IND vs AUS: 3rd Test – Holkar Stadium – Venue stats

After thrashing Australia in the first two encounters, Rohit Sharma and his team India now face them in the third of the four-match Test series beginning from March 1 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The Asian giants defeated the Aussies by an innings and 132 runs in the opening fixture in Nagpur while they won by a margin of six wickets in Delhi to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.

The Australians looked clueless and had no answers whatsoever against India’s spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Out of the 40 Aussie wickets that have fallen so far in the series, the spin wizards have scalped 31 wickets between them. Jadeja leads the chart with 17 scalps while Ashwin has taken 14 wickets.

Speaking in detail about the Delhi game, skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first. Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb struck half-centuries as their side reached a total of 263. With India struggling at 139/7, Ashwin scored 37 and Axar Patel smashed 74 as both bailed India out of trouble to get a total of 262. Jadeja then picked up a career-best 7/42 to bundle out the tourists for a paltry 113. Team India reached the target of 114 with the loss of four wickets to lead the series 2-0 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The Kangaroos will be without out-of-form opener David Warner for the remaining two clashes as he is ruled out due to an elbow injury. The team will be also without their captain Cummins for the Indore Test as he has flown back to his country to spend time with his ill mother. Though, the visitors received a huge boost ahead of the crucial third Test with all-rounder Cameron Green and speedster Mitchell Starc fit and ready for selection.

The stadium in Indore has hosted only two Test matches so far, with the first one taking place in 2016 between India and New Zealand. Three years later, the venue staged another game between team India and Bangladesh. Rohit and his side have a 100% track record and would look to keep it intact by beating the Aussies to seal the series. On the other hand, Steven Smith will be donning the captaincy hat in the absence of Cummins as he hopes to bounce back from the two defeats.

India’s results in Tests at Holkar Stadium, Indore: