Plot watch - The shoulder-clutch that never happened
The DRS was once again in the spotlight on the third day in Ranchi, after TV umpire Nigel Llong upheld the not-out decision for an lbw appeal against Cheteshwar Pujara
Was it pad first, or bat first? Did the TV umpire Nigel Llong notice the mini-spike on Ultra Edge? If he did, why didn't he say anything on air during the review? Was it conclusive enough to overturn the umpire's on-field decision of not out, or not?
Brett Lee asking on commentary if there was some pad before bat there.
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 18, 2017
Thoughts? #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/tmM9Ys2sUN
And a big appeal for a catch in close given not out and the Aussies are all out of reviews #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/djhJ6ejIIQ
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 18, 2017
Virat Kohli had spent all of the second day off the field nursing a shoulder injury, but on the third morning he was seen in his whites, padded up and ready to bat at No. 4. When Australia reviewed that lbw decision, the cameras panned on Kohli, who applauded Pujara's survival. Or was it Australia's unsuccessful review he was taking joy in? As India scored at a fluent pace, captain and cheerleader Kohli was often seen clapping from the dressing room.
Australia's spin consultant Sridharan Sriram, whose back-room advice had played an important role in sinking India in Pune, and O'Keefe spent part of the lunch break pitch gazing. Just like they did in Pune. They stood by the stumps, surveying the surface, as Australia sought to disrupt India's run-making. This time around, he inflicted little damage after the lunchtime survey, as he finished with post-lunch figures of 20-6-50-0.