Plot watch - Jadeja's rough
Dark patches outside the left-handers' off stump caused Australia some concern, but the rest of the Ranchi pitch continued to play well
ESPNcricinfo staff
19-Mar-2017
The trajectory of the Ravindra Jadeja delivery that spat out of the rough to bowl David Warner • ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Pitch watch
The pitch continued to be good for batting on the fourth day. The only worry for Australia was that 83 overs from Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood, most of which were from over the wicket, had created a rough outside the left-handers' off stump, and they had five of them. Through the day, there was speculation about how Ravindra Jadeja would exploit the dark patches. When Steve O'Keefe tried to bowl into that rough, he didn't get much purchase, even when he pitched it wide outside the right-handers' leg stump.
The pitch continued to be good for batting on the fourth day. The only worry for Australia was that 83 overs from Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood, most of which were from over the wicket, had created a rough outside the left-handers' off stump, and they had five of them. Through the day, there was speculation about how Ravindra Jadeja would exploit the dark patches. When Steve O'Keefe tried to bowl into that rough, he didn't get much purchase, even when he pitched it wide outside the right-handers' leg stump.
But Jadeja gives the ball more of a rip and he did get a few balls to jump out of the rough at the end of the day, including the delivery that bowled David Warner. In an over to Matt Renshaw, he beat the outside edge more often than the inside one with balls that Renshaw expected to turn but went straight on. The doubt over whether the ball will spin from that rough or not will cause problems for Australia's left-handers.
Aggression watch
Cheteshwar Pujara's meditation at the crease seemed to turn the playing field at the JSCA International Stadium into a monastery, with even the chirpiest of Australia's fielders seemingly taking a vow of silence. Then, in the final 30 minutes of the day, everything came alive. There was plenty of chatter around the bat when India began to bowl. Three vociferous appeals for lbw seemed designed more to intimidate the batsmen than get a decision from the umpire, considering there was barely a discussion on whether to review the not-out calls.
Cheteshwar Pujara's meditation at the crease seemed to turn the playing field at the JSCA International Stadium into a monastery, with even the chirpiest of Australia's fielders seemingly taking a vow of silence. Then, in the final 30 minutes of the day, everything came alive. There was plenty of chatter around the bat when India began to bowl. Three vociferous appeals for lbw seemed designed more to intimidate the batsmen than get a decision from the umpire, considering there was barely a discussion on whether to review the not-out calls.
The most bizarre moment, though, occurred when Virat Kohli reacted to David Warner's dismissal by repeating the mock shoulder clutch that Glen Maxwell had performed to rile Kohli up on the third day. Had Kohli taken a wonderful diving catch, the celebration may have been understandable as a message that no injury could stop him, but since he was just a spectator as Jadeja castled Warner, it just came across as odd.
DRS watch
After causing so much discussion and debate during the series, the DRS clearly did its job on day four, overturning an erroneous decision by Ian Gould; he had given Pujara out lbw, but the ball was missing leg stump by about a foot. Then it was Australia's turn to be desperate with their reviews, wasting both on caught-behind appeals when the ball had gone nowhere close to the bat.
After causing so much discussion and debate during the series, the DRS clearly did its job on day four, overturning an erroneous decision by Ian Gould; he had given Pujara out lbw, but the ball was missing leg stump by about a foot. Then it was Australia's turn to be desperate with their reviews, wasting both on caught-behind appeals when the ball had gone nowhere close to the bat.
The Pujara review... #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/hAHnVnYpAd
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 19, 2017
The funniest review of the day, though, was when Chris Gaffaney reviewed his own decision right in the middle of giving it. After a half-hearted appeal for caught behind against Pujara, Gaffaney appeared to raise his finger, but seemingly when he saw just how unconvinced the Australians were, he moved his hand to his head to fiddle with his hat, an old trick that has been used by, among others, Raman Sharma and Billy Bowden.