Bhajji-Zaheer saves India from follow-on. Spinner's Gritty knock saves India the blushes after top-order stutter.
Australia in India 2008, 1st Test, Third Day
Bangalore Test Day 3 - India 313 for 8 and Aussie 430
Last Update : 12-Oct-2008 09:22:00 IST

Bangalore: Harbhajan Singh may have merely annoyed some of his religious heads with his dressing up as the ten-headed Ravana for a television dance show, but when he combined his original head with a large heart, he inflicted a more serious headache on his Australian foes. In making a 110-ball 54, the off-spinner didn't just show up the ill efforts of some of his more illustrious batting colleagues but also ensured that the Test as a contest was still open going into the fourth day.

The Indians trail by 117 runs and have two wickets in hand, so they are by no means out of the woods but at least they are not totally lost. Zaheer Khan batting on 35  was the other unlikely batting hero for he Indians as they finished Day Three on 313 for 8 after being 232 for 7 one stage.

Mitchell Johnson (4-62) ran right as the Indians undid their good start losing wickets at regular intervals before Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan staged a brilliant fightback with an 80-run stand.

Highlights of the Day

10th times of ducks recorded by VVS Laxman in Test - his second against Australian in 21 Test. In six Test at Bangalore, Laxman averaged just 21.25 - 170 runs in ten innings, including a fifty 79 not out against Pakistan in March 2005.

53rd fifty score by Rahul Dravid in Tests - his 11th against Australia. This is his second half-century at Bangalore. In seven Tests on his home ground, he has averaged only 23.08 - 277 runs in 12 innings.

54 runs made by Harbhajan Singh. This is his first fifty on home soil. Overall, he has scored five centuries. Three of his half-centuries have come against Australia in successive Test (63, 63, 54)

80 runs added by Bhajji and Zaheer for the eighth wickets, to register India's best partnership of the innings against Australia so far. This is also India's best against Australia for the eighth wickets at this venue.

Brief Score: India 313 for 8 (Harbhajan 54, Dravid 51, Zaheer 35*, Kumble 0*, Johnson 4-62) trail Australia 430 by 117. Detail Score