43rd over: India 173-6 (Rahane 39, Thakur 8) Meanwhile, Rahane is playing like a dream. Soft hands, defending away. Boland from the Vauxhall End defused, then dabbed for a couple of runs. Beaten on the outside edge, then strides into a Meg Lanning style shot, straight bat, no follow-through, just places the bat in the line of the ball to send it through backward point for four.
A message in from India, name withheld. Controversial.
“Well, the follow-on looks inevitable unless the Aussies are very confident in their bowling in the 4th innings. I am still holding out hope for a classic day-long Pujara spell in our next innings, whenever that may be, to at least drag us to a draw! Off topic, it is very refreshing to be able to hear commentary on the radio again. All India Radio has the irritating habit of not covering cricket matches live. I suspect it is a combination of lack of rights and lack of interest, this being a one-off series perhaps helping the former. Either way, it’s refreshing.”
I would say that the chance of a follow-on is zero. Even if India are out quickly here, Australia will still want to give their players another bat – given this is their only planned match. Could be a a lovely centre-wicket net against top-line bowlers, especially for Warner, Khawaja, Green.
And yes, live cricket on the radio in India has been defunct for a couple of decades now, hasn’t it? Makes little sense given the interest in that market and the reach radio can have in regional areas, but TV is considered king by anyone in power there.