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After the third day of the Perth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Australian seamer Josh Hazelwood hailed Team India and said that the visitors had a couple of big partnerships.
During the match, Virat scored an unbeaten 100 in 143 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 69.93. After scoring the century, Virat had a sigh of relief as he raised his bat above his head. Speaking at the press conference after the end of the third day's play, Hazelwood said that it was hard work for the Australian bowlers to attack at certain stages of the game. "I think it probably speaks for itself. They piled on the runs and had a couple of really big partnerships there. It was hard work out there bowling it at certain stages. There was a little bit in it at times. I guess the new ball probably has a little bit, but if you get through that, then it's a bit easier batting," Hazelwood was quoted by Fox Cricket as saying. He added that Team Australia had a little bit up and down towards the end of the day. "We saw a little bit up and down towards the end of the day, obviously, so that'll be something the batters will be watching tomorrow," he added. Hazelwood added that the Aussies need to put some overs into India's top quicks to win the game in the Perth Test. "It's (about) the batters sticking to their plans tomorrow (and) batting some time. It's obviously a long series. It's a five match series. So if we can put some overs into their top quicks, I guess that's probably (a) couple of goals that we need to tick off tomorrow. And if a couple of guys find some form and score, you know, an 80 or 90 or even 100, that's probably (one of) the positives we can take out of it," he further added. Coming to the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. India was bundled out for just 150 runs, with Nitish Kumar Reddy (41 in 59 balls, with six fours and a six) and Rishabh Pant (37 in 78 balls, with three centuries and a six) playing crucial knocks and forming a vital 48-run sixth wicket stand. Josh Hazlewood (4/29) was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, with skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Starc getting two wickets each. Australia's reply was even worse and they were reduced to 79/9 at one point. However, Mitchell Starc (26) and Alex Carey (21) took the Aussies to 104 runs, giving India a lead of 46 runs. Jasprit Bumrah was the top-most bowler for India, taking 5/30 in 18 overs. Harshit Rana also impressed on debut with a spell of 3/48. In their second innings, India swelled their lead massively. There was a 201-run opening stand between KL Rahul (77 in 176 balls, with five fours) and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal also had a fine 74 run stand with Devdutt Padikkal (25 in 71 balls, with two fours). Later, he succumbed to Mitchell Marsh for 161 in 297 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes. An 89-run stand between Virat (100* in 143 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) and Washington Sundar (29 in 94 balls, with a six) and a 77-run stand with Virat and Nitish Kumar Reddy (38* in 27 balls, with three fours and two sixes) pushed India to 487/6. India lead by 533 runs, giving the Aussies a gigantic 534 runs to win. Nathan Lyon (2/96) was the pick of the bowlers for Australia. Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood got a wicket each. At the end of the day's play, Australia was 12/3, with Bumrah striking twice and Mohammed Siraj getting one. (ANI)
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