BRISBANE, Australia — The Australian cricket team has taken control of the match after a dramatic second day in the third Test against India, where they found themselves in a spot of bother but managed a strong rally. At the end of the day’s play, Australia posted a substantial score of 405-7, fueled by an impressive performance from Travis Head, who scored a breathtaking 152, and a long-awaited century from Steven Smith, who contributed a solid 101. Their efforts were part of a significant 241-run partnership that helped recover Australia from a challenging position earlier in the day.
Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah was a key figure in triggering a batting collapse for Australia, finishing with impressive figures of 5-72. His consistent accuracy and the ability to extract movement from the pitch troubled the Australian top order under conditions that favored bowlers, especially in the morning session. The previous day had seen rain limit play to just 13.2 overs, so Australia resumed their innings at 28 without loss when play got underway on Day 2.
It did not take long for Bumrah to make his presence felt, reminiscent of his performance in the opening matches of the series. He quickly dismissed Usman Khawaja, who was caught behind for 21 runs. Nathan McSweeney also struggled, managing just 9 runs off 49 balls before edging another well-directed delivery from Bumrah to Virat Kohli at second slip, leaving Australia at 38-2.
Bumrah’s mastery was evident, as he claimed McSweeney’s wicket for the fourth time in this series. While Smith and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the innings, Labuschagne himself fell to an enticing delivery from Nitish Kumar Reddy, caught by Kohli at slip, putting pressure back on the Australians as they found themselves at 75-3.
At this point, Smith and Head combined effectively to steer the team back on course. Head began to accelerate after reaching a half-century off 71 balls and completed his century with an elegant sweep through mid-wicket off bowler Mohammed Siraj. This century marked Head’s ninth in Test cricket and came as part of a remarkable series against India, including performances in previous major finals.
Steven Smith, who had struggled for runs in the past year and had not reached a hundred since the Ashes in mid-2023, showed signs of recovery. His initial fifty came from a cautious 128 balls over 210 minutes, but after the tea break, he regained his lost rhythm, looking increasingly comfortable against an exhausted Indian attack. Following the introduction of the second new ball, Smith celebrated with a textbook straight drive for his 11th boundary, bringing up his 33rd Test century after flicking Akash Deep’s delivery to fine leg.
Immediately after reaching the milestone, he made a rare error, getting caught by Rohit Sharma off Bumrah’s bowling at the score of 101, receiving applause from the crowd as he made his way back to the pavilion. Mitch Marsh was also dismissed in quick succession, edging one through to Kohli and handing Bumrah his fourth wicket. The Indian bowler later celebrated as he claimed Head, who was caught behind, marking Bumrah’s twelfth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Head’s innings concluded with a score of 152 off 160 balls, featuring 18 boundaries, and matched his best performance recorded at the Gabba. Late in the day, some aggressive batting from Alex Carey, who remained unbeaten on 45, alongside Pat Cummins at 20, helped push Australia’s total past 400. The prior day’s play was marred by rain interruptions, limiting the action significantly.
In previous encounters of this series, India triumphed in the first Test by a commanding 295 runs, while Australia staged a comeback in the second Test in Adelaide, winning by a margin of 10 wickets. The dynamic continues to unfold as both teams strive for supremacy.
