India 6 Wickets Away from Winning First Test in Aus in a Decade
Australia ended Day 4 of the Adelaide Test against India at 104/4, still needing 219 runs to win.
- Australia ended Day 4 of the Adelaide Test against India at 104/4, still needing 219 runs to win.
- Bowled out for 307 in their second innings, India set Australia a target of 323 runs.
- India have not won a Test in Australia since 2008 and in Adelaide, since 2003.
Australia had a shaky start to their run chase after bowling India out for 307 on day four of the first Test at Adelaide on Sunday, 9 December.
Needing 323 runs to win, the hosts ended their day at 104 for four after losing their top three batsman and Peter Handscomb.
Having made a duck in the first innings, Aaron Finch (11) had a reprieve when trapped leg-before-wicket on the second ball of the innings, only for the review to show paceman Ishant Sharma had overstepped the crease for a no-ball. He was later dismissed by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on the last ball before Tea.
Opener Marcus Harris was next removed for a score of 26, for the second time in his first international match. What’s more is that the debutant – who also scored 26 in his first innings – is 26-years-old!
Australia was teetering at 60-3 when Ashwin claimed the prized target of Usman Khawaja, who threw his wicket away in holing out to a forward-diving Rohit Sharma for 8.
Peter Handscomb (14) combined with Marsh to temporarily blunt India before he lost patience, spooning a catch to midwicket off Shami.
Marsh (31*) and Travis Head (11*) were the two unbeaten Aussie batsman at the end of day’s play.
Ashwin and quick Mohammed Shami have two wickets apiece. India suffered a scare in the final hour when paceman Jasprit Bumrah left the ground after falling awkwardly in the field. He received treatment on his right shoulder and returned to bowl.
India All Out for 307
India was bowled out mid-session for 307, losing its last seven wickets for 73 runs.
Ajinkya Rahane batted through the first session of the day as India added 109 runs in the 34-over first session. Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara shared an 87-run fourth-wicket partnership, the highest of the match. Pujara made 71 off 204 balls, following on in fine style from his first innings century.
Play started 30 minutes early after 16 overs were lost to rain on day three. With footmarks to aim at, Lyon troubled the batsmen without luck.
He had Rahane caught at short-leg on 18 but the decision was reversed on review.
Rahane used his feet against Lyon to negate the spin from the footmarks, cracking several cover drives. He reached his half-century with a pull shot to the boundary off Hazlewood.
The visitors came out swinging after lunch, but the aggressive approach backfired, with four wickets falling for only four runs. Half-century maker Ajinkya Rahane added just 13 in the second session, falling for 70.
Nathan Lyon claimed six for 122 from 42 overs and Mitchell Starc shrugged off a disappointing first session to finish with three wickets.
India resumed after lunch in a dominant position at 260 for 5 and the aggressive Rishabh Pant smashed three consecutive boundaries and a six off Lyon in the first over after lunch.
His whirlwind innings ended when he holed out in Lyon's next over, ending his knock of 28 off 16 balls.
Wickets tumbled with Lyon picking up Rahane and Mohammed Shami in consecutive deliveries.
(With inputs from AP)