Sloppy Aussies, forgotten veteran leave door ajar for Indian comeback despite hefty deficit

Some sloppy fielding and batting by Australia have slackened their grip on the World Test Championship final as a dogged performance by India keeps them in with the slightest hunt of forcing an extraordinary win.

While the Aussies remain firmly in control of the match, reaching stumps at 4/123 in their second innings with a sizeable 296-run lead already, a series of dropped chances in the field allowed India, thanks to a career-reviving 89 from Ajinkya Rahane and a dogged half-century from tailender Shardul Thakur, to stave off the threat of being bundled out cheaply.

The day wasn’t without highlights, the finest a spectacular one-handed catch from Cameron Green and a fighting unbeaten 41 from Marnus Labuschagne, but after seldom putting a foot wrong across the first two days of the Test, this was a timely reminder that this Australian team, impressive though they are, are far from the finished article.