Khawaja half-century powers Australia after India fall for 109

Australia enjoyed their best day of the series on day one of the third Test in Indore as the tourists bowled out India for 109 before posting 156 for four in reply. Matthew Kuhnemann picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket as the Indians folded for 109 on a raging turner at the Holkar Stadium after winning the toss and opting to bat. Usman Khawaja led Australia’s charge in their innings with a hard-fought half-century, helping the tourists take stumps with a 47-run lead and six wickets to spare.

Rohit Sharma chose to bat first after winning his first toss of the series, and the opener rode his luck in the first over of the game as Australia failed to send two reviews upstairs against the skipper that would have been overturned. Sharma nicked the first ball of the innings against Mitchell Starc and was also undone by an inswinger crashing into the pads a few balls later, only for Nitin Menon to miss both calls and Steve Smith opting not to review.

Sharma laced three boundaries against the pacers to kickstart his innings, but couldn’t capitalise on his good fortune, falling to a stumping from Alex Carey in the first over of spin bowled by Matthew Kuhnemann. The left-arm spinner also removed Shubman Gill in his next over for 21 before Cheteshwar Pujara got an unplayable delivery from Nathan Lyon that spun big and crashed into his stumps.

India failed to recover after those early breakthroughs and continued to lose wickets throughout their innings. The promoted Ravindra Jadeja steered Kuhnemann straight into the hands of the fielder at short cover, while Shreyas Iyer fell for a two-ball duck to leave the hosts reeling at 45 for five.

Virat Kohli looked the most assured of the Indian batters but was trapped LBW by a quicker delivery from Todd Murphy for 22 before KS Bharat and R Ashwin fell in quick succession to reduce India to 88 for eight. Umesh Yadav’s slog sweeps took India’s total into three figures, but Matthew Kuhnemann dismissed the tail-ender to complete his fifer before Mohammed Siraj was run out to end the Indian innings on 109.

The Men in Blue removed Travis Head in the second over of the second innings, but Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne shared Australia’s highest stand of the series to consolidate the visitor’s position. The pair showed great temperament against the spinners to take Australia level before Ravindra Jadeja pulled things back for India late in the day.

Having already bowled Labuschagne off a no-ball earlier, the left-armer got his man again with a delivery that kept low. Jadeja also had Khawaja caught in the deep by Shubman Gill before prising the big wicket of Steve Smith before stumps for 26, with Australia ending the day 47 runs in front.