Only Virat Kohli was able to sustain any resistance to the Australian quick bowlers and he was unbeaten on 69 alongside R. Vinay Kumar (six not out) at lunch with the tourists still 43 runs from forcing the hosts to bat again.
India, bowled out for 161 in the first innings, had resumed on 88 for four facing an uphill battle just to match Australia's first innings tally of 369.
On a blistering morning at the WACA, which had the fans crowding around the casks of complimentary sunscreen as they streamed into the ground, India kept the hosts in the field without success for a lengthy period for the first time in the series.
The quartet of Australian quicks continued to make full use of the bounce on offer from the wicket but, despite several wafted attempted shots from the batsmen, were forced to wait for the breakthrough.
Kohli, under pressure for his place in the side for much of the series, once again proved to be one of his team's more impressive batsman and brought up his fifty with a flicked four through long on off Mitchell Starc after an hour's play.
It was the fifth time in six innings in the series that the 39-year-old Dravid, known as "the Wall" for his strong defence, had been bowled.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni came in next but lasted just 20 minutes before edging a Peter Siddle delivery to Ricky Ponting in the slips with the former Australia skipper taking a fine low catch.
With the captain gone India's cause looked lost, not least because their tail has been fragile at best during the series.
Australia won the first test in Melbourne by 122 runs and the second in Sydney by an innings and 68 runs. The fourth test begins in Adelaide next week.
2 comments:
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Deepak
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