New Delhi, Mar 23(Agencies): India found themselves in a spot of bother as they lost wickets at regular intervals on the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi.
Australian pacer James Pattinson added India's woes as he scalped MS Dhoni to leave tottering at 210/6.
Nathan Lyon was on a roll as he picked up four wickets to lead Australia's fightback on Day 2.
Lyon gave India huge blow by dismissing Sachin Tendulkar to reduce the hosts to 180/5. Tendulkar missed short of a length delivery with his defense and caught plumb in front.
Debutant Ajinkya Rahane failed to grab the chance as he scored 7 runs before went back to the pavilion.
India suffered a massive blow as they lost in-form Murali Vijay after tea. Peter Siddle captured his 150th Test wicket by removing Vijay for 57.
Vijay surprised by the short of a length delivery from Siddle as the ball hit on the gloves and went in the air. Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade took the simple catch to end Vijay's knock.
Vijay continued with his fine form against Australia as his impressive half century and a solid opening stand with Cheteshwar Pujara took India to 135 for two at tea.
India are now 127 runs behind Australia's first innings score of 262.
At the break, Vijay was batting on 54 in company of Sachin Tendulkar, who survived a few anxious moments including a strong leg before appeal to remain unbeaten on 12.
Vijay has faced 114 balls so far hitting eight boundaries in the process.
For Australia, the post-lunch session turned out to be a productive one with Nathan Lyon accounting for both Pujara (52) and Virat Kohli (1).
The makeshift opening stand of Pujara (52) and Vijay yielded 108 runs in 25 overs.
At the beginning of the innings, Pujara played a majestic backfoot cover drive off Pattinson after Vijay opened his account with a streaky boundary past the slip cordon.
Pattinson drifted one onto Pujara's pads and the batsman promptly got his second boundary. Then came the best shot of the morning session as Pujara hit left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson for a straight drive.
The three boundaries gave Pujara confidence to get off the blocks. Vijay also joined forces as he elegantly played Pattinson through the wide mid-on area.
The first five overs of the innings produced 34 runs and it looked as if Vijay and Pujara are in a mood to get 'ready' for the Indian Premier League which is scheduled to start in 10 days time. The 50-run partnership was completed in the 10th over.
The Kotla track, which has already come under much criticism, was slowly turning from bad to worse as a number of deliveries bowled by Johnson from the Old Club House end started keeping low.
If it created a bit of problem for batsmen, the low bounce meant that the edges did not carry to the glovesman Matthew Wade and the fielders stationed in the slip cordon.
Pujara was finally dismissed after completing a well deserved half-century. Facing a Lyon delivery, Pujara played for the turn but the ball went straight to hit the off-stump.
Pujara faced 76 balls and hit five boundaries in the process.
Virat Kohli also did not stay for long as Lyon trapped him plumb-in-front for one.
Around 1:25 pm, Tendulkar walked out amid a standing ovation from the 20,000-odd weekend crowd and got off the mark off the 10th delivery that he faced.
Earlier, Australia folded their first inning on 262 after adding 31 runs to their overnight total of 231 for eight.
Peter Siddle completed his maiden Test fifty but was done in by a straighter from Ravichandran Ashwin who completed his fourth five-wicket haul in the series. Siddle scored 51 off 136 balls with four boundaries.
Ashwin finished with figures of five for 57 in 34 overs. The Australian innings lasted just over 14 overs as Pattinson's (30) dogged resistance ended with Pragyan Ojha getting his 100th Test wicket.
Ojha completed the feat in his 22nd Test, becoming the third fastest Indian to reach the milestone after Erapalli Prasanna (20 Tests) and Anil Kumble (21 Tests).
Aussies caught in a spin again
(DHNS)In their victory-less tour of India, the toss had been the only winning factor for the Australians.
For the fourth successive time in the series, they found the spin of coin in their favour, this day through their newly appointed captain Shane Watson. In terms of performance, too, they offered few surprises; the spin bowling once again leaving them dazed in a bundle of shrinking timidity.
As Michael Clarke’s back prevented him to take the field for the first time in his career, Watson completed a rollercoaster week from being dropped in the last Test to becoming a father and then returning to lead Australia as its 44th captain.
Including Watson, Australia made five changes to the team that lost the third Test. Brad Haddin replaced Matt Wade, Mitchell Johnson filled in for the injured Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty made way for James Pattinson and Glenn Maxwell walked in for Moises Henriques. For India, Ajinkya Rahane's debut in place of Shikhar Dhawan was the only talking point.
For Australia, it brought little reprieve though. The baggy greens ended the day at 231/8 with Peter Siddle (47 batting) and James Pattinson (11 batting) showing the resolve missing from the top order batsmen. Ravichandran Ashwin (4/40) was the most successful bowler for India with Ishant Sharma thrilling with his medium pace with the new ball.
The track at the Kotla could never be the cushion for a side already struggling with confidence. The big cracks even before the start of the match looked menacingly at the visitors. And true to its nature, the wicket remained two-paced throughout. The conditions were not the easiest to bat and Australia’s attempt to score quick runs fell flat. Local boy Ishant Sharma (14-3-35-2) prospered in familiar conditions.
Sharing the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant, sharp and quick, got result in his first over. David Warner, flashed at the away going delivery to get a thick edge that went sailing to Virat Kohli in the slips for a four-ball duck.
Phil Hughes (45), post his fighting 69 in Mohali, was at his fluent best. Showing excellent footwork and adaptability to the surface, he hit three cracking boundaries in Kumar’s over to race to 21 off 17 balls. His counter-attacking innings was well supported at the other end by Ed Cowan, who was slow but dogged.
But long, drab spells of restrained action soon followed. Ishant was incisive in his first spell and kept up the tempo on his return. One of his deliveries rose viciously to hit the helmet of Hughes, who shrugged it off with a smile. Two deliveries later, the smile changed into frown, as he played on. Australia took lunch at 94/2 and India returned with a certain epiphany.
It was soon time for the spinners to thrive. They did so by taking five wickets in the second session. Cowan’s doughty innings met a soft end when he misread the line of Ashwin’s delivery, to be bowled round his legs for the second time in three Tests.
Watson, on his part, couldn’t follow the elementary. After surviving a heart-stopping stumping chance, he was eventually dismissed in the same fashion. Mathew Wade and Glenn Maxwell followed him in quick time and Mitchell Johnson underlined Australia’s struggle with his dismissal, shouldering arms to Ashwin’s carrom ball.
Like the way in the past matches, the tail continued to wag on the Indian face, first anchored by Steven Smith and later Siddle. Like the past, this match, too, bears strong undercurrents of a mediocre contest. And once again India could smell win on the opening day.
score board
AUSTRALIA (I Innings):
Cowan b Ashwin 38
(135m, 99b, 7x4)
Warner c Kohli b Ishant 0
(6m, 4b)
Hughes b Ishant 45
(82m, 59b, 10x4).
Watson st Dhoni b Jadeja 17
(63m, 56b, 3x4)
Smith c Rahane b Ashwin 46
(152m, 145b, 3x4, 2x6)
Wade c Vijay b Ashwin 2
(7m, 5b)
Maxwell c Ishant b Jadeja 10
(14m, 16b, 1x4, 1x6)
Johnson b Ashwin 3
(24m, 22b)
Siddle (batting) 47
(158m, 125b, 4x4)
Pattinson (batting) 11
(71m, 57b, 1x4)
Extras (B-5, LB-7) 12
Total (for 8 wkts, 98 overs) 231
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Warner), 2-71 (Hughes), 3-106 (Cowan), 4-115 (Watson), 5-117 (Wade), 6-129 (Maxwell), 7-136 (Johnson), 8-189 (Smith).
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9-1-43-0, Ishant Sharma 14-3-35-2, Ravichandran Ashwin 30-17-40-4, Pragyan Ojha 23-6-67-0, Ravindra Jadeja 22-6-34-2.
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