Another Test match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and another three-day finish. As a result, however, there was a fundamental reversal. Completely written off and written off, Australia bounced back strongly in the third Test match at Indore’s Holkar Stadium to register a nine-wicket win.
Australia needed 76 runs in the final innings to win the match and Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head completed the chase in just over an hour on Friday morning. With the win, Australia secured a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. But where does India stand in the WTC points table?
Australia, who had earlier secured a 2-0 home series win over South Africa, needed only a draw in one of their four matches against India to book their place in the finals. However, after two humiliating defeats in Nagpur by an innings and 123 runs and in New Delhi by six wickets, Australia were completely written off by pundits and veterans of the sport who predicted a fade away from the Indian side.
Unlike the previous two matches, Australia, who were without their regular captain Pat Cummins, lost the toss and were made to bowl first. But on a tricky Indore track, it was India who suffered the consequences as Australia’s spin combination of Nathan Lyon, Kuhnemann and Toss Murphy picked nine wickets between them to bowl out the hosts for just 109, with the senior spinner taking five wickets.
After Australia only sneaked out to a lead of 87 runs, Lyon again played a huge role as he scored a record eight-wicket haul in the second innings to help the Aussies to victory by just 76 runs. Head scored 49* while Labuschagne scored 28* as Australia needed just 18.5 overs to chase down the target.
The win secured Australia a place in the WTC final with a PCT of 68.52. They have won 11 out of 18 Test matches so far in this cycle with one match to go. India, who looked well set to secure their place in the final, will now have to wait for the result in the fourth Test to know their fate. They continue to remain second with a PCT of 60.29.
Here is the WTC Points Table after the 3rd Test India Vs. Australia:
WTC Points Table After Third Test India Vs. Australia (ICC grab)
India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC finals now hang in the balance. If Australia manage to level the series at 2-2 in the fourth Test and Sri Lanka beat New Zealand 2-0 in the upcoming series, India will finish outside the top two. India need to beat Australia in the final match starting on March 9 in Ahmedabad to book their place in the finals.
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