![\"steve](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/steve-smith-pune-test.jpg\")
Ranchi: Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja struck crucial blows for India even as Australia rode skipper Steven Smith’s steady batting to post 401\/7 in their first innings at lunch on the second day of the third cricket Test here on Friday.<\/p>\nRanchi: Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja struck crucial blows for India even as Australia rode skipper Steven Smith’s steady batting to post 401\/7 in their first innings at lunch on the second day of the third cricket Test here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Jadeja picked up three wickets in the first session of the day to notch up figures of 4\/106.<\/p>\n
Smith however, continued to bat steadily at the other end, posting an unbeaten 153 by lunch. Steven O’Keefe was batting on 1 at the other end.<\/p>\n
Fast bowler Umesh Yadav had figures of 2\/94 while star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also picked up a wicket.<\/p>\n
The visitors started the day on a positive note with Maxwell bringing up the first runs of the day with a boundary.<\/p>\n
The right-hander quickly completed his maiden century in the longest format of the game, reaching the landmark by guiding an Umesh Yadav delivery to the third man boundary.<\/p>\n
Maxwewll, who is playing in only the fourth Test of his career, departed shortly afterwards when a Jadeja delivery landed on the off-stump line and spun away viciously. The ball kissed the outer edge of Maxwell’s bat as Indian wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha pulled off an excellent catch.<\/p>\n
Maxwell scored 104 runs off 185 balls with six hits to the fence. It was a rare display of patience and endurance from the right-hander who had scored only 80 runs in the three Tests he had played previously in his career.<\/p>\n
He put on a partnership of 191 runs with Smith to give the visitors the upper hand following the loss of four early wickets on the first day of the Test match.<\/p>\n
Matthew Wade joined Smith in the middle and the duo proceeded to add 64 runs between them before Jadeja struck twice in quick succession.<\/p>\n
Wade seemed to be in good form, scoring 37 runs off the 50 balls he faced. He seemed on track for a half-century but was outfoxed by a Jadeja delivery which kept straight after pitching.<\/p>\n
Wade, who played for the turn, only ended up handing an edge to Saha.<\/p>\n
Pat Cummins survived all of two deliveries before Jadaja bowled him with a beautiful delivery. The ball landed on the middle and leg stump line and spun away viciously, beating the outside edge of the bat to hit the off-stump.<\/p>\n
Jadeja almost dismissed Smith in the last over before lunch, but the ball landed just short of the slip cordon.<\/p>\n
Brief scores:<\/p>\n
Australia (First Innings): 401\/7 (Steven Smith 153 batting, Glenn Maxwell 104; Ravindra Jadeja 4\/106) vs India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ranchi: Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja struck crucial blows for India even as Australia rode skipper Steven Smith’s steady batting to post 401\/7 in their first innings at lunch on the second day of the third cricket Test here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Jadeja picked up three wickets in the first session of the day to notch up figures of 4\/106.<\/p>\n
Smith however, continued to bat steadily at the other end, posting an unbeaten 153 by lunch. Steven O’Keefe was batting on 1 at the other end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[4744,6693,466,659,20207,1745],"class_list":["post-33939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket-cricket","tag-cricket-news","tag-india-vs-australia","tag-indian-sports-news","tag-ravindra-jadeja","tag-steve-okeefe","tag-steven-smith"],"yoast_head":"\n