarded.

60th over: India 175-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 57) Lyon is going to come back and try again. Bowling to Pant. And he’s dropped first ball! For once Pant doesn’t attack, he defends from the crease and Lyon rags it from the rough, takes a fine edge up high on the outside edge, and I think that went low straight into Paine’s leg rather than glove. Lyon has had Pant nicking twice today. After a few balls Pant whacks one through point for a run, then Pujara draws the most unrealistic appeal of the day after a ball comes off the flap of his front pad, outside leg stump, about a foot from his bat, but Lyon and Wade want to ask if there was a catch.

59th over: India 174-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 56) Paine turns for variety to Cameron Green, who bowled a couple of overs last night and now gets his third. Very tall, can be quick, comes around the wicket to Pant and gets a decent line going, in at the batsman from a wide angle. Pant jabs a single eventually to midwicket, Pujara just outlasts the final couple of balls.

58th over: India 173-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 55) Four more! Starc to Pant, who hops and jabs a cross-bat shot on the bounce to backward point, where it eludes gully and rolls to the boundary to start the next over. That had angle across the batsman, and the next bouncer doesn’t, but Pant calmly hooks it away for one run. To the right-handed Pujara, Starc keeps straying down leg side.

Fifty! Pant 50 from 64 balls

57th over: India 168-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 50) Lyon to Pant, who comes down the track and drives six over cover! Absolutely nailed that one, right out of the middle after getting right to the pitch, first ball of the over. Goodness me!

Second ball? Goes again! Long on this time, closing the face of the bat to loft it leg-side. It soars away! He follows up by cutting a single for his half-century. That’s 45 from his last 30 balls. And 34 from three overs against Lyon, in a concerted attack. Pant does not want to let Lyon dominate the last day, and so far it’s working!

Pujara walks down to defend, steps back to defend, drives to defend. India need 239 to win. If Pant lasts another hour like this, maybe the runs required to win won’t be notional after all. Probability says the wicket will come...

56th over: India 155-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 37) Little milestones for India, they’ve batted through an hour and a half this morning and only lost one wicket. Their reward is to face Mitchell Starc. He starts off down the leg side, as is his style to start with, which usually means a perfect yorker isn’t far away. Not this time though: five balls that are all either leg stump or outside, then one that’s too wide outside off.

55th over: India 155-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 37) Ah, now Lyon has been swung around to the Paddington End. So he will perhaps try to bowl in tandem with Labuschagne, and confuse Pant with the differing styles of spin. And they’ve changed tactics too, with the bat-pad catcher on the off side rather than the leg, to get in Pant’s eyeline and interfere with his footwork. Pant battles out the over, hesitant to use the feet in case a ricochet goes to that close fielder, either for a catch or a run out. Survives, but looks edgy. This is tense!

54th over: India 155-3 (Pujara 27, Pant 37) Curious that Lyon hasn’t been swung around to the other end or anything, it’s just a straight swap of him for Labuschagne. Admittedly he turns the ball a long way from around the wicket bowling outside Pant’s off stump, but Pant just helps it around the corner for a single. For Pujara, the right-hander, the bowler is back over the wicket, with a slip and a bat-pad on the off side. Pujara isn’t fussed, he just shuffles away from the line and directs it through cover for one. Pant gets a low full toss but can’t put it away, then drives straight to a deep-set cover and can’t run, but gets the final ball to long-on for a single.

53rd over: India 152-3 (Pujara 26, Pant 35) Hazlewood to Pant now, first ball of the over, and Pant edges for four! Big drive, big edge, and Australia only have one slip in at this point. Smith dives as large as he can, but he can’t be a third slip from first. Hazlewood is the next victim of the third umpire’s no-ball camera from the next delivery, then he bangs one in and Pant takes on the short ball, pulling for three to midwicket as Pucovski runs around in the deep to save with a tumble and a heavy landing.

India have got their overs required under 80, their score past 150, and they’re 255 short of a notional win.

Colum Fordham emails in. “I think I like the mindset of the Indian batsmen. Calculated aggression on the part of Pujara and outright bravado from Pant. At least, they’re sending out a positive message. Lyon’s bowling beautifully and I’m sure Starc will come into the action soon enough. I’d love to wake up tomorrow morning and find that Pujara had carried his bat and braved out the last overs with Jadeja but suspect that might be wishful thinking. Really appreciated the article by Bharat Sundaresan. Siraj is a brave and gifted young cricketer.”

52nd over: India 144-3 (Pujara 26, Pant 28) This is interesting, Labuschagne is getting a bowl. His part-time leg breaks. Paine perhaps hoping to tempt Pant into even more indiscretions. They’ve got enough in the bank to buy him out. But Pant squeezes out a single first ball and gets off strike, and Pujara takes the rest of the over. The first ball is also retrospectively ruled a no-ball for overstepping, and the seventh of the over costs Labuschagne as he bowls a low full toss. Even Pujara isn’t going to pat that back, he’s been decisive today when he has decided to attack. So he uses his feet and drives it crisply along the ground though long-on for four. Classy.

51st over: India 138-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 27) Hazlewood keeps attacking the stumps and the body, and Pujara does squeeze a ball away not to far from Labuschagne at short leg. Once again that fieldsman is the most excited about everything, appealing in a raucous solo after Pujara presses forward to defend and misses the ball by about six inches. But when the ball is straight Pujara defends immaculately, back foot and then front. He has been so impressive in the last few overs against some top-drawer stuff. He ends another maiden by squeezing a ball off the inside portion behind square, where Warner dives to field.

50th over: India 138-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 27) There are two big footmarks creating rough patches outside Pant’s off stump, and Lyon is trying to land the ball in them. He drops short though, and Pant smacks him through point for four. That’s a decent shot, out of the middle. Unlike the next one, which is sliced down the ground for four more. He charges it and goes for the long-on shot again, but gets a huge leading edge. He has the fortune that it gets some distance rather than going straight up, and that it slices dead straight rather than carrying to long off, who is back with mid on up to tempt those shots. The wicket’s in the mail if he keeps pushing this envelope. He’s taken 21 from Lyon’s last two overs.

49th over: India 130-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 19) Another run to start the next over, Pant dropping one to cover and Pujara calls him through, Pant a second slower to get moving and that nearly costs him as the throw comes in at the non-striker’s end with the batsman at full stretch. It misses. Slip, gully, point, cover, mid on, forward square, short leg, backward square, long leg for Pujara. He goes under a bouncer, then leaves one angling in at off stump but missing, and plays the one angling in that was on line. Great judgement from Che. He’s faced 75 balls thus far.

48th over: India 129-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 18) Lyon to Pant, and Pujara would love to get the left-hander off strike I reckon. Pant plays a bad shot, a forcing off-side drive that he misses as the ball turns past the edge. Didn’t turn as much as others, and thus he nearly nicks it. Pujara has a word, maybe saying play to leg. So Pant does exactly that: rocks back to pull two runs away through midwicket, then advances to chip four runs over mid-on, then advances to clout six more over long on! Pant really going for it – how long is this approach sustainable? Plenty of runs for Australia to play with. Sixth ball of the over, Pant goes back to the off side, driving through cover and a little airily there as well, for another run. 13 off the over.

84 overs left, and 277 runs the deficit.

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47th over: India 116-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 5) Hazlewood to Pujara, and El Che does what El Che does best: he exists. Immovable. Has to play every ball of the over bar the bouncer.

46th over: India 116-3 (Pujara 22, Pant 5) Lyon will bowl all day. Pujara backs away and cuts fine of the gully fieldsman, who has to run around to the ball and thus gives them time for a quick single. Pant sees out the next four balls.

Meghan Purvis emails in. “Thanks for the link to Bharat Sundaresan’s article; it was an insight into something a lot of us have seen but not experienced directly. I admire Siraj’s courage, but am so disheartened by the need for it. To lean into the stereotype of Americans making everything about themselves – but justified in this instance, I think – we’ve just illustrated for the world what happens when you placate racism; it’s a gallows at the heart of your country.”

45th over: India 115-3 (Pujara 21, Pant 5) Hazlewood on for Cummins, and the Australians are fielding really well today. Hazlewood himself had a great stop at mid-off a few overs ago. This time Green dives at gully to save another steer from Pant, then Wade at cover dives across to grab a ball one-handed on the bounce. Their efforts keep Pant on strike for the entire over, which their bowler would absolutely love. A maiden.

44th over: India 115-3 (Pujara 21, Pant 5) Lyon sends down a maiden to Pujara, lots of loop, lots of turn, spinning it into the pad, and thinks about reviewing a not-out lbw hitting very wide of the stumps when Pujara isn’t playing a shot. No review. The projection says it might have clipped the outside of off stump. It’ll be a brave umpire to put up the finger for one of those. But Lyon is getting serious turn.

43rd over: India 115-3 (Pujara 21, Pant 5) Cummins to Pant, but not for long as the batsman clips a run to square leg. Pujara produces another straight drive and beats mid-off to pick up three. The deficit is 292.

42nd over: India 111-3 (Pujara 18, Pant 4) Lyon to Pant, who forces square on the off side. Wants a run but he’s hit it straight to Cummins and gets sent back. He’s playing on the back foot to Lyon a lot, getting back to defend off the pitch. Playing very straight. Eventually goes for a cut shot from the last ball and gets it just backward of point, making time to get through for a sharp run.

41st over: India 110-3 (Pujara 18, Pant 3) Cummins bowling to Pujara, who gets an edge into his pad that falls down. A few close calls already. Pujara sees out the maiden, getting to leave a few outside the off stump, as is his preference. Another over down, only 91 to go.

40th over: India 110-3 (Pujara 18, Pant 3) Lyon to Pant, the left-hander, and a catch is missed behind the stumps. Pant pushes hard on the front foot, the ball spins away and takes a thick edge. It flies fast at Paine and hits the outside of his left glove before he has time to react, and bounces down rather than up to Smith at slip. Pant very carefully blocks out a maiden over, playing from the crease.

39th over: India 110-3 (Pujara 18, Pant 3) Cummins to Pant, who tries that steer again but this time a diving stop from Green at gully denies him a run. He blocks a couple, ducks a bouncer, then takes on the short ball, badly. Plays a little half-pull shot, just places the bat there, gets the toe end, and it flies like a one-winged bird out to square leg. The man in the deep can’t get far enough in from the boundary in time to catch it. A fortunate run results.

India trail by 297.

38th over: India 109-3 (Pujara 18, Pant 2) Pujara using his feet a lot against Lyon. Comes down the track a couple of times to defend, then Lyon starts zinging the ball through faster and Pujara goes back a couple of times, before shuffling forward to kick a couple away well outside the off stump. Lyon looks a real handful already, he was at Pujara every ball of that over with men around the back.

37th over: India 109-3 (Pujara 18, Pant 2) Lovely from Cheteshwar Pujara! Steps forward to Cummins and silkily hits the straight drive down the ground for four. Just past the bowler. Now that’s a shot. Glides a run to backward point, then Pant runs the ball away to third man for his first two runs. India’s deficit comes under 300.

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36th over: India 102-3 (Pujara 13, Pant 0) The over started well for India, with Pujara advancing a couple of times to Lyon and driving him through midwicket for three. That raised the team ton. Then Rahane falls. And in an interesting move, Rishabh Pant has been promoted in the order. Perhaps India want to hold back Vihari as a more defensive option. Perhaps they want to give him a better chance to get into the game later given he’s short of runs. Perhaps Pant’s painkillers are going to wear off and it’s better to use him early in the day. Anyway, here he is. An attacking player. Watch this space.

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WICKET! Rahane c Wade b Lyon 4, India 102-3

The early wicket falls! All of India’s overnight hopes sag along with it, as the stand-in captain goes. Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon in his first over the day, always with the idea that the spinner should take wickets on day five, and after a wicketless match so far he gets career victim 395 at last. Pretty straightforward, he bowls an off-break with lots of loop, Rahane doesn’t time his forward defensive press, he’s too early on it and it takes a thick inside edge that goes directly to short leg, travelling fast but Wade holds it.

35th over: India 99-2 (Pujara 10, Rahane 4) Cummins to start the day, with a very leg-side field for Pujara. Midwicket, forward square leg, short leg, leg gully, long leg. Yeesh. Also a slip and a gully looking for catches on the off side. Pujara blocks, blocks, and then one keeps low! Already. He tries to duck a short ball and it doesn’t get up. It hits his forearm guard, and a bit of his arm as well, and skews away. That’s not what a batsman wants to see third ball of the day. Fifth ball he squirts away through square leg, gasps from the fielders at the hope that might go to hand.

If you’re in the market for a recap of Day 4 with a bit more detail than the usual, Adam Collins and I have you covered with our Final Word daily dose.

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Correspondence is open. My email and Twitter are in the sidebar as usual, drop me a line if you’d like to share your thoughts through the day, on cricket or otherwise.

Please read this

The other piece of context around this match, and a most deflating one, is the abuse dished out to some of the Indian players by a few members of the crowd. This was reported on both day two and day three, with the very junior player Mohammed Siraj stopping the match to bring it to the attention of umpires and officials. For a player in his second match it was a remarkable display of fortitude to do that, and it’s desperately sad that he had to do it. Predictably he is already being traduced and undermined by some people in Australia who would prefer to believe that he invented the situation.

To anyone who would like to minimise it, or to anyone who would like to understand it better, the best thing I can do is point you to an extraordinary article written overnight by my cricket colleague Bharat Sundaresan, who moved to Australia a couple of years ago to report on the game here.

Give it a read.

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Preamble

Hello cricket friends. We’re ready to do it all from Sydney again, and for one final time. After this the roadshow will move to Brisbane. If Australia win today it will mean a 2-1 lead with India still able to retain the trophy by winning the fourth and final match. If India can hang on for a draw today, it will be 1-1 with both a series win and a trophy to play for.

It’s going to be tough work. India are 98 for 2, a score that is still 309 runs short of a very theoretical target. More importantly their two opening batsmen are gone and the rest of the team needs to bat three sessions to draw. The rest of the team is short one and a half batsmen, too, because Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant were both injured while batting in the first innings. Pant will bat but will be hampered by a very sore elbow, Jadeja won’t bat at all with a badly dislocated thumb (unless perhaps there’s a Graeme Smith kind of situation with a few overs left at nine wickets down).

So that means that the job lies with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, the pair that was not out overnight. They are India’s most senior batsmen and the ones with the ability to bat long. If they can do so, they’ll create a chance. If one of them falls early, it’s all but over. The runs are out of the equation because the pitch has had variable bounce and has been hard to score quickly on throughout the match. Suddenly dialling up 100 runs a session on the fifth day isn’t going to happen. Survival will be hard with some deliveries keeping low or bouncing higher than expected.

And there’s that knack of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to find wickets when they need them, plus the fondness of Mitchell Stac and Nathan Lyon for fifth days. That’s the contest ahead of us.

Updated

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