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Ravi Jadeja blasted over 'pathetic' act against Australia in third Test

The leading wicket-taker of the series has been slammed after a costly error.

Marnus Labuschagne bowled off a Ravi Jadeja delivery.
Indian star spinner Ravi Jadeja (pictured right) caught the ire of Sunil Gavaskar for a number of costly no-balls, which cost him a wicket of Marnus Labuschagne (pictured left). (Images: Hotstar)

Indian star spinner Ravi Jadeja has been slammed for a number of costly no-balls, which cost his team the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne on a dramatic Day 1 of the third Test against Australia. Rohit Sharma may have been initially thrilled to win the toss against Australia, but India collapsed on a controversial wicket after the sixth over when spinner Matt Kuhnemann took career best first-class figures of 5-16 to leave the host's reeling.

Nathan Lyon and Toddy Murphy both applied the pressure as India were all out for 109, their fourth lowest total at home against Australia and their shortest innings in terms of balls since 2008. Australia go into day two at 4-156, a lead of 47 over the shell-shocked Indians.

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However, Australia could have been facing a more bleak situation if Jadeja hadn't dismissed Labuschagne on a no-ball. Jadeja has faced a few a troubles keeping his foot behind the crease this series.

And in the fourth over it appeared Jadeja had dismissed Labuschagne once again when he bowled him. Labuschagne appeared dejected, before he stood motionless on the crease staring at the umpire.

Before India could celebrate too much, replays showed Jadeja had overstepped the mark by quite some distance. This was Jadeja's second no ball of the innings having done so in his opening over.

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar was critical of Jadeja - who is the leading wicket-taker of the series with 16 - and said the spinner had no excuses for the act.

"That is unacceptable. No way a spinner can be bowling no-balls. He has to do something about it," Gavaskar said in commentary.

"He has picked up two man-of-the-match awards, but this could cost India." The cameras panned to Indian head coach Rahul Dravid who was shaking his head in disbelief.

Labuschagne went on to chip away at India's total and make 31 runs to help build a solid partnership with Usman Khawaja. Indian fans were absolutely ropable at Jadeja for the error.

Despite a costly no-ball, Jadeja has been without a doubt the star of the series so far. He picked up six wickets and 70 runs in the first Test, before taking 10 wickets in the second in Delhi.

Matthew Hayden blasts pitch conditions at Indore

India's fourth-lowest total against Australia in a humbling batting collapse prompted Aussie great Matthew Hayden to call out the conditions. The ball was keeping low and turning more than the previous two Test matches and Hayden let rip at the scenes unfolding on Day 1.

“This is why I’ve got a problem with these conditions. There’s no way in the world that a spin bowler should come on in the sixth over," Hayden said on Fox Sports commentary.

“4.8 degrees, that’s massive turn. That’s the sort of turn you’d expect day three. You’ve got to give batters a chance... Day one, day two should be about batting...It shouldn’t be a spin bowler’s paradise necessarily, it shouldn’t be keeping low and turning a mile on day one,” he added.

Ravindra Jadeja celebrates a wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja (pictured left) copped criticism after a no-ball wicket on Day 1 against Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (Robert Cianflone via Getty Images)

After Nathan Lyon and Kuhnemann picked up the quick wickets of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara, Hayden blasted the forecast of the game. The Aussie great pointed out that fans wanting to visit Indore on day three and four could be rethinking their plans.

“The game shouldn’t be moving forward this quickly. You’re allowed to have a four or five day Test match! Otherwise just call it as it is, we’ll just play three-dayers," he said. "The game’s at this pace, I feel sorry for fans working out what they’re tickets are going to be on day four.”

with AAP

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