Nathan Lyon’s heroics with the ball helped Australia leave India struggling in the third Test on Thursday. Lyon’s incredible 8-64 in India’s second innings left the hosts with just 163 on the board, setting Australia a target of 76 to win and secure a spot in the world test championship final in London on June 7.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s gritty 59 provided a glimmer of hope for India, but it was mainly a display of grim cricket for the hosts over the course of 61 overs. Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma were among the early wickets to fall to Lyon, who proved to be a thorn in India’s side throughout the innings.
Although Pujara used his footwork to resist the spinners, his dismissal to a stunning leg slip catch by Steve Smith off Nathan Lyon ended India’s hopes of setting a target to worry Australia. Despite this setback, Pujara remained determined, stating “we don’t have enough runs on the board, but we will try to make it tough for Australia and go for victory”.
Earlier in the day, Australia suffered a stunning collapse in their first innings, going from 186-4 to 197 all out, despite having a significant lead of 88 runs. India’s Umesh Yadav took three wickets in a half-hour burst, which netted 6-11 in 34 deliveries.
With Lyon proving to be a key figure in the match, Australia will be confident of securing a victory and a spot in the world test championship final. India, on the other hand, will need to rally and produce a miracle comeback to prevent defeat.