Preamble

Geoff Lemon

What ho, cricket folk. We’re getting ready to launch into Day 3 at the MCG, with a potential record crowd to be had over the next couple of days, but only if India can hang on. They’re in real strife at the moment, 310 runs behind on the first innings with five wickets in hand.

Yesterday saw Australia push all the way up to 474, thanks to Steve Smith registering consecutive hundreds after his ton at Brisbane, and Pat Cummins supporting him with 49 runs of his own. India were in the game while Yashasvi Jaiswal was barnstorming along with Virat Kohli in support, but they upended that with a terrible run out, then Kohli lost concentration and chased a wide ball to get out.

The fifth wicket of the day was the nightwatch, Akash Deep, so India have Pant and Jadeja to resume today, with Reddy and Sundar as proper batters to come in next. The genuine lower order is only Bumrah and Siraj. Nonetheless, it’s going to be a huge job to get anywhere within proximity of Australia’s score. As in Brisbane, the first target will be to avoid the follow on, at 111 runs away.

All on the line today, at 1-1 in the series.