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Home > Sports News > Cricket News > Article > Oh those Day 5 blues

Oh those Day 5 blues!

Updated on: 20 March,2017 07:36 AM IST  | 
Gaurav Joshi |

Oz will be delighted with draw against India, but they don't see off too many final days. Last time they did it was way back in 2011 vs Sri Lanka at Colombo

Oh those Day 5 blues!

Ravindra Jadeja (centre) is ecstatic after the dismissal of David Warner on Day Four of the third India-Australia Test in Ranchi yesterday. Pic/PTIRavindra Jadeja (centre) is ecstatic after the dismissal of David Warner on Day Four of the third India-Australia Test in Ranchi yesterday. Pic/PTI


Before the Australian team landed in India, skipper Steven Smith said that curbing their natural attacking instincts and willingness to fight for draw if they cannot force a win are two important aspects they should remember if they want to survive in the sub-continent. After Day Four of the third Test here, with Australia reeling at 23-2 and still 129 behind, they face a monumental task of trying to eke out a draw. For the first time in the series, a draw is on the horizon and Smith’s theory will be tested.


Lehmann confident
Australia coach Darren Lehmann said that he was confident that his batsmen could bat the day out. “Once the ball gets a bit softer, it becomes a little easier for the batsmen. I’m still pretty confident that the batsmen can bat on that pitch. It is still playing well. We got two really good balls (to David Warner and Nathan Lyon) and if we get another 10 tomorrow then that’s fine,” the coach said yesterday.


The visitors would be delighted with the draw, but the bad news is that the last time they managed to draw a Test while batting on the last day was way back in 2011 against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo. Since then, they have always capitulated under pressure and their techniques have also been exposed.

Jadeja threat looms
The challenge for Australia will be how they combat Ravindra Jadeja. The left-arm spinner has ample amount of rough to aim at outside the left-handers’ off-stump at the pavilion end. He has already showed how good he is in exploiting the rough in the 20 balls that he bowled late on Day Four. If Warner’s dismissal is anything to go by, the Jadeja threat looms large on the remaining four left-handers in the Australian line-up.

Australia saw Faf du Plessis pull off a heroic draw at the Adelaide Oval in 2012-13. They have also seen India do it against them in consecutive Test matches in Melbourne and Sydney in 2014-15. But now, the Aussies are facing the music, and they are not comfortable with it.

Lehmann said that they had prepared for such situations during their training stint in Dubai. But as Bangalore showed, it is one thing replicating net bowlers in Dubai and a completely different challenge trying to keep out Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin with vocal fielders around the bat. The time has come to take a page out of the du Plessis’ book and bat for a draw.

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