Image Source : AP Marnus Labuschagne (left) shares a fist bump with fellow Australian Will Pucovski on Day 1 of third Test in Sydney on Thursday.
Marnus Labuschagne posted an unbeaten 67 and shared partnerships of 100 with Will Pucovski and 60 with Steve Smith to assist Australia attain 166-2 at stumps after a rain-interrupted opening day of the third check in opposition to India.
Australia gained the toss and elected to bat on the Sydney Cricket Ground, giving Pucovski a direct style of check cricket because the 22-year-old opener began the innings with veteran David Warner.
Warner lasted solely eight balls and scored 5 runs on his comeback from harm earlier than he chased a full and vast ball from Mohammed Siraj and was caught at first slip with the overall at 6.
Pucovski continued with Labuschagne and checked out instances assured in his check debut and at instances fortunate to nonetheless be on the crease. He had three reprieves on his method to 50, a milestone he handed within the over earlier than tea with consecutive boundaries in opposition to Navdeep Saini — the primary two balls in check cricket for the Indian quick bowler.
He survived a pair of dropped catches from wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant on 26 and 32 and a missed likelihood for a run out on 39 earlier than working out of luck when he was trapped lbw by Saini for 62 within the thirty fifth over, giving the Indian paceman his first check wicket.
Smith had struggled for kind within the first two exams of the collection however settled into his innings and was 31 not out after going through 64 deliveries.
The opening session lasted solely 7.1 overs earlier than an virtually four-hour delay for the rain. Only 55 overs have been performed on day one.
The four-match collection is tied 1-1 after Australia gained the opening day-night match in Adelaide by eight wickets and India responded with an eight-wicket win in Melbourne final week.
