WTC Final LIVE Score, IND vs AUS Day 3: Australia 87/3 (31 overs); Jadeja strikes to get rid of danger man Smith

Siraj back into the attack.

Wicket!! Jadeja with the wicket first ball. Smith tries to shimmy down and go big but the ball turns and finds the edge. Thakur completes the formalities at point. Close!! Travis Head tries to defend one but takes the inner edge and falls near short-leg.

Steve Smith c Thakur b Jadeja 34(47) [4s-3]

Thakur to continue. Three dots to begin as Thakur bowls it back of a length on off-stump. Stifled appeals from the fielders as Thakur bowls one down leg-side, but Thakur trudges back without an appeal. MAIDEN OVER.

Jadeja to continue after the break. Labuschagne drives a fuller one through the covers but there is protection in the deep, just a single. Jadeja goes slightly shorter. Smith cuts it behind square for a couple.

Thakur to continue. Short outside off and Labuschagne sways away. Fuller and angling into middle-leg. Labuschagne defends back down the pitch. Wider and shorter. Labuschagne misses the attempted square cut. Better contact this time but straight to cover. A dab to point to bring up a single. DRINKS

Jadeja again. Smith turns one front of square on the onside for a couple. Edged and four! The ball finds Smith’s edge but falls short and wide of the lone slip fielder and rolls to the boundary.

Thakur starts with a length ball on middle, Labuschagne turns it to mid-wicket. Back of a length on off and Labuschagne defends to cover. Four dots to start the over as Labuschagne defends two back of a length balls onto the on side. Single to square leg for Labuschagne. Fuller on the stumps as Smith shuffles across and clips it to fine leg.

Jadeja to continue. Back of a length on off, Smith punches to the off-side sweeper for a single. Full and wide, Labuschagne drives to the left of mid-off for another single. Length outside off and Smith gets it past the fielder at backward point for a couple.

Thakur into the attack. Four!! Short and Labuschagne pulls it expertly behind square for four. Thakur persisting with the slightly shorter length as the batters exchange singles. BEATEN!! Thakur gets one to leave the batter off a good length. Three dots to end the over.

Jadeja into the attack. Angling in on leg stump, Smith turns it into the gap at fine-leg for a couple. Four dots as Jadeja is spot on with line and length ouside off.

Siraj again. Length on off-stump and Smith with a rock-solid defence. Back of length and angling into the body, Smith turns it to fine leg for a single. Appeal!! Siraj goes up in appeal but seemed to be an inside edge on to the pad. Four!! Labuschagne with a cracking cover drive after Siraj goes full outside off. Shorter from Siraj, almost chest high outside off, Labuschagne gets out of the way.

Umesh to continue. Back of length on middle and leg, turned to mid-wicket for a single. Similar follow up delivery, turned to mid-wicket again, a misfield allows Smith to get a single. Short and wide from Umesh, Labuschagne opens the bat face to deep point for a couple.

Siraj goes fraction short in and Labuschagne slices the ball past the slip cordon for three runs. Siraj attempts to tail the ball in from wide of the crease but Smith digs it out.

Umesh maintains a sharp line outside the off-stump, tempting Smith into the drive. Five dots on the trot. Smith pushes the last ball to mid-on and finds a single to retain strike

Siraj replaces Shami. Just a single off the over as Siraj needles the off-stump but Marnus continues to dead-bat his way through.

Short and wide from Umesh and Smith slaps the ball through cover for FOUR. A single follows. Umesh pins one in and straight. The ball keeps low but Marnus manages to get some wood on it.

Short from Shami and Smith stands tall to wallop the ball through mid-wicket for FOUR. Shami follows up with a nip-backer and flies just over the off-stump. A single to follow. BEATEN! A corker of an outswinger from Shami as the ball nearly kisses Labuschagne’s outside-edge. Shami overpitches and Marnus punches the ball past mid-on for FOUR.

Umesh to Khawaja, OUT! Edged and gone! Umesh shapes another delivery across the line and finds the outside-edge to the keeper. That will hold Umesh in good spirits and here comes Steve Smith at 4. He’s off the mark straightaway with a nimble flick behind square for three runs. Umesh slides one in and Labiuschagne flicks it down leg for FOUR.

Usman Khawaja c †Bharat b Yadav 13 (39b)

Snorter. Shami makes Labuschagne rise on his feet with a fiery bouncer just outside the off-stump, whiffing past the grille.

Umesh Yadav from the opposite end. Umesh is lacking pace but manages to hold a line of attack to Khawaja, shaping the ball. He leaves the balls on length and plays out a maiden.

Shami into the attack. Labuschagne takes guard well outside the crease. He keeps it full and straight but Labushcagne stands firm in defence. Shami tests him with a nip-backer that stands up from length. Marnus moves out of it late from length.

Khawaja and Labuschagne walk out to the middle. Huge session for India.

This should be the last over before Tea. Thakur to continue. Labuschagne defends outside off-stump and the ball rolls behind him but misses the stumps. Bharat stands up to the stumps now. Well defended by Labuschagne on fourth stump. Slightly short and Labuschagne flicks it to square-leg for a dot ball. A single to end the over and the session.

Siraj to continue. Full on the legs and clipped to long-leg by Labuschagne for a single. Pitched up outside off and driven away by Khawaja for one more. Labuschagne cops another nasty blow on his hand. This kicks up on him from a good length and Labuschagne’s bat goes flying out of his hand. This is seams in and skids onto Labuschagne and he is down on all fours. A probing spell this from Siraj. A quick single to end the over.

Thakur replaces Shami. Labuschagne gets an inside edge behind square first ball and takes a single. Khawaja tucks one away behind square for a single. Labuschagne punches off the backfoot to point for a quick single. A wide one outside leg to end the over.

This is back of a length on middle and moves away sharply outside off to beat Khawaja’s attempted cut. Siraj with three consecutive dot balls here. Beaten! Siraj beats the outside edge again with a wobble-seam delivery that moves away across Khawaja. FOUR! Great reply from Khawaja as he pulls this away imperiously to the square-leg boundary.

Shami continues. Beaten! This whizzes past Labuschagne’s outside edge as it moves away a touch. Another mix-up between the batters as Labuschagne pushes this to midwicket and Khawaja sends him back. There is a direct-hit at the striker’s end but Labuschagne has made his ground. Shami is keeping it in the channel just outside off consistently and looking to create doubts in Labuschagne’s mind. Six dots in a row and that’s a maiden over.

Siraj continues. Labuschagne now gets an outside edge to third-man and collects a couple. Another one rears up on Labuschagne and this is stopped by the slip fielder. A huge opportunity for a run out missed as Khawaja had run to the striker’s end as Labuschagne was still watching where the ball went. FOUR! Pulled away by Khawaja to the square-leg fence. First boundary for Australia.

Shami to continue. Short one to Khawaja, who misses the pull. A light appeal for caught behind but nobody is really interested. He gets one to jag back in and it gets Khawaja high on the thigh pad. Shami goes too short this time and called wide. A couple for Khawaja off the outside edge and three runs from the over.

Beaten! This is angling away outside off and beats Warner’s outside edge. Siraj pulls out of his run-up as he lands awkwardly. Beaten! Angling away across again and beats Warner’s poke outside off. OUT! Similar delivery, angling away outside off, a touch fuller and Warner gets an outside edge this time and taken by Bharat. Siraj strikes early. David Warner c Bharat b Siraj 1 (8b). Marnus Labuschagne is in next. Back of a length on fourth stump and Labuschagne defends it off the backfoot. Ouch! This reared up from a length and stings Labuschagne on the gloves. That would have woken him up! Maiden over for Siraj.

Shami continues. A short one to Warner and he gloves it for a single to get off the mark. Now a bouncer to Khawaja and he evades it. This short one is pulled away by Khawaja and straight to the midwicket fielder. Fuller and this is angling away outside leg and Bharat dives to his right to collect it. Outside off on a length and Khawaja leaves.

Siraj from the other end. Starts with a full one on the pads and Khawaja whips it away to the midwicket fielder. There is some excitement in the Indian camp as the fielders think Khawaja has got an outside edge. But Rohit decides against the review and rightly so as this went off the thigh. Siraj is keeping it on off-stump from over the wicket to the left-hander. Five dots in a row. Khawaja lets the last ball go and that’s a maiden over.

David Warner and Usman Khawaja are out to open the second innings for Australia. Shami comes around the wicket. Just a single from the first over as Khawaja gets off the mark.

Here comes Starc. Width outside off and Shami creams this through the covers for a couple. Labuschagne does well to pull it back in the deep. This gets Shami high on the thigh pad as the ball nips in. On a length outside off and Shami swings and misses. OUT! Shami gets some glove on the pull and Carey takes it behind the stumps. Australia takes a 173-run first-innings lead. Mohammad Shami c Carey b Starc 13 (11b 2x4).

Green replaces Boland. Shami pulls one to deep square for a single. A short one angling away wide outside leg and called a wide. OUT! Thakur’s innings finally comes to an end. He goes for a big drive down the ground but the ball moves away a touch to take the outside edge and Carey takes it behind. Shardul Thakur c Carey b Green 51 (109b 6x4). Siraj is the last man in. OUT! Siraj is given lbw as Green fires in a yorker. Siraj reviews it straight-away but the Australians are already walking back. Oh my! Siraj has got an inside edge and the Australian fielders have to rush back onto the field.

Cummins to continue. FOUR! Full and straight and Thakur hammers this down the ground with a straight bat. Exquisite straight-drive. This is now cut away behind point for a couple more. Thakur misses a wild heave on leg-side and it hits hit on the forearm. FOUR! Thakur brings up his fifty off 108 balls with a brilliant boundary. He made room outside off and sent it crashing through extra-cover.

WTC Final: Shardul Thakur slams third consecutive Test fifty at Oval, equals Bradman and Border

WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Shardul who slammed two consecutive fifties at the Oval in 2021, became only the third batter after Don Bradman and Allan Border to record three consecutive fifties at the venue.

Thakur tucks this off his hips to long-leg but doesn’t take a single. He then steers one through cover-point but takes off for one this time. FOUR! Shami pushes this down the ground and it goes all the way to the boundary. FOUR! This is lucky as it goes off the inside edge and over the stumps before rushing to the boundary. Yorker this time and Shami flicks it beautifully for a couple through midwicket. Beaten off the last ball of the over outside off but a good over for India as Boland leaks 11 runs.

Cummins to Thakur. A single off the first ball. Beaten! An unplayable delivery that seams into Umesh and misses the outside edge and the off-stump. FOUR! This is back of a length outside off-stump and Umesh carves this through the slips and gully for a boundary. India has saved the follow-on. OUT! Cummins hits the top of off-stump and Umesh has to go. Umesh Yadav b Cummins 5 (11b 1x4). Shami comes in and defends the last ball of the over.

Thakur shuffles across to this length delivery from Boland and flicks it to fine-leg for a single. Umesh is doing a fine job of defending his stumps. Another tidy over from Boland.

Cummins will continue. Umesh is off the mark with a single as he jabs through point off the backfoot. Cummins darts in a bouncer and Thakur ducks. One more for Thakur as he gets a thick outside edge to third-man.

Boland continues. Thakur continues to defend on the front-foot. Three dots in a row. Short, angling away outside leg and a bye for India. Eight runs needed now to avoid the follow-on. A leg-bye now as Boland angles this on leg-side on Umesh’s pads. Just two extras from the over.

Cummins from the other end. Thakur defends on the front-foot outside off. On a length outside off again and Thakur plants his foot forward again to defend solidly. Fuller and straighter and Thakur flicks this to midwicket for another dot ball. This is a yorker on leg and Thakur digs it out to mid-on. Full on the pads again and Thakur flicks it behind for a single. OUT! An absolute stunner from Green at gully and Rahane has to go for 89. It was short of a length outside off and Rahane poked at it and got an outside edge. Ajinkya Rahane c Green b Cummins 89 (129b 11x4 1x6).

Rahane and Shardul will look to build on their partnership in the second session. Boland with the ball. Starts off full and straight and Rahane defends it back to the bowler. Fullish outside off now and Rahane shoulders arms. Full on middle and off and Rahane pushes it along the ground straight to mid-on. Three dots in a row. Maiden over to start with for Australia after Lunch.

Cummins bowls back of a legth outside off. Thakur leaves. Thakur given out LBW but Cummins has overstepped. No-ball. Umpire’s call on hitting. Would have stayed out despite India’s review. Australia with a review for caught behind! No spike on Ultra-edge and Australia lose a review. Cummins kicks the ball back to the keeper after Thakur defended it back. A sign of Australia’s frustration this session. Players have taken Lunch.

Lyon to Rahane. Defended uppishly back to the bowler. Rahane drives a fuller ball to short cover and gets a single. Four!! A little shorter outside off stump and Rahane punches it through the off-side for four to bring up the hundred partnership. Four!! Full from Lyon and Rahane drives it to the boundary again.

Cummins bowls one full on off-stump and Rahane guides it to point for a single. Four!! Full on the pads and Thakur clips it to the square leg boundary for four. The two batters have managed to get a steady flow of boundaries. Four dots to end the over.

Lyon into the attack. Four!! First ball full and outside off-stump, Rahane expertly drives it through covers for four. Lyon bowls shorter on leg stump, Rahane turns it to fine leg for a single. Spin and bounce for Lyon but Thakur manages to defend it off the back foot.

Cummins back in to the attack. Back of a length rearing up into Rahane’s gloves. Manages to turn it to gully. A quick single taken. Rahane calls for the physio. Back of a length on off-stump and Thakur defends solidly back to the bowler. Fuller in length this time, Thakur pushes to deep point for a single. Dropped!! Cummins finds Rahane’s edge but Smith drops a tough change at first slip. Went high to his left and he coudn’t hold on with one hand.

Green again. Confusion in the middle as Thakur tries to steal a leg-bye but is sent back by Rahane. The ball clipped Thakur’s pads on the way to the keeper. Solid defence from Thakur as the ball falls near the batter. A quick single taken. Full and Rahane drives it to covers for a couple to bring up 5000 test runs for India. Green has to re-bowl after overstepping. Single of the extra ball.

Starc round the wicket. Rahane drives the full ball to cover for a single. Back of a length angling into Thakur. Takes the inside edge but falls short of Carey. Starc keeping it short of a length and angling into the batter. Thakur managing to make contact and defend. Four!! Short and wide by Starc as Thakur slashes it four on the off-side.

Green again. Ball angled in towards the stumps, beats Rahane on the outside edge. Rahane defends the next fuller ball through covers and gets a single. Full and on off-stump for Thakur as well, single to deep point. Green goes shorter and on the body, Rahane turns it to fine-leg for a single.

Starc bowls it full and down leg. Carey dives full-length to his right. Batters get a bye. Full and wide from Starc. Thakur throws the kitchen sink at it but completely misses the ball. Full on middle and leg, Thakur turns it to fine leg for a single. Another one angled in to the pads, Rahane manages an inside edge onto the pad. Single.

Green to Thakur. Thakur manages to get one down to third man with one leg in the air. Short and rising on Thakur, in the air off the arm guard, but no one close-in in the leg side. Single. Fuller and wide of off-stump, Rahane leaves.

Starc to continue. Rahane defends to mid-off for a single. On a short of good length and angled in to Thakur, goes down the leg-side and nestles in the gloves of the keeper. Good length outside off-stump and Thakur in two minds to try and make contact. Misses the bat. Four!! Thakur smacks a full and wide ball through the covers. Starc goes shorter and angles it in. Gets the edge of the bat and rolls to third man for a single.

Green from the other end. Short and wide as Thakur cuts for a single. Rahane is rapped on the pads. The umpire says no. Australia review. Impact in line but umpires call on hitting as Rahane survives. Was a full one angling into the pads. Rahane is beaten on the tuck. Four!! Green goes short and Rahane cuts it over the slips for four. Four!! Full and outside off stump as Rahane drives it beautifully through the covers for four. Rahane tucks one to backward point for a single. Green goes full and outside off again as Thakur leaves. DRINKS

Starc in to the attack. First ball on a good length jumps on Thakur and hits his body. Thakur leaves a good length one outside off. Shorter and wider from Starc and Thakur mistimes the cut for a single. Back of length angling into Rahane and he guides it to third man for a single. Full on the stumps and Thakur turns to to square leg for a single.

Boland bowls one on good length outside off. Defended by Thakur. Four!! On a good length on the pads and the balls races to the boundary for four leg byes. Extra bounce for Cummins as Rahane turns it to fine leg off his gloves for a single.

The captain to continue. Thakur leaves the first one outside off stump and defends one to point for a single. Cummins goes short of a good length to Rahane, another single to deep point. Shorter in length and the ball pops up awkwardly to short mid wicket. No fielder there as Thakur gets a single. Four!! Rahane manages to edge one between slip and gully for four. Six!! Cummins goes short and Rahane with a magnificient pull over fine leg for six. That is FIFTY for Rahane in his comeback match.

Boland continues. First ball outside off left alone by Thakur. Thakur turns one to backward square and gets a single. Boland goes short but Rahane lets it go with ease. Full from Boland as Rahane drives it past mid-off. A long chase for the fielder but he manages to cut it off. Just a couple. Chance again!! Boland finds th edge but it falls short of the fielder at gully.

Cummins begins with one on a good length outside off stump as Thakur leaves. Chance!! Cummins get Thakur to edge the ball to slip but it is dropped at gully. Tough chance for Green diving to his left but should have been the seventh wicket for the Aussies. Thakur gets hit on the pads the very next ball but the impact was probably very high. Single of the last ball as Thakur keeps strike.

Boland to continue. Rahane defends the first delivery onto the offside. Boland keeps one full and outside off stump. Rahane drives it to cover to get a couple. Four!! Boland persisting with the line and length as Rahane drives it to backward point for four after being beaten the previous delivery.

Cummins fires one in and hits Shardul’s forearm. He winces in pain and the physio is out. He returns to bat and cops another one on his forearm. He throws his bat in pain. And Shardul opts for an armguard. Cummins continues to pepper him with a barrage of short balls. Cuts him in half. Cummins fires in another delivery that just about nicks the outside-edge as Shardul hops around the crease.

Boland sprays one down leg and past Carey for FOUR. Touch outside-off and Shardul slices it past the cordon for FOUR.

Pat Cummins into the attack. Straighter delivery and Rahane gets an inside-edge for a single down to fine leg. Cummins pins Shardul with a sharp line and then shapes the ball gently away. Shardul wafts his bat at it as the ball whizzes past the edge.

Scott Boland to open proceedings. Rahane flicks the first ball for a single down to fine leg. Boland to Bharat, OUT! Bowled him! Straight through the gates. An absolute ripper from Boland. Boland gets this to jag back sharply from length, with the wobble taking effect. The ball keeps a touch low and there’s nothing Bharat could have done. Shardul Thakur is in at 8. Boland greets him with a bumper. EDGED AND DROPPED. Boland offers a hint of room and a fidgety Shardul nicks it to Khawaja at third-slip. He leaps high but fails to latch onto it.

Srikar Bharat b Boland 5 (15b)

The Aussies are waiting to take the field. Bright sunshine at the Oval as Ajinkya Rahane and KS Bharat are set to walk out for India.

In the latest Wednesdays with WV episode, Hanuma Vihari speaks about feeling a bit let down when it comes to national team reckoning, his Oval debut, braving injuries and a lot more.

Australia doubled down to grab a stranglehold over India on the second day of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final here on Thursday.

India did well to restrict Australia to 469, but a top-order collapse left the side in a hole. The Australian pacers stuck to their well-worked plans to reduce India to 151 for five.

A 71-run fifth-wicket stand between Ravindra Jadeja (48, 51b, 7x4, 1x6) and Ajinkya Rahane (29 n.o., 71b, 4x4) gave India hope in the evening session. Veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon, in his second over, demoralised the opposition by removing Jadeja twenty minutes before close of play.

India, which trails by 318 runs, needs a herculean effort from Rahane and K.S. Bharat (5 n.o., 14b) to stay afloat.

Opener Rohit Sharma started well, swivelling back to pull Mitchell Starc for a boundary in the second delivery of the essay. Starc continued to test Rohit with short balls, and the captain was more than willing to take on the deep fine-leg fielder.

Rohit (15) looked in good touch, before a length ball from Pat Cummins caught him on the pads.

Shubman Gill, the toast of the cricketing world, got off the mark with an exquisite cover-drive. The Punjab batter followed up with a tennis-style slap over mid-on.

Australian skipper Cummins brought Scott Boland into the attack in just the fifth over - a clear indication that the side had done its homework on Gill. The move worked, as Boland sent Gill back in dramatic fashion. Gill shouldered arms to an in-dipper, only to find the ball crash into the stumps.

There was hardly time to digest this shock dismissal as Cheteshwar Pujara fell in similar fashion. Cameron Green produced the scalp this time, taking out Pujara’s off-stump. Both Gill and Pujara stayed well inside the line - with no ‘back and across’ feet movement - and paid the price.

It was a particularly disappointing ending for Pujara, who spent considerable time playing for Sussex in the County Championship. Pujara was best prepared to tackle these conditions, but a moment of indecision was all it took for a premature end.

The 23,600-odd spectators cheered loudly when Virat Kohli walked in at number four. Kohli gave the crowd some joy when he strode forward to hit his patented cover-drive. An unplayable snorter from Starc, however, silenced his supporters. Starc got one to jump from a length, catching Kohli on the shoulder of the bat. Steve Smith held on at second slip to spark big celebrations in the Aussie camp.

The Indian bowlers shone bright in the morning session, taking the seven remaining Australian wickets for 142 runs. Mohammed Siraj was fired up and ready for a challenge, firing bouncers at overnight batter Travis Head. The southpaw succumbed to the short-ball plan, gloving a pull to wicketkeeper Bharat.

Smith struck a couple of boundaries to register his hundred. He was annoyed when he dragged a harmless delivery from Shardul Thakur onto timber.

Green flashed at a wide delivery from Mohammad Shami to offer a sharp catch to Gill at slip. Alex Carey’s attempted reverse-sweep was adjudged leg-before, while the tailenders offered little resistance.

Siraj, the spark which lit the fire in the Indian attack, finished with four wickets.

- Ashwin Achal

Day Three of the India vs Australia World Test Championship final will be shown live on Star Sports and streamed live on Disney+Hotstar from 3 PM IST.