India suffered an early setback on Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final against Australia as KS Bharat fell victim to Scott Boland’s impressive bowling. The wicket came at a crucial time when fans were seen entering the stadium with coffee in hand, getting ready to witness another booster-day.
Boland’s delivery was pitched on a good length and nipped back into the right-hander, catching Bharat off guard. His defensive stroke left a small gap between bat and pad, allowing the ball to sneak through and crash into the top of middle stump. Bharat’s contribution was limited to just one ball on the third day, marking a disastrous start for India.
Looking back to Day 2, India faced an uphill battle in the Test Championship Final as they trailed by a daunting 318 runs after Australia posted an imposing first-innings total of 469 at The Oval. The responsibility to narrow the gap fell on the shoulders of Ajinkya Rahane, who aims to provide respite to the Indian team.
Rahane, making a comeback to the Test side after being dropped in March 2022, showcased resilience during his innings of 29 runs off 71 deliveries.