Steve Smith scored an important 55 in the Australian second innings and played a part in taking their second innings to 294 in the process. Australia have an important final day of the Test match to play at The Gabba with India threatening to breach their fortress. India need 324 runs in the final day’s play and should the weather permit, a result in favour of India seems a possibility.
Meanwhile, addressing the virtual press conference, Steve Smith said that his teammates are looking forward to tomorrow. Australia are unbeaten at the Gabba since the last 31 years and they are looking to keep it the record intact. “…it is going to be an interesting final day and boys are excited about tomorrow,” Smith said.
Steve Smith further said that they are well placed in the game with the pitch starting to open up a bit with the cracks widening up. There were a few instances of the Indian bowlers jagging the ball after it pitched on a crack or either the footmarks.
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The Game Is In a Nice Place For Us: Steve Smith
“I think the game is in a nice place for us. I think the wicket has started to play a few tricks today, couple of balls shot up,” Smith said at the virtual post-day press conference, facilitated by official broadcasters Sony Networks.
He further said that the final day’s play for them will be about their bowlers bowling in the right areas and challenging the Indian batsmen.
“So, tomorrow it is just going to be about bowling (in) good areas and letting the natural variation of the day five wicket sort of do its work and hopefully we can hold on to all the chances,” he added.
India, after conceding a 33-run first-innings lead, bundled out Australia for 294, with pacers Mohammed Siraj (5/73) and Shardul Thakur (4/61) doing the bulk of the damage. With his five-wicket haul, Siraj joined an elite list of Indian bowlers as he became only the fifth from the country to pick up a fifer at the Gabba. He joined the likes of Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapali Prasanna, and Zaheer Khan among others, who have taken a fifer in a Test match at The Gabba.
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