Australia vs India: Travis Head and Steve Smith hit centuries to put hosts on top in third Test despite Jasprit Bumrah’s late burst | Cricket News happymamay

Centuries by Travis Head and Steve Smith put Australia ahead of India as they made 405-7 on day two of the third Test despite a late surge from Jasprit Bumrah at the Gabba.

Australia resumed their run with a 28-0 run in Brisbane after rain reduced the opening day to just 13.2, with the Indian seamer making early breakthroughs to dismiss Usman Khawaja (21) and Nathan McSweeney (9), while Nitish Kumar Reddy (1-65) dismissed Marnus Labuschagne. (12) To leave them with a score of 75-3.

But Head (152) and Smith (101) then combined for a blistering 241-run partnership for the fourth wicket, pushing Australia to 316-3 before Bumrah (5-72) batted in the evening session to dismiss them both.

Alex Carey (45 not out) and Mitchell Starc (7 not out) survived the late onslaught and led the hosts safely to stumps after skipper Pat Cummins (20 not out) fell to Mohamed Siraj (1-97).

The five-match series was tied 1-1 with Australia winning a day-night match in Adelaide after India won the opener in Perth.

Head and Smith challenge the seamers in India

The Gabba Stadium was offering plenty of help to the Indian seamers under a patchy, cloud-covered sky early on Sunday, and saw Khawaja stuck behind Bumrah’s early gates.

McSweeney followed soon after, making just nine off 49 balls, as Bumrah edged Virat Kohli at second slip, with Australia slipping to 38-2 in the 19th over.

Smith and Labuschagne steadied the ship but Reddy tempted the Australian No. 3 with a wide delivery which brought Kohli back into play as he again took the catch at slip.

Smith and Head then combined for Australia at 75-3, with the latter maiden reaching a half-century off 71 balls before posting his ninth Test hundred off a low full toss from Bumrah.

Smith had not made a century in 26 innings, most recently during the 2023 Ashes tour, but played reasonably well to reach his 33rd Test off 185 balls after Akash Deep (0-78) flicked fine leg for a single.

In the following, Smith was caught at the slip cordon by skipper Rohit Sharma but walked off to a standing ovation from the Gabba crowd.

Mitch Marsh (5) edged Kohli for Bumrah’s fourth and three balls later, as Head was caught behind to complete his 12th five-wicket haul in Tests.

Carey and Cummins helped Australia past 400 before the captain hit a wide ball off the fourth off-stump line from Siraj to wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant.

India’s Test Tour of Australia

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