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After an impressive fightback from India in their first innings on day three of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test match, all the three results in the game are still possible at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). While Australia still have a big lead of 116 runs going into day four of the Test match, centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy will be looking to eat into the deficit for India alongside last man Mohammed Siraj, to ensure that the hosts need to work extremely hard to force a win.
The Indian cricket team resumed play on day three on 164/5 in 46 overs with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, who were dismissed after getting decent starts with the bat in the first session at the MCG. At 221/7, India were in deep trouble until youngsters Nitish Kumar Reddy (105* off 176) and Washington Sundar (50 off 162) shared a 127-run stand for the eighth wicket, to keep their team in the contest.
India need to win Melbourne Test to give themselves best possible chance of reaching WTC final
The bad light and subsequent rains in the final session on day three led to stumps being called early, but not before India reached 358/9 in 116 overs. Every run added in the total tomorrow morning would allow the Indian cricket team to make Australia sweat in the middle that bit more during the final two days, which could help them either draw or win the Test match on the fifth and final day, keeping their hopes alive in regard to reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
If India manages to win the Melbourne Test, followed by another victory in Sydney, to clinch the BGT 3-1, then they will make the WTC final without depending on other results. If the Melbourne Test ends in a win, followed by a draw in Sydney, or vice-versa, India will retain the BGT 2-1, which would mean that a drawn Test for Sri Lanka against Australia at home during the two-match series is going to be enough for India to reach the WTC final.
If the Melbourne Test ends in a loss, followed by a win in Sydney, allowing India to retain the BGT with a 2-2 series result or 1-1 with both Tests ending in a draw, then they will need Sri Lanka to draw or win their two-match Test series against Australia at home. But, if India loses both Melbourne and Sydney Test matches, then they will not only lose the BGT for the first-time in 10 years, their chances of reaching the WTC final next year at the Lord’s in London will be lost.
