Australia vs India 3rd Test Day 4: Cummins puts up valiant fight to delay India’s victory

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Pat Cummins 61 not out six wickets Australia India Boxing Day Test 3rd Test Day 4 Melbourne cricket

Pat Cummins remained unbeaten on his highest Test score of 61 after taking career-best figures of 6-27 with the ball

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pat Cummins struck an unbeaten 61 on the fourth day in Melbourne, but India will need just two wickets on the final day to triumph over Australia and take a 2-1 lead in the four-Test series.

Starting off the day on 54/5, India added 29 runs to their overnight score before debutant Mayank Agarwal was clean bowled by Cummins for 42.

Ravindra Jadeja only made five before he was sent packing by Cummins, while Rishabh Pant scored 33 prior to being caught behind off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.

As soon as Pant was dismissed, India declared on 106/8, which set Australia a target of 399 to win.

Cummins was the pick of the bowlers with six wickets, while Hazlewood snapped up two.

Chasing 399 to win, Australia were dealt a big blow on the eighth ball of their innings as opener Aaron Finch was caught by India captain Virat Kohli at second slip off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah for three runs.

Marcus Harris, who opened the batting with Finch, scored 13 before he was caught by Agarwal at short leg off the bowling of Jadeja.

Usman Khawaja managed to make 33 before he was trapped lbw off the bowling of Mohammed Shami.

Shaun Marsh and Travis Head steadied things with a 51-run partnership before Marsh was given out lbw off the bowling of Bumrah for 44.

Mitchell Marsh only made 10 before he was sent packing by Jadeja, while Head went on to make 34 before being cleaned up by Ishant Sharma.

Australia skipper Tim Paine was caught behind off the bowling of Jadeja for 26, while Mitchell Starc was clean bowled by Shami for 18.

Cummins and Nathan Lyon kept India at bay for the rest of the day as they forged an unbeaten 43-run partnership before stumps was called.

Cummins finished on 61, which came off 103 balls and included five boundaries and a six, while Lyon remained undefeated on six.

Jadeja was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Bumrah and Shami took two wickets apiece. As for Ishant, he claimed one.

Australia ended day four on 258/8 and will continue batting on Sunday at 10:30 local time or 23:30 GMT (the previous day).

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