3rd Test: Centuries from Head, Smith help dominant Australia feast on listless India

Brisbane, Dec 15 (IANS) With clear weather at the Gabba, Travis Head and Steve Smith smashed contrasting centuries to help Australia dominate proceedings against a listless India as the hosts’ reached 405/7 in 101 overs at stumps on day two of third Test on Sunday.

The duo also shared a stand of 241 runs off 303 balls for the fourth wicket, and along with Alex Carey’s unbeaten 45, ensured Australia had a day to remember by being in the drivers’ seat of the match. While Smith made 101, including hitting 12 boundaries, Head smashed 152, laced with 18 boundaries.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah toiled hard to pick his 12th five-wicket haul and be the standout performer with 5-72 in 25 overs. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mohammed Siraj picked a wicket each, while Akash Deep, despite troubling Smith and Head initially, didn’t get a scalp.

But overall, it was a day to forget for India who were taken to cleaners easily, with no plan to counter the threat from Head, the lack of bowling depth and the absence of proactive field settings coming under the scanner yet again.

In the final session, India managed to get some late wickets, including of Smith and Head. But Carey ensured Australia went past 400-run mark, which holds huge importance considering rain is predicted for the remaining three days of the match.

The runs continued to flow for Head as he drove Reddy for four, and got a life at 112 when captain Rohit Sharma, despite going to his left at first slip, dropped the catch. Along with some loose balls from India, Smith and Head used their feet well to take boundaries off Reddy, Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja before the second new ball was taken by India.

Despite the change in ball, there was no change in India’s fortunes as Smith got his 33rd Test hundred, ending a drought of nearly 18 months to get a three-figure score in the longer format. But just after reaching his century, Bumrah found Smith's outside edge and this time Rohit caught it at first slip to dismiss him for 101.

Head went on to reach his 150, but Bumrah got India back in the match. He first had Mitchell Marsh play slightly down the wrong line and edged to a second slip, before getting some away movement as Head nicked behind to Rishabh Pant.

Carey and Cummins hit five boundaries between themselves to share a 58-run stand for the seventh wicket, before the latter gave a feather edge behind to Pant off Siraj. Carey paddled and slog-swept Jadeja for four and six before curtains came on a day which totally belonged to Australia.

Brief Scores: Australia 405/7 in 101 overs (Travis Head 152, Steve Smith 101; Jasprit Bumrah 5-72, Nitish Kumar Reddy 1-65) against India

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