Australia found a foot back in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series, winning the third of the four Tests at Indore by 9 wickets. The Indians will still lead the series 2-1, but Australia’s win holds significant implications. Firstly, it spices things up for the final game at Ahmedabad starting March 9. Secondly, the upcoming match becomes a must-win if India want to cement their place in the final of the Global Test Championships to be played at the Oval between 7 to June 11, 2023.
However, a key event grabbed everyone’s attention in the post-match presentation. Among the many awards presented, India star batter Cheteshwar Pujara won the longest six of the match award. Fans were quick to react to this update as hard-hitting is not Pujara’s forte. Moreover, an award for hitting a long six should never be a part of a post-match presentation in a Test. The award and Cheteshwar Pujara winning it both raised a few eyebrows.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a resilient 59 in the second innings
Speaking of the game, India won the toss and decided to bat first on a difficult track managing just 109 runs in the first innings. They had a taste of their medicine – spin. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann remained the pick of the bowlers for Australia, with five wickets in nine overs whilst conceding just 16 runs. Nathan Lyon had three scalps, while Todd Murphy dismissed the dangerman, Virat Kohli. The last man to be dismissed, Mohammed Siraj, was run-out by Travis Head. The three Australian turners gulped up the bowler’s wickets in the first Indian innings.
In reply, the visitors reached 197, riding on an anchoring fifty by opener Usman Khawaja. Umesh Yadav, who replaced Mohammed Shami, returned with three wickets in the first Australia innings. India’s spin twins Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin cleaned up the other seven batters picking up four and three wickets, respectively. India were again bowled out again in the second innings, this time for 163, with Cheteshwar Pujara hitting 59 of those runs. Nathan Lyon dropped a memorable performance picking up eight wickets, while Matthew Kuhnemann and Mitchell Starc picked up a wicket each.
Australia required only 76 runs to win on Day 3, a target they reached with relative ease. There was a shocker as Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Usman Khawaja in the Day’s second ball. But, following that minor mishap, it was a smooth sail, and the men from down under reached the target within 19 overs.
Here’s how fans reacted to the update:
The fact that even Pujara is more fit than this Vadapav? pic.twitter.com/TrHHkKd2LG
— Pranju? (@PranjaIIjain079) March 3, 2023
Ye award pujara ko zindagi bhr yaad rhega
— POSSIBLE (@possible1818) March 3, 2023
Match nhi jeete, irrelevant award hi sahi
— Cricket Fan 07 (@Manas_pr_sharma) March 3, 2023
Spiderman really messed up the universe
— Akash Pritom Saikia (@AKASHSAIKIA22) March 3, 2023
That tells you the whole test match how it was ? pic.twitter.com/YuSZP0IlNF
— DJOKER?? (@AniketN_79) March 3, 2023
— ???? ????? (@innocentabbyi) March 3, 2023
Thank u roadshit sharma pic.twitter.com/9ev7BtgLdd
— Hemanth Kumar ??? (@hemanthkumar_62) March 3, 2023
Pujara:- pic.twitter.com/ntR1tQ8jkO
— Mukulr5 (@RRmuk8649) March 3, 2023
