DHARAMSALA: Australia squandered a wonderful opportunity to bat India out of the way in the fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as from 131/1 they managed to get only 300 on Saturday.
For India, it was debutant wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, playing in place of injured captain Virat Kohli, the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/68. At stumps on Day One, India were 0/0 in the one over they faced off Josh Hazlewood
Though the Indians did a remarkable job in the last two sessions, they simply had no answers to Australia captain Steve Smith, who top-scored with a magnificent 111. The century was Smith's third of the series and seventh against India in eight Tests.
Winning the toss and batting first, Smith in the company of David Warner gave Australia a strong platform for the rest to cash in on. The duo coming together after Matt Renshaw lost his stumps to Umesh Yadav in the second over, put on 134 runs for the second wicket as India looked clueless in the morning session.
Finding boundaries at will. they deflated the Indian attack before lunch as they scored at more than 4 runs per over and finished the morning session at 131/1/ However. post-lunch session saw a different India, as Kuldeep's wrists changed the tide in India's favour.
He first removed Warner, who had scored his first fifty of the tour, and bowled Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell. With Shaun Marsh departing to Umesh, India dominated that session and by the time Smith fell at the stroke of tea, Australia had wrestled the advantage to India.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade then frustrated the Indians with 57 with contributions from the lower-order, but India never let the pedal off as Australia were all out for 300.