The incident took place in the 41st over of the Indian innings after the duo had put up a brilliant 102-run third-wicket partnership when Jaiswal flicked Scott Boland towards Pat Cummins at mid-on and set off without hesitation.
In the context of the series and the ICC World Test Championship, the final hour of play on Day 2 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground could prove pivotal for India's fortunes.
India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, however, thinks that the duo’s return to their best is a matter of regaining confidence and composure in the initial phase of their innings.
It seemed that the Christmas break infused new life into the Australian top order that fired in unison on return to action in the fourth round of the Border-Gavaskar tussle on Boxing Day, helping the hosts pile up 311 for 6 even as late strikes helped India share the honours after the opening day’s play at the jam-packed Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting believes 19-year-old rookie opener Sam Konstas has what it takes to make a mark in the remaining Border-Gavaskar trophy Tests against India.
Hazlewood, who missed the day-night Test in Adelaide with a side strain, proved his fitness under the scorching Queensland sun alongside his longtime partner-in-crime Mitchell Starc, as the duo fired in unison under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Daniel Vettori.
In a massive relief for Indian cricket fans ahead of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Brisbane, starting Saturday, star quick Jasprit Bumrah shrugged off any injury concerns and completed a full warm-up with his teammates on Thursday before bowling in their main training session.
Playing his debut series, Nathan McSweeney has fallen to Jasprit Bumrah thrice in four innings during the first two Tests in Perth and Adelaide, but the rookie Australian opener is relishing the challenge of facing the Indian ace early in his career, and is confident he can “throw a few more punches” at Bumrah in the third Test, beginning at the Gabba from Saturday.
Over the past couple of years, the Gabba, once the fortress of the Australians, hasn’t yielded the desired outcome for the home side, especially when India broke the 32-year hegemony with a series-defining victory in 2021.
Highlighting strong public interest in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, tickets for the opening day of the fourth Test between India and Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) have been sold out, the Cricket Australia announced on Tuesday.
