WTC 2023 Final: Australian players walk off the field, return after India's successful DRS

Australians rejoiced when the on-field umpire declared Mohammed Siraj out on Day 3 of the World Test Championship 2023 Final. But a brilliant review by the pacer resulted in the Aussies facing humiliation, as they had to walk back in to resume the play after the umpire overturned his decision. 

In the 69th over, Australia needed just one wicket to put curtains on India's innings. But a bizarre incident took place, when Cameron Green almost dismissed Siraj. It looked like Green had trapped Siraj in front of the stumps, and the on-field umpire too declared him out.

But the pacer decided to take the DRS and get the decision reviewed. When the third umpire was checking the dismissal, Australia's top-order batters David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne started walking off the field. While Khawaja had exited the ground, the other three followed him but just then, the on-field umpire reversed his decision to declare Siraj not-out as the ball had edged the bat first. 

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The four batters had to return to the field quickly and take their respective fielding positions so as to resume the game.  But Mitchell Starc managed to put an end to India's innings, as he dismissed Mohammed Shami in the very next over. As a result, India closed their first innings on 296 and Australia began their second innings with a healthy lead of 173 runs. 

Speaking of India's innings, the team got off to a terrible start as the top-order batters failed to put up a show. What helped revive the Indian innings was Ajinkya Rahane's magnificent knock of 89 runs, coupled with Shardul Thakur's valiant 51 and Ravindra Jadeja's knock from the previous day. The Indian bowlers would aim to restrict Australia to a low score and set the stage for the Indian batters to complete an easy chase and have a chance at winning the Test mace.