The intense four-Test series, currently level at 1-1, will come down to five days of cricket starting on Saturday, perhaps fewer if the picturesque venue at the foot of the Himalayas produces a raging turner.
The stand started in Monday's morning session when Steve Smith, the most important brick in Australia's stonewall, failed to play a shot and was clean-bowled by Ravindra Jadeja. The tourists were in dire straits at 4-63.
It ended with the visitors sitting pretty at 5-187 in the final session, needing only to avoid the most cataclysmic of collapses. They did, with Handscomb finishing 72 not out.
"If there's anything called momentum in cricket it's probably with us at the moment," Smith said.
"India coming here today would have expected to bowl us out. I'm sure they're hurting a little bit."
Kohli naturally had a different take, applauding his team for seizing control of the contest after Australia won the toss and posted 451 in their first innings.
"Everyone has his point of view. We will look at our positives and we are happy with where we brought the game to after just one innings," Kohli said.
"We didn't need to bat in the second innings. They had to play for a draw."Changes likely for final Test
It would not surprise if both sides opt for at least one change to their XI.
The series so far
- First Test, Pune - Australia wins by 333 runs
- Second Test, Bangalore - India wins by 75 runs
- Third Test, Ranchi - Match drawn
- Fourth Test, Dharamsala - March 25-29
Australia's four frontline bowlers will be closely monitored during a short turnaround. They toiled for some 210 overs in India's marathon first innings during the third Test.
In terms of a single Test innings, it was a career-high workload for Josh Hazlewood (44 overs), Pat Cummins (39 overs) and Steve O'Keefe (77 overs).
Nathan Lyon delivered 46 overs and was clearly bothered by the cracked callus on his spinning finger.
However, the final innings of the match never eventuated so they were able to spend Monday recovering.
"Tired. I've never spent 210 overs in the field before," Smith said, when asked how the side felt on day four.
"SOK was actually joking for a minute there. He bowled 78 overs, if he bowled two more he was going to throw the ball off and get himself a new one from one end.
"Credit to our boys, the way they came out today after having such heavy legs and spending that time in the field.
"To be able hold out for the draw (was impressive)."
Kohli hinted paceman Mohammed Shami was in the mix for a recall, having recently returned from a knee injury that had kept him on the sidelines since December.
"We sent him to play, wanted to give him match practice," Kohli said.
"I've not spoken to selectors but all kinds of possibilities (exist) approaching the next Test."
Scorecard
India v Australia
Match: 3rd Test
Venue: JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
Match Drawn
Australia First Innings |
Runs |
|
---|---|---|
Extras (2nb 0w 11lb 9b) |
Total 451 all out (137.3 overs) |
|
Matthew Renshaw |
c Virat Kohli b Umesh Yadav |
44 |
David Warner |
c & b Ravindra Jadeja |
19 |
Steven Smith * |
not out |
178 |
Shaun Marsh |
c Cheteshwar Pujara b Ravichandran Ashwin |
2 |
Peter Handscomb |
lbw Umesh Yadav |
19 |
Glenn Maxwell |
c Wriddhiman Saha b Ravindra Jadeja |
104 |
Matthew Wade † |
c Wriddhiman Saha b Ravindra Jadeja |
37 |
Pat Cummins |
b Ravindra Jadeja |
0 |
Steve O'Keefe |
c Murali Vijay b Umesh Yadav |
25 |
Nathan Lyon |
c Karun Nair b Ravindra Jadeja |
1 |
Josh Hazlewood |
run out (Lokesh Rahul) |
0 |
Fall of wickets: 1-50 (David Warner, 9.4 overs), 2-80 (Matthew Renshaw, 22.3 overs), 3-89 (Shaun Marsh, 25.1 overs), 4-140 (Peter Handscomb, 42.2 overs), 5-331 (Glenn Maxwell, 101.2 overs), 6-395 (Matthew Wade, 115.4 overs), 7-395 (Pat Cummins, 115.6 overs), 8-446 (Steve O'Keefe, 134.3 overs), 9-449 (Nathan Lyon, 135.6 overs), 10-451 (Josh Hazlewood, 137.3 overs)
Bowling |
O |
R |
W |
---|---|---|---|
Ishant Sharma |
20 |
70 |
0 |
Umesh Yadav |
31 |
106 |
3 |
Ravichandran Ashwin |
34 |
114 |
1 |
Ravindra Jadeja |
49.3 |
124 |
5 |
Murali Vijay |
3 |
17 |
0 |
India First Innings |
Runs |
|
---|---|---|
Extras (0nb 0w 5lb 14b) |
Total 603 for 9 declared (210.0 overs) |
|
Lokesh Rahul |
c Matthew Wade b Pat Cummins |
67 |
Murali Vijay |
st Matthew Wade b Steve O'Keefe |
82 |
Cheteshwar Pujara |
c Glenn Maxwell b Nathan Lyon |
202 |
Virat Kohli * |
c Steven Smith b Pat Cummins |
6 |
Ajinkya Rahane |
c Matthew Wade b Pat Cummins |
14 |
Karun Nair |
b Josh Hazlewood |
23 |
Ravichandran Ashwin |
c Matthew Wade b Pat Cummins |
3 |
Wriddhiman Saha † |
c Glenn Maxwell b Steve O'Keefe |
117 |
Ravindra Jadeja |
not out |
54 |
Umesh Yadav |
c David Warner b Steve O'Keefe |
16 |
Ishant Sharma |
not out |
0 |
Fall of wickets: 1-91 (Lokesh Rahul, 31.2 overs), 2-193 (Murali Vijay, 70.4 overs), 3-225 (Virat Kohli, 80.4 overs), 4-276 (Ajinkya Rahane, 91.2 overs), 5-320 (Karun Nair, 107.4 overs), 6-328 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 115.4 overs), 7-527 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 193.2 overs), 8-541 (Wriddhiman Saha, 196.1 overs), 9-595 (Umesh Yadav, 208.2 overs)
Bowling |
O |
R |
W |
---|---|---|---|
Josh Hazlewood |
44 |
103 |
1 |
Pat Cummins |
39 |
106 |
4 |
Steve O'Keefe |
77 |
199 |
3 |
Nathan Lyon |
46 |
163 |
1 |
Glenn Maxwell |
4 |
13 |
0 |
Australia Second Innings |
Runs |
|
---|---|---|
Extras (3nb 0w 4lb 9b) |
Total 204 for 6 (100.0 overs) |
|
David Warner |
b Ravindra Jadeja |
14 |
Matthew Renshaw |
lbw Ishant Sharma |
15 |
Nathan Lyon |
b Ravindra Jadeja |
2 |
Steven Smith * |
b Ravindra Jadeja |
21 |
Shaun Marsh |
c Murali Vijay b Ravindra Jadeja |
53 |
Peter Handscomb |
not out |
72 |
Glenn Maxwell |
c Murali Vijay b Ravichandran Ashwin |
2 |
Matthew Wade † |
not out |
9 |
Pat Cummins |
||
Steve O'Keefe |
||
Josh Hazlewood |
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (David Warner, 5.1 overs), 2-23 (Nathan Lyon, 7.2 overs), 3-59 (Matthew Renshaw, 28.4 overs), 4-63 (Steven Smith, 29.1 overs), 5-187 (Shaun Marsh, 91.2 overs), 6-190 (Glenn Maxwell, 94.4 overs)
Bowling |
O |
R |
W |
---|---|---|---|
Ravichandran Ashwin |
30 |
71 |
1 |
Ravindra Jadeja |
44 |
54 |
4 |
Umesh Yadav |
15 |
36 |
0 |
Ishant Sharma |
11 |
30 |
1 |
AAP