India vs Australia: Hosts 87 runs short of series-win over visitors
DHARAMSALA: Starting Day Three still 52 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 300, India ended the day needing 87 runs to win the fourth Test as well as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Monday. After Ravindra Jadeja's 63 had given the hosts a 32 run lead, all-round performance from the bowlers meant the visitors were bowled out a paltry 137 in their second essay.
Set a target of 106 to win, India openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay have already added 19 runs, meaning barring a spectacular collapse, this Test is their's to lose. India's undisputed start of the day was Jadeja as the left-hander made a calculated assault on the Aussie bowling attack in the morning session with Wriddhiman Saha providing him ample support at the other end. Compared to Sunday, the Aussie bowlers were little off radar and Jadeja used it to his advantage as he brought up his sixth fifty of this season and there by became the third player ever to score 500-plus runs and take 50-plus wickets in a season.
Though the 32 run lead was not huge one, Umesh Yadav gave Aussies horrid time in the middle with the new ball. Getting the ball to bounce at over 145kmph he accounted for the wickets of David Warner and Matt Renshaw even before they could overcome the deficit. Australi's only hope was captain Steve Smith, but by the time he lost his off-stump to Bhuvneshwar Kumar via inside-edge, the writing was on the wall for the visitors.
Glenn Maxwell counter-attacked for a while, but the spin combination of Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja took care of the rest as Australia folded up for 137. Umesh, Ashwin and Jadeja picked three wickets each.