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Aus v Ind 3rd Test Day 5: India stage the great escape, snatch a draw

©CA

India battled brilliantly to snatch a draw on the final day of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Monday.

Resuming at their overnight score of 98 for two, India finished on 334 for five in 131 overs to earn a honourable draw in the third Test. The series is now level at 1-1, with one Test to go at Brisbane.

India lost their captain Ajinkya Rahane early in the day when he fell to Nathan Lyon. Then in a surprise move India promoted Rishabh Pant to number five. Pant was electric in the way he took on the famed Australian bowling line-up. He counterattacked brilliantly to make 97 off 118 balls with 12 boundaries and three sixes. Pant added 148 runs for the fourth wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara.

Pant fell with the score on 250 and soon India started pulling the shutters down. Pujara fell finally for 77 off 205 balls with 12 boundaries.

Then Hanuma Vihari with a torn hamstring and Ravichandran Ashwin battled hard. Both added 62 runs for the sixth wicket in an unbroken stand which lasted for nearly 41 overs.

In the end India walked away with a draw with an over to spare in the day.

For Australia the key wicket-takers were Josh Hazlewood (2-39) and Lyon (2-114).

Match Summary - Australia v India, Day 5, 3rd Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia 1st Innings: 338

India 1st Innings: 244

Australia 2nd Innings: 312-6 decl

India 2nd Innings: 334-5 (131)
Fall of wickets: 1-71 (Shubman Gill-22.1 ov), 2-92 (Rohit Sharma-30.2 ov), 3-102 (Ajinkya Rahane-35.4 ov), 4-250 (Rishabh Pant-79.1 ov), 5-272 (Cheteshwar Pujara-88.2 ov)

Close of Play - Test ends in a draw, series levelled at 1-1