India v Australia: Australia into World Test Championship final after breakthrough victory

Usman Khawaja of Australia. Photo / AP

Australia have cruised to a vital test victory over India to claim their first win of the series.

Entering the third day requiring 76 runs to win in a low-scoring test dominated by spin, Australia eased home with nine wickets to spare, pegging the series back to 2-1 ahead of the fourth and final test.

It’s Australia’s first test victory on Indian soil in six years, with Travis Head and Marnus Labuschange guiding the run chase home.

The victory also secures Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final, where they’ll take on either India or Sri Lanka.

Head finished unbeaten on 49 while Labuschagne registered 28.

This is a rare, famous and comprehensive Test victory by Australia. It’s extremely difficult to win in India. This is just their sixth in India since 1969, and second since 2004 “final frontier” series win. India had lost only 8 of 86 Tests since that 2004 series. #INDvAUS

— Andrew Wu (@wutube) March 3, 2023

The chase got off to a terrible start for the Aussies with Usman Khawaja sent back to the sheds after only two deliveries, and India spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja amplified the pressure on the two batsmen with nerves reaching palpable heights during the opening 45 minutes.

But everything changed when Ashwin began to complain about the state of the ball after the opening 10 overs.

Ashwin’s persistence there was an issue with the ball saw the umpires bring out a new ball. From that moment on it was one-way traffic for the Aussies.

Head loosened up his shoulders and went on the attack as he put the bowling attack to the sword and drove the Australians home.

Australia dominated from the start at Indore after dismissing the home team for 109 after Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat, and then posted 197 for an 88-run first-innings lead. Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon took eight wickets to bowl India out for 163 in the second innings on day two and give Australia a target of 76 runs with three days to play.

“It’s difficult when you’re facing one of the best bowlers in the world,” Head said. “For us it was just to make sure we kept a calm head and then put the bad balls away.”

The fourth and final test will be played in Ahmedabad starting March 9.

- with news.com.au and AP