Internet Desk: India failed to seize the momentum against Australia on Day 2 of the final test match being played at Dharamsala. At stumps the hosts were 248/6 in their first innings, still trailing Australia by 52 runs. Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha were in the middle, batting on 16 and 10 respectively.
The batsman frittered away the initial advantage against a disciplined bowling from Australia to leave the fourth and final cricket Test evenly poised.
Lokesh Rahul (60), Cheteswar Pujara (57) and Captain Ajinkya Rahane (46) failed to convert the starts they got into a big score. The hosts were comfortably placed at 108 for 1. Opener Lokesh Rahul’s indiscretion cost India dearly. The Karnataka batsman fell in the trap set by the Australians, as he tried to pull Pat Cummins, only to be caught at cover. India never got the required momentum after Rahul’s departure. He scored 60 off 124 balls.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane also got starts before Nathan Lyon snuffed them out, extracting sharp bounce from the pitch.
With the pitch offering significant turn along with good bounce, batting will only get difficult in the third and fourth innings in what promises to be a battle of attrition in the next three days.
Nathan Lyon once again proved to be a nemesis for Indian batsman as he so far picked 4/67 in 28 overs. The off spinner tormented the Indian middle-order once again in the final session of the day which belonged to Australia.
The final session saw India scoring 95 runs and lose as many as four wickets – all trying to be defensive against Lyon.
Ravichandran Ashwin (30 off 49 balls) did show some intent by counter-attacking the Aussie bowlers, but eventually fell leg before to Nathan Lyon.
It could have been worse had Wriddhiman Saha (10 batting) catch would have been taken by Matt Renshaw at first slip. But if the Indian innings had a turning point, it was Rahul, who again raised visions of a big score before throwing his wicket.
Rahul looked comfortable during his knock of 60 – his fifth half-century of the series – before a sudden rush of blood saw him play a pull shot off a Cummins short ball only to offer a simple skier to David Warner at cover.
Rahul hit nine fours and a slog-swept six off Steve O’Keefe. The Rahul-Pujara duo added 87 runs for the second wicket to lend solidity to the Indian innings after Murali Vijay’s (11) early departure.
Pujara looked well set for a big score, before he was out to a classical off-break delivery from Lyon that bounced and kissed his bat, giving a simple catch to Handscomb at forward short leg.
Skipper Rahane was shaky to begin with a mis-timed pull off Cummins that got him a six but grew in confidence during his 104-ball stay at the wicket which also fetched him seven boundaries.
He added 49 runs each with Pujara and Ashwin. He was looking good for second half century of the series when Lyon got a straighter to bounce a shade more as Steve Smith took a sharp catch at first slip.
In the morning, Vijay hit a flowing cover drive off Hazlewood and got another off the bowler even though it wasn’t a controlled shot. But Hazlewood had found his channel by then and was able to hit a few visible cracks from which the deliveries were deviating away. A faint nick was gobbled up by Matthew Wade with Hazlewood getting his first wicket.
The first session tomorrow will be very crucial for both the teams as India will look to take a lead in the first innings with Saha (10*) and Jadeja (16*) in the middle.
Brief scores: Australia 300 all out
India 248/6 in 91 overs (Rahul 60, Pujara 57, Rahane 46; Lyon 4/67).