India vs Australia, 3rd Test Day 4: Pujara, Saha push Australia on backfoot
Ranchi: India took massive strides to win the Ranchi Test after Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja put up their hands and punished Australia on Day 4 of the third Test in Ranchi on Sunday. India, who were 360 at 6 as play resumed on Sunday went on to score 603/9 (declared) before scalping two Australian wickets before stumps.
A 199-run seventh-wicket partnership between Pujara and Saha gave India a 152-run lead. Australia was put in for eight overs until stumps, a spell that cost them with the tourists at 23-2 when play ended. Matt Renshaw was unbeaten on 7 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja (2-6) bowled David Warner (14) in the sixth over with a delivery that turned in sharply after hitting the rough outside the left-hander's off-stump.
He also bowled nightwatchman Nathan Lyon (2) in the last over of the day.
This was after both Pujara (202) and Saha (117) reached their individual milestones post tea. First, Saha got to his third test hundred off 214 balls.
Then, Pujara scored his third double hundred off 521 balls. It was also his second double hundred against Australia, after 204 runs at Hyderabad in 2013.
Thereafter, the duo looked for some quick runs. The change in approach didn't work with Pujara playing a loose shot, and getting caught at short mid-wicket off Nathan Lyon (1-163) in the 194th over.
In all, Pujara faced 525 balls and hit 21 fours, batting for a staggering 675 minutes.
Saha was out three overs later, caught at cover off Steve O'Keefe (3-199).
Umesh Yadav (16), dropped early at mid-on off Josh Hazlewood (1-103), added 54 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (54 not out) for the ninth wicket.
This partnership hurt Australia as Jadeja brought up his sixth test half-century off only 51 balls. In all, he hit five fours and two sixes.
Yadav was last man dismissed in the 209th over, as India declared shortly afterwards with a handy lead. Pat Cummins finished with 4-106.
Earlier, Australia went wicket-less in the first two sessions of the day. Starting at an overnight 360-6, Pujara-Saha added 75 and 68 runs respectively on either side of the lunch break.
On day three, Pujara had scored his 11th test hundred, and kept Australia's bowling in check. The visitors scored 451 runs in their first innings across days one and two, thanks to Steve Smith's 178 runs.
Glenn Maxwell (104) scored his maiden test hundred while Ravindra Jadeja picked up 5-124.
The four-match series is currently level at 1-1 after Australia won the series opener at Pune by 333 runs, and India leveled with a 75-run win in Bangalore.
