India-W vs Australia-W Test Day 3: Tahlia McGrath Hits Back-To-Back Half Centuries as AUS-W Take 46-Run Lead

India-W vs Australia-W Test Day 3: Australia finished the third day on 233/5 in 90 overs in the second innings and took a 46-run lead after the hosts put 406 runs on the board in Mumbai on Saturday. Tahlia McGrath scored 73 while Alyssa Healy contributed 33 before Harmanpreet Kaur dismissed them both.

Kaur brought herself on in the third session after India tried almost every trick in their arsenal with the ball but failed to make inroads, as a resolute Australian side overhauled the hosts' 187-run lead in the first innings with consummate ease.

As Australia reached 233/5 in the second innings, Annabel Sutherland (12) and Ashleigh Gardner (7) were at the crease at stumps. Australia dominated the third day thanks to their seamers' short-ball attack, which caused the Indian side to collapse just over 30 minutes into play after losing the final three wickets for 30 runs.

Australia's main weapon was Sutherland (2/41) who took two wickets, Renuka Singh (8) and overnight batter Pooja Vastrakar (47) while Kim Garth removed Deepti Sharma (78) but not before the Indians broke a few records. India's 406 for the first innings in their Test match against Australia is now their highest-ever total.

Deepti and Vastrakar put up the greatest run stand in the format for India and the second-best for any side worldwide at 122 runs for the ninth wicket. With 78 off 171 balls and nine fours, Deepti was India's highest scorer with three runs less than Vastrakar's maiden fifty.

Australia's openers, Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield, got off to a good start but both wasted their starts while looking to overturn a deficit of 187. After Mooney foolishly left her crease to contest a delivery from Sneh Rana (2/54), Richa Ghosh deserved full credit for running her out for 33 (37 balls, 7 fours).

Ghosh, positioned at silly point, sent the ball back at the wickets, and Mooney did not appear to notice that he needed to return to the crease. Rana cleaned up Litchfield (18) after the batsman attempted a reverse sweep but failed to connect at all.

Australian star Ellyse Perry batted with great authority in the second session for her 91-ball 45 with five fours, looking ready for a huge score. She and Tahlia McGrath put on 84 for the third wicket. Perry's bat had a slight edge, but India's wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia was quick to pick up a delivery from Rana that kept slipping down the leg.

While positioned at wide first slip, Rana had an outside edge off Rajeshwari Gayakwad slipping under her hands, giving McGrath some luck on her way to a magnificent fifty. McGrath's fortunes reversed again on 52, when she was declared leg-before on Kaur's first delivery, which she managed to have overturned.

To the dismay of the batter, who had come forward completely while offering the entire face of the bat, the Indian skipper made the breakthrough a few deliveries later when an inside edge from McGrath's bat dripped onto the wickets. The Indian bowlers and fielders needed to collaborate because the pitch did not break down to aid spin as much as was predicted, but luck was also not on their side.

After Sutherland was pinned in front of the wickets, Rajeshwari Gayakwad struggled for 27 overs without a wicket, but she did not ask for a DRS review. Gayakwad also had Healy dropped twice in quick succession at the silly point by Jemimah Rodrigues, even though the fielder was positioned a little bit deeper.