Fans reminded of Sachin-Dravid incident as Cummins declares with Khawaja stranded at 195

Australian skipper Pat Cummins on Saturday declared their first innings of the ongoing third Test match against South Africa at 475/4 after Day 3 got washed out due to rain. The decision came as a heartbreak for opener Usman Khawaja, who was left high and dry at an unbeaten score of 195 runs. Khawaja was just five runs away from reaching his maiden double-century in Test cricket. 

The decision did not sit well with cricket fans, who took to social media to draw comparisons with the Sachin Tendulkar-Rahul Dravid incident. Notably, Dravid had declared a Test match innings against Pakistan in 2004 when Tendulkar was batting on 194. Dravid had received a lot of criticism for the decision, however, it eventually proved to be match-winning as India defeated Pakistan by an innings and 52 runs. 

Cummins' declaration, on the other hand, came on Day 4 of the ongoing rain-curtailed Test match, which anyway appears to be heading toward a draw. The Australian declaration came in the first innings of the match and with just a day of the game remaining to be played, it seems the match will end in a draw. At stumps on Day 4, South Africa were trailing by 326 runs in their first innings. 

Khawaja himself had said on Friday that it would be harsh if Cummins didn't let him try for his maiden double century. "I’m not the captain, I don’t make those decisions. I think it would be pretty harsh if he (Cummins) bowled straight away, I don’t think that’s going to happen," Khawaja had said yesterday. 

As far as the match is concerned, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Batting first, Australia scored 475/4 courtesy of centuries from Khawaja and Steve Smith. Marnus Labuchagne and Travis Head also contributed to the tally with scores of 79 and 70 runs, respectively. Anrich Nortje picked up two wickets, while Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj scalped one wicket each to their names. 

South Africa have so far scored 149/6 in 50 overs. Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer are currently intact in the middle and will resume batting for their side on Day 5 of the Test match. Cummins has picked up a three-wicket haul, while Josh Hazlewood took two wickets. Nathan Lyon also scalped a wicket to his name. 

Image: AP