India Vs Australia: 3rd Test, 9 reasons why Kohli should have enforced the follow-on

Tim Paine and Company hasn't had a good series so far with the bat

#8 Australia’s earlier batting performances in the series not at all threatening

On better batting pitches at Adelaide and Perth, Australia scored 235, 291, 326 and 243. On a deteriorating pitch in Melbourne, India could have settled for a lead of 292 in the first innings and enforced the follow-on. In any case, the chances of India losing after taking the first innings lead of 292 were minimal. But that could have given sufficient time and a definite mandate in favour of India without going through the anxiety of weather interference.

#9 Instantaneous opportunity missed in retaining the Border – Gavaskar Trophy

India is the No 1 Test team in ICC Test ranking. But unfortunately, they are yet to win a Test series in Australia. By winning the Melbourne Test at the quickest possible time, they could retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy irrespective of whatever happens in the last Test at Sydney.

Cummins with his late strikes accelerated the game forward

By prolonging the proceedings at Melbourne, they are leaving everything at the hands of the weather god. Thankfully for India, Cummins’ late strikes in the second innings have been a blessing-in-disguise for them as far as achieving a result in their favour. Remember the second innings at Adelaide where India lost 4 wickets for the addition of 4 runs which put a swift end to their innings. In the end, that gave India that much extra time to take 10 Australian wickets in their second innings. Similarly, this collapse against Cummins might hasten India's victory.

Cummins’s wicket-taking spree late in the day has accelerated this match forward. Now India are left with only Mayank Agarwal to hang around and others to throw their bat around. This match might, after all, get over in four days well before the heavens open up.