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IND vs AUS: Lower-Order Defiance Puts India Under Pressure As Ashwin Picks Up Six-fer


image-lf2h1i8jTodd Murphy (Source: AP Newsroom)

After a tiring second session for India on the second day of the fourth Test against Australia, the third session was even more frustrating, at least for the most part of it with the tail wagging at the back end and accumulating some crucial runs. But some runs from the home side in the final overs gave the side a much-needed boost.

Khawaja departs but tail displays resilience

With Australia being 409 for 7 at the beginning of the final session of the day, they were surely looking at a score beyond 500. Superstar of the game until now, Usman Khawaja was still at the crease at the score of 180 eying his maiden double-hundred but left-armer Axar Patel had other plans as he dismissed the southpaw on the very first delivery straightway after Tea, finding him in front of the stumps. The on-field call was given in favour of the batter but an outstanding review from India's stand-in skipper Cheteshwar Pujara turned the call in their favour.

In came batter, Todd Murphy along with senior pro-Nathan Lyon were in the middle and surprisingly to the woes of the Indian side, they batted extremely well for the next 15 overs until drinks were called on the field where they formed a 50-run stand together for the ninth wicket. They were extremely careful defending the ball and playing in the traditional Test way of slowing the game down and causing trouble to the opposition.

After the drinks, both of them continued to bat well against the spinners and the moment Mohammad Shami arrived to bowl, he was thwacked for three boundaries by Lyon in a single over.

However, after this, Murphy departed on a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery where he trapped him LBW for an outstanding 41. Also, this wicket brought Ashwin's 32nd fifer in Tests. Matthew Kuhnemann arrived at the crease but didn't had to do too much as his partner Lyon was caught by Kohli at slip after a deflection from keeper KS Bharat's pads as Ashwin got his six-fer.

Visitors' innings folded for 480 but this was enough to give the Indian side some serious headache as no team has ever lost in India after scoring 479 runs.

Shubman-Rohit stand brings India back

With just 10 overs remaining in the day, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill came out to bat looking to end the day without any hiccup and they did so with ease as these two scored 36 runs without losing the wicket.

Sharma is currently at 17 runs whereas Gill got 18 with one six and a four to his name. Trailing by 444, they would come tomorrow to reduce the deficit.

Talking Points

  • India frustrated by tailenders' defiance as Lyon and Murphy piled on runs to take the side's score to 480.
  • Rohit-Shubman took the opposition helping the Indian team to end the day on a high.

Expectations

  • India would look to bat the entire day tomorrow, scoring runs at a brisk rate, ensuring that they don't lose many wickets.
  • Australia's target would surely be to clean India up as early as possible without leaking too many runs.

Brief Scores:

Australia: 480/10 (167.2 Overs)

Usman Khawaja 180 (422), Cameron Green 114 (170);
R Ashwin 6/91 (47.2), Mohammed Shami 2/134 (31)

India: 36/0 (10 Overs)

Rohit Sharma 17* (33), Shubman Gill 18* (27);
Matthew Kuhnemann 0/3

Day 2: Stumps - India trail by 444 runs