India vs Australia Highlights, 3rd Test at SCG, Day 1, Full Cricket Score: Labuschagne, Smith guide hosts to 166/2 at stumps

After 55 overs,Australia 166/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 67 , Steven Smith 31)

Rahane turns to pace for the final over of the day, with Saini conceding a single off his seventh over as Labuschagne and Smith ensure Australia are in the driver’s seat at close of play on the opening day of the third Test at the SCG.

After 54 overs,Australia 165/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 67 , Steven Smith 30)

Ashwin gets quite the extra bounce off the second delivery, the ball going past Smith’s ribs before deflecting off Pant’s gloves. Single to Smith off the penultimate delivery, the No 4 batsman moving to 30 with that shot.

After 53 overs,Australia 164/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 67 , Steven Smith 29)

First run conceded by Jadeja today, with Labuschagne guiding the ball through square leg off the second delivery for an easy single. Smith blocks out the next three balls, before retaining the strike with a single off the last ball.

After 52 overs,Australia 162/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 66 , Steven Smith 28)

Fine stop by Ashwin off the second delivery after a drive down the ground by Labuschagne. The latter guides the ball through midwicket for a single three balls later, the only run collected in this over. Three overs to go after this.

After 51 overs,Australia 161/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 65 , Steven Smith 28)

Jadeja makes it back-to-back maidens now, as Steve Smith sees off all six deliveries in his second over.

After 50 overs,Australia 161/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 65 , Steven Smith 28)

Appeal for caught-behind against Smith off the second ball of the over, but one that’s turned down by the umpire. Pant and other close-in fielders think Smith got a bit of glove before the deflection off the pad and the catch by the keeper, but Rahane’s not convinced. And his decision to not go upstairs ultimately saves a review, as confirmed in the replay. Two off the over.

After 49 overs,Australia 159/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 64 , Steven Smith 27)

Ravi Jadeja brought into the attack for the first time today with a few minutes to go for the close of play. Perhaps Rahane missed a trick in not introducing him earlier in the day? The left-arm orthodox spinner starts off his spell with a maiden.

After 48 overs,Australia 159/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 64 , Steven Smith 27)

Four off the over, with Labuschagne bringing up the fifty partnership with Ashwin with a inside-out lofted drive over mid off off the third delivery. Partnership starting to look real dangerous for the Indians now, just the kind that could take the match away from their grasp. Perhaps even the series.

After 47 overs,Australia 155/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 60 , Steven Smith 27)

Athletic stop by Rohit at midwicket after a well-timed on-drive by Labuschagne off the third delivery, saving at least a couple of runs for the visitors. Just one off Siraj’s 14th over, with Labuschagne collecting a single off the fourth delivery.

After 46 overs,Australia 154/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 59 , Steven Smith 27)

Smith gets rapped on the pad off the second delivery, the ball deflecting to Rahane at slip, who then almost catches Smith short of his crease at the striker’s end. Smith sets off for a single off the third delivery, working the ball through square leg, with Labuschagne following suit three balls later, courtesy a misfield.

After 45 overs,Australia 152/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 58 , Steven Smith 26)

Siraj bowls a ripper of a delivery to Labuschagne off the second ball, the ball narrowly beating the outer edge after angling in along good length. Highlight of what is otherwise a run-of-the-mill maiden for the seamer.

After 44 overs,Australia 152/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 58 , Steven Smith 26)

Four singles nicked in Ashwin’s 12th over as Labuschagne and Smith guide the hosts past the 150-run mark in this over. The partnership between the two, meanwhile, is just four short of the fifty-mark.

After 43 overs,Australia 148/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 56 , Steven Smith 24)

Siraj replaces Saini. Big over for the Aussies, as Labuschagne collects a couple of boundaries off the Hyderabad pacer’s bowling in addition to a couple of doubles to breach the fifty-run mark for the ninth time in Test cricket, getting to the milestone in 108 deliveries this innings. 12 off the over. Drinks called on to the field. Australia in the driver’s seat at the moment!

After 42 overs,Australia 136/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 44 , Steven Smith 24)

Smith dances down the track to the man who had dismissed him thrice in the ongoing series, and lofts him over mid on for his fifth boundary of the innings! Rahane, meanwhile, decides to further attack Smith by placing Pujara at catching mid on for a possible return catch through a drive or a miscue. Five dots follow the boundary.

After 41 overs,Australia 132/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 44 , Steven Smith 20)

No break for Saini though as he continues from the other end, giving away two singles in his sixth over of the day. Labuschagne, meanwhile, is one hit over the rope away from his half-century.

After 40 overs,Australia 130/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 43 , Steven Smith 19)

Ashwin brought into the attack for the first time in this session, with Rahane deciding to give Bumrah a rest now. Labuschagne takes a single off the first delivery, bringing Smith on strike against his arch-nemesis this series. And in what can be described as a mini-victory of sorts, Smith drives the ball through the gap between midwicket and mid on for a boundary of the last delivery, his fourth of the innings so far. Five off the over.

After 39 overs,Australia 125/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 42 , Steven Smith 15)

Just the two singles off this over, one each to Smith and Labuschagne, the former mixing up the aggression early on in his innings with a bit of caution.

Debutant dismissed by another debutant last three instances:

Will Pucovski by Navdeep Saini, Sydney, 2021*

PWH de Silva by Lutho Simpala, Centurion, 2020

Olly Stone by Mark Adair, Lord’s, 2019

After 38 overs,Australia 123/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 41 , Steven Smith 14)

Quiet over from Bumrah, with Labuschage and Smith collecting a single each off the first and second deliveries of the over. Meanwhile, partnership’s worth 17 between these two in no time. Almost taking the momentum gained from Pucovski’s wicket away in the blink of an eye.

After 37 overs,Australia 121/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 40 , Steven Smith 13)

Excellent over for the Aussies with nine coming off it, including two boundaries off three deliveries for Steve Smith, who’s making quite the statement already in his short stay at the crease so far. Saini’s leaked 27 runs from his four overs so far, dismissing Pucovski along the way.

After 36 overs,Australia 112/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 39 , Steven Smith 5)

Bumrah keeps Smith on the backfoot for five consecutive deliveries in his 13th over, before the latter collects his first boundary of the innings with a well-timed drive through mid off off the last delivery.

After 35 overs,Australia 108/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 39 , Steven Smith 1)

India finally managed to grab the elusive second wicket after a couple of dropped chances, with debutant Saini not leaving things to the fielders but instead trapping fellow debutant Pucovski plumb lbw for 62, bringing the talismanic Steve Smith to the crease. Three runs and a wicket from this over. The visitors looking a lot more upbeat after the wicket now.

Steve Smith in this series so far:

1, 1*, 0, 8

He has been dismissed by Ashwin twice in this series so far.

OUT! Saini gets his maiden Test wicket, trapping fellow debutant Pucovski leg-before — a rather plumb decision for the umpire. Fuller delivery from the seamer, and Pucovski was late in bringing his bat down while leaning forward. Jubilation for the Delhi pacer! Replays show impact was ‘Umpire’s Call’ and the batsman would’ve been out anyway. AUS 106/2

Pucovski lbw Saini 62(110)

After 34 overs,Australia 105/1 ( Will Pucovski 62 , Marnus Labuschagne 38)

Labuschagne punches the ball down the ground off the third delivery, Ashwin’s chase of the ball giving him enough time to come back for a third run. Pucovski goes for a streaky pull off the last delivery, getting a thick top-edge off the short ball that luckily lands in the vacant backward square-leg region. Five off the over.

After 33 overs,Australia 100/1 ( Will Pucovski 60 , Marnus Labuschagne 35)

Saini continues from the other end. Pucovski punches the ball through the cover region first ball, getting enough time to scamper back for a second run. The debutant grabs three three balls later, driving the ball down the ground with a straight bat this time. Labuschagne brings up the team hundred with a quick single off the last delivery.

After 32 overs,Australia 94/1 ( Will Pucovski 55 , Marnus Labuschagne 34)

Pucovski taps the ball for a quick single off the second delivery of the over. Labuschagne then blocks/leaves the remaining deliveries as Bumrah begins his new spell on a tidy note.

Tea! Australia 93/1

India could have had at least one wicket but bad fielding has put the hosts in commanding position. Saini’s first two balls in Test cricket has been put away for boundaries. The other debutant has reached the first landmark in his career. He got three lives though but importantly he is still there. India have their task cut out in next session.