'That Cost India The Match': Sunil Gavaskar Picks Turning Point In Indore Test
Australia defeated India by 9 wickets in the third Test in Indore. The guests now trail 1-2 in the four-match series.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that the no-ball bowled by Ravindra Jadeja on which the spinner got the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne was the turning point in the third India-Australia Test in Indore. During Australia's first innings, Labuschagne was yet to open his account when Jadeja dismissed him. The Australian batter had dragged a length ball from outside off onto his stumps. However, TV umpire noticed that Jadeja had overstepped. Labuschagne got a reprieve and scored 31 runs, while stitching a crucial 96-run partnership with Usman Khawaja for the second wicket and taking Australia out of hot water.
Gavaskar feels that the no-ball bowled by Jadeja cost India the match.
"If you look back on the Test match, you would say that is probably what cost India the match. (Marnus) Labuschagne was out for a duck, and they (later) stitched the partnership of 96 while India were dismissed for 109. I think that was probably the turning point. I think that no-ball cost India the match," said Gavaskar after the match.
There was no twist in the tale as Australia turned the tables on India with an emphatic nine-wicket win in the third Test on a track that offered wicked turn and variable bounce, confirming their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, in Indore Friday.
Travis Head (49 not out) and Marnus Labuschagne (28 not out) survived some anxious moments before getting Australia home in 18.5 overs as the match got over in little over two days.
Wins in India come rare for the visiting teams and it was no different for Australia, who recorded their first victory on Indian soil in six years.
For India, it was only their third defeat in the last 10 years and they will need to rework their plans ahead of the final Test, beginning in Ahmedabad from March 9.
(With PTI Inputs)
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
Sunil Gavaskar
Ravindra Jadeja