Australia’s spinners have ripped through India in a chaotic first session of the third Test as the hosts’ top order came unstuck on a rank turner in Indore.
After captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat, India stumbled to lunch at 7-84 as Matt Kuhnemann (3-14) and Nathan Lyon (3-23) ran riot.
India lost 5-18 in a collapse similar to the trouble Australia found themselves in during the first two Tests.
The hosts briefly steadied through Virat Kohli (22) but young spin sensation Todd Murphy (1-12) claimed the Indian superstar’s wicket for the third time this series with 20 minutes remaining in the session.
Lyon struck again in the dying stages before lunch to trap impressive wicketkeeper KS Bharat lbw for 17.
But Australia will need no reminder of the batting depth India possess after the lower order scored crucial runs during the first two Tests.
Bowling allrounders Axar Patel (six no) and Ravichandran Ashwin (one no) rescued India out of immense trouble in Delhi and they will resume batting after lunch.
It was drama in Indore from the start, with Sharma nicking Mitchell Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey off the first ball of the match.
However, umpire Nitin Menon gave Sharma not out and Australia failed to review the decision.
Starc trapped Sharma in front on the fourth ball of his first over with replays revealing the India opener would have been out had Australia used DRS.
But Sharma only scored 14 as he was stumped by Carey while trying to smash a Kuhnemann delivery.
The left-armer Kuhnemann also picked up the key wickets of recalled opener Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer.
The most extraordinary wicket of the day was Lyon’s first, getting a ball to turn and keep low to smash into Cheteshwar Pujara’s stumps.
Starc and allrounder Cameron Green opened the bowling after returning for their first match since they suffered respective finger injuries during the Boxing Day Test win against South Africa.
Starc replaced Pat Cummins as Australia’s frontline quick after the captain made the decision to return to Sydney to be with his seriously-ill mother.
Steve Smith is filling in as skipper for the third time since Cummins became Australia’s red-ball leader in November 2021.
Green is playing his first Test on Indian soil, replacing Matt Renshaw, who was subbed in for a concussed David Warner during the last match in Delhi.
India axed vice-captain KL Rahul, recalling young gun Gill to open the batting with Sharma.
Rahul has been under mounting pressure from the Indian faithful for his form and selectors have finally lost patience with the 30-year-old.
India also opted to switch in veteran fast bowler Umesh Yadav for fellow quick Mohammed Shami.
Whoever wins in Indore will secure their spot in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in June.
© AAP 2023
