MOHALI: Australia resists like a girl with an attitude, but
gave in eventually to a relentless suitor as India won the third Test by six
wickets to go 3-0 up in the series. The fourth plus last match will be played
in New Delhi from March 22 when India wills effort to win four Tests in a
series for the first time in their history.
Set a target of 133 in a minimum of 27 overs, India hit the Promised
Land for the loss of Murali Vijay (26), Cheteshwar Pujara (28) and Virat Kohli
(34) and Sachin Tendulkar (21). For a brief while it appeared that Australia
may confine India to a draw. Thirty were desirable in fifty-six balls when
Kohli flicked Peter Siddle to short mid-wicket.
Tendulkar and MS Dhoni (18*) played through a stage of quiet
as the requirement escalated, and the maestro’s sharp run-out by David Warner
gave Australia one more look-in to enforce a draw. But Ravindra Jadeja walked
in to cream limits against Siddle, setting an example for his skipper to
follow: Dhoni decided things with three fours off Mitchell Starc and after that
uprooted a stump as a souvenir.
The win at Mohali was mainly set up by Shikhar Dhawan’sblazing 187 on debut that was scored across two sessions on Saturday and made
up for the time lost on account of the first-day washout. Dhawan was named Man
of the Match, but did not come out to bat on Monday as he has injured his hand
while fielding. India were also served well by Jadeja's left-arm spin, that claim
six wickets - three in each innings - in the match. Jadeja has dismissed
Michael Clarke five times in this series.
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