Australia v India: The moments which defined day 3 of the Boxing Day Test

Australia’s frustration was there for all to see as its chances of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy took a huge hit on day three of the Boxing Day Test. WATCH THE KEY MOMENTS

A Test match which looked certain to end with Australia 2-1 up heading to Sydney took a huge hook turn on day three as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar frustrated Australia by taking time and runs away.

Robert Craddock and Daniel Cherny look at the moments which defined the day at the MCG.

Starc's frustration at Lyon

RUN LYON RUN

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon are great mates, but Starc didn’t seem overly pleased when Washington Sundar grafted an all-run four through the leg side as Lyon chased into the deep. Starc’s body language showed clear frustration after a less than stellar chase and throw.

Nitish Reddy reaches his maiden Test century

REDDY AND ABLE

The suspense was unbearable.

Nitish Kumar Reddy was on 99 when the ninth wicket fell and had to watch last man Mohammed Suraj absorb three balls from Pat Cummins in wickedly fading light before getting his crack at his first Test century.

The grand moment arrived when Reddy decided enough was enough and, with his father watching from just beyond the boundary, smacked Scott Boland for a straight four to send Indian fans into their longest and loudest celebration of the day,

Rishabh Pant ramps turns to disaster

RAMPING TO EMBARRASSMENT

Walking the delicate line between cavalier and reckless, Rishabh Pant met a grisly end when he tried to scoop Scott Boland on 28. It had already been a bizarre over, with the gloveman pulling out very late from one delivery before trying the ramp and falling onto his backside. He went again but miscued, caught at third man by Nathan Lyon. Indian great Sunil Gavaskar couldn’t conceal his rage on the ABC, labelling it “stupid, stupid, stupid.”

Steve Smith's bizarre dropped catch

SMITH’S UNLUCKY DROP

Steve Smith dropped KL Rahul at a critical juncture in Brisbane but shouldn’t be judged too harshly for his spill of Washington Sundar on 18 at the MCG on Saturday. Attempting a one-handed shot down the leg side off Mitchell Starc from what was the first over with the second new ball, the Indian all-rounder caused a bizarre deflection to an unexpecting Smith in the cordon, who couldn’t quite hang on.

Nathan Lyon slips into the boundary

LYON SLIPS TONIGHT

As India’s eight-wicket pairing continued to deny Australia and Mitchell Starc visibly uncomfortable, insult was added to injury when Nathan Lyon chased a ball to the deep cover boundary after Nitish Kumar Reddy nudged Mitch Marsh through the off-side. Lyon got there but slipped, meaning the ball trickled to the boundary in front of the Swami Army stronghold in the Ponsford Stand.