India v Australia 3rd Test - Australia Player Ratings

The third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy had many twists and turns in the game. Australia in the first innings batters sumptuously. They made India bowl over 130 overs and posted a huge total of 451. Australian captain proved why he is the number one batsman in Test cricket. Batting second India did not put a foot wrong except for their middle order not doing so well. Wriddhiman Saha and Cheteshwar Pujara ensured India got past the total of the team from down under.

Australia, however, had a task on their hands after conceding 151 run lead and going into the last day with two wickets down it was a massive task to even draw the test match. Smith and Renshaw played a major part of the first session but it was Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh who did the trick for the Australians and denied India a certain victory.

There were some amazing performances in the third Test match and there were quite a few from the away camp. Be it Smith’s 178 and Maxwell’s 104 in the first innings or Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh’s fighting innings in the second, there were some wonderful performances from the Aussie camp.

We have rated each and every player from the Australian team based on their performances.

Here are CricTracker’s ratings of all the Australian players.

1. David Warner – 2.5/10

David Warner has struggled throughout the tour. He has hardly managed to get a start and take a firm hold of the innings. The Australian opener did not do in this Test as well. In the first innings, David Warner scored 19 of 26 deliveries and got out on a full toss.

The fierce opener was batting extremely well and looked calmer this time around. The pitch was not doing much and it was a perfect occasion for the Aussie to do well but he blew his chance. In the second innings, nerves got better of Warner. He was undone by a beauty from Jadeja but he hardly got going.

Scoring just 14 he could not hold his ground and Australia went two down for the last days play.

2. Matt Renshaw – 4/10

Renshaw who just twenty years old has played some outstanding cricket. He has the ability to bat long and trusts his defense. The opener has a cool head on his shoulder and is not affected by the sledges the bowlers throw at him, in fact, he greets them with a smile.

Matt, however, could not work his magic this time around. He batted well in the first inning but lost the plot in the second. 20-year-old did well to stand his ground in the second innings for 84 deliveries but Ishant Sharma got better off him once again.

The first inning was better for the young batter as he batted for good 69 deliveries scoring 44 and hitting seven boundaries but it was the second inning where he had to show his caliber but failed.

3. Steven Smith – 8.5/10

Steve Smith is number one batsman in the world right now and showed his class in the first inning. He smacked the Indians all around the ground as he did not put a foot wrong. His unorthodox method did the trick for him. Until Pujara he was the only one who had scored a century in this Test series.

The Australian skipper scored 178 off 361 deliveries. He hit 17 boundaries as the Indian bowlers could not get him out. The second inning was where the Australian needed him the most. But the skipper failed to deliver. This does not take much out of his rating as Australia managed a scrappy draw at the end of the day.

He scored 21 and was out trying to pad a delivery which was certain to hit the stumps.

4. Shaun Marsh – 7.5/10

Shaun is a quiet man off the field and quite nervy at the start of the innings but once he gets his confidence on the higher side he is one of the most dangerous players in the world. The 33-year-old hasn’t yet scored big in this series but did well when Australia required him the most.

Marsh was out cheaply in the first inning. He just pushed his bat towards the ball and ball just kissed his inside-edge on to the pad and Pujara completed a wonderful catch at short leg. The Australian number four just scored 2.

The second innings saw a better and a confident Marsh. He came in at a crucial time and saw his captain cleaned apart Jadeja but held his nerves. Marsh carried the young Handscomb with him and built a solid partnership. He scored 53 of the most important runs for Australia.

He made sure India did not win the match and they are still in the series.

5. Peter Handscomb – 9/10

Peter has shown why he is included in the squad for such a difficult tour. After scoring big down under against the Pakistanis, this young man found it difficult to get going here in the subcontinent. Handscomb was roped in as a backup wicketkeeper but he carries a different kind of attitude as well.

The 25-year-old is not at all frazzled by the situation, he just comes out and bats like everything is fine. He just did the same today. Battled it out with his mate Shaun Marsh and scored a fantastic 72. He managed to survive the hardest part of the Test match.

Peter did not do much in the first innings but his show in the second innings is what caught everyone’s eye.

6. Matthew Wade – 4/10

Wade was a doubt for this tour but made it just in time. He is one of the finest keepers but has struggled with the bat during this tour. He has done well in parts during this tour for Australia but has failed to make a mark.

Matthew scored an all-important 37 in the first innings and formed a partnership with his skipper. He could have made a big score as the wicket looked flat on Day Two and had a great opportunity to score a century or two.

He was denied by Ravindra Jadeja.

7. Glenn Maxwell – 7/10

Maxwell’s inclusion was not questioned by many but was seen as a great opportunity for the hard hitter. Glenn has got good technique but lacks patience. He had never faced more than 98 deliveries in an innings in international cricket.

He overcame that and scored a magnificent century. Proved his critics wrong and played 185 deliveries for his 104. His partnership with the captain was very important for Australia as it helped them get past the four hundred run mark which looked a long way away when he came to bat.

His second innings was a waste. The Australian all-rounder got out cheaply as Ashwin grabbed a consolation wicket.

8. Pat Cummins – 7.5/10

Cummins had huge shoes to fill. Mitchell Starc went out with a toe fracture everyone saw Cummins as a like for like replacement. This was a major comeback for the bowler as he did not play Test cricket for more the six years.

The comeback was a strong one as he grabbed four wickets and all the four wickets were of the big guns from India. He got KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Ashwin out. The partnership breaker bent his back as he puzzled the Indian batters with his variable length.

However, he was out on duck with the bat. Known for his batting as well Cummins would like to do well on that front.

9. Nathan Lyon – 3/10

Lyon was going to be the main bowler coming to India and has proved himself. With O’Keefe doing the cleanup in the first Test Lyon did the trick in the second. But since getting 8 wickets in the first innings of second Test Lyon has been ineffective.

He managed to take just one wicket in his 46 overs and was hit for 163 runs. The Australians wanted a better show from him being the man in form but the pitch had little for him. Lyon also could not do his job with the bat. He is not expected to do well in that department but failed to hold the base when sent in as a night-watchman.

10. Josh Hazlewood – 3/10

Hazlewood grabbed six wickets in Bangalore and registered his best ever figures. However, Ranchi was a different ball game altogether. Being the spearhead of the attack there was more expected of him.

He has had a wonderful outing in India and was supposed to do well here too. The Indians, on the other hand, did their homework and Hazlewood could not do much in the penultimate Test of the series.

11. Steve O’Keefe – 4.5/10

O’Keefe was the star in the first Test. He grabbed 12 wickets in that Test but has been on the receiving end since then. Partnering Nathan, he has not done well since and toiled hard in the third Test match.

He bowled the most overs for Australia and was overused by the Australian skipper. 77 overs from O’Keefe saw him take three wickets and give one short of two hundred runs. Bowling 77 overs for three wickets is a bit too much for such a talented spinner.