BGT Ind vs Aus 3rd Test: Lyon ends KL Rahul’s resistance, Jadeja fights on

KL Rahul waging a lone battle against the mighty Australians was dismissed for a wellmade 84 runs on Tuesdays fourth day of the third Test Despite the fall of wickets around him Rahul remained resolute against the challenging Australian bowling attack It was a wellflighted delivery from Nathan Lyon that Rahul misjudged leading to an edge Positioned at slip Steve Smith took an outstanding catch sending Rahul back to the dressing roomWHAT A CATCH FROM STEVE SMITHSweet redemption after dropping KL Rahul on the first ball of the dayAUSvIND PlayOfTheDay nrmainsurance pictwittercomd7hHxvAsMdmdash cricketcomau cricketcomau December 17 2024Earlier the 30yearold displayed admirable technical nous to withstand the stern test posed by the Australian bowlers making a resolute fifty that formed the backbone of Indias still underwhelming 167 for six at lunchA nine toes down Rahul 84 139b 8x4 and an equally feisty Ravindra Jadeja 41 77b 4x4 raised 67 runs for the sixth wicket before the former fell to a remarkably athletic catch by Steve Smith at first slip off Nathan Lyon as the home side regained the momentumNitish Kumar Reddy 7 is the other not out batter at the end of the first session that was impeded by a short spell of rain an hour into the play India still trail Australia by 278 runsResuming from their waferthin overnight 51 for four India needed someone to put his hands up and show some fight and Rahul rose to the occasionThere was a moment for massive fortune too for Rahul when Smith spilled a regulation catch at second slip off the first ball of the day from Pat CumminsRahul was on 33 then A quick look upwards and a silent prayer showed how much he valued that reprieve which he exploited to the hiltAlso ReadlsquoTremendous feelingrsquo IyerBut once he woke up from a bit of morning haziness Rahul looked a class apart from the rest of his colleaguesThe Aussies employed three slips and gully leaving vast expanse of the ground to play his favourite shot iquest drive through the cover or in front of the pointBut Rahul was prudent enough to see through that ruse He did not bring out that shot until the bowlers pitched the ball well up in his driving arcThe Bengaluru mans sagacity shone bright in how he defended too all soft hands and playing close to the bodyCummins tested him with that fifth stump line outside off but Rahul either left the ball wisely or merely tucked his bat behind his padsPerhaps he has been watching the footages of Cheteshwar Pujara on how to tire out the Aussie pacersHowever skipper Rohit Sharma 10 would rue missing out of another chance to play an impact innings on these shoresActually Rohit looked comfortable out there showing patience to wait for the ball of his choice to play a shotBut eventually the 37yearold was drawn into that nofeet movement shot bane of him throughout this seriesCummins pitched one close to the offstump and Rohit poked at it with hard hands and Alex Carey did the rest behind the stumpsHowever the absence of pacer Josh Hazlewood who left the field after bowling just one awkward over reduced the intensity of Aussie attackLater Cricket Australia clarified that Hazlewood who missed the second Test at Adelaide with a side strain will undergo scans to determine the extend of a calf niggleWith agency inputs