India won a 131-run lead on the first innings before reducing Australia to 133-6 at stumps on day three as they headed for a league-level victory in the second Test at the MCG; the tourists lost the fast player Umesh Yadav to a calf injury
The Reuters
Last Updated: 28/12/20 9:05 am
Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets as India took control of the second Test against Australia on the third day at the MCG.
A brutal attack from India involved the injury of a Umesh Yadav graduate to prepare for the Australian battalion and set the stage for a series-level victory on day three of Monday’s second test.
Losing Umesh to calf injury after lunch, all-round Ravindra Jadeja went in with two wicks and sailors Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took one apiece to leave Australia 133-6 at stumps, following a lead of two runs at Melbourne Cricket Ground. .
Cameron Green, 17, not out, and tailor Pat Cummins, 15, showed a challenge to shut out India’s archers late in the day but there is a lot of work ahead for Australia to the tourists.
Australia would run down 90 for victory to win the first Test in three days in Adelaide, but their batsmen failed to surpass 200 in the other three innings of the series.
Horribly, star Steve Smith’s form woes have suddenly opened up, with Bumrah bowling him around his feet for eight Monday shortly after the tea break.
Smith has yet to reach double figures in this series, with scores of one and one not out in Adelaide, and a duck in the first innings in Melbourne.
Steve Smith ‘s struggles in the series continued when he was beaten by Jasprit Bumrah for eight
India, anchored during Ajinkya Rahane ‘s inspiring run on day two, were sent off for 326 before lunch in response to Australia’ s first 195 innings.
With Smith and opener Matthew Wade at the festival, Australia had started at 65-2 after tea, still hopeful of easing a 66-run deficit and setting up action for India for effect.
But Bumrah grabbed their 29-run partnership in the bud by bowling Smith and then threw a short ball into the back of Wade’s helmet, the left winger and turning his head in a fruitless attempt to find it.
Wade was soon outscored by Jadeja for 40 and blew a second Australian review before leaving.
His wicket started to fall apart with Travis Head (17) and Tim Paine (1) falling apart, the old man dragging Siraj to the grooves and the captain behind him.
“Gut Feelings”
Rahane praised his archers but said there was still work to be done.
“You want to support your gut sensations and get around it. The mattresses were bowling well and bowling in the right areas,” he told broadcasters.
“We’ve got four wikis still to go, the game is not over yet. We have to come back tomorrow, bowl in the right areas and get the win.”
Cummins and Green dug a lot but were lucky to stay safe. Cummins was dropped at 11 by memory keeper Rishabh Pant after kicker Ravichandran kicked Ashwin behind the wicket.
S Africa against Sri Lanka
December 29, 2020, 7:55 am
Live on 
Australia is having trouble proving.
Joe Burns’ place at the top of the order is in jeopardy after he was sacked free, the opener behind him for four off Umesh and then blowing a review trying to turn him around.
The Queenslander stood out of form with only 10 balls in the first innings before being caught in the back for a duck off Bumrah.
Marnus Labuschagne, who made 48 in the first innings, made another good start but was signaled by Ashwin to be out for 28 with an edge to slip.
Earlier, Rahane’s knock came to an end in the morning when Jadeja ran out for 112 when he went for a single that was never there.
It was a challenging end to a smooth texture but Rahane is unlikely to hold back as Jadeja’s wickets showed off Australia’s tail.