India were trailing by 26 runs with nine wickets in hand in Brisbane after the Australian lower-order batted with determination to give their team a sizeable 97-run lead. The pacers got India off to a good start, but Mitchell Johnson joined Steven Smith in changing the course of the innings.
Where to watch 2nd Test, Day 4 Live Streaming & Live Score Updates
The Australia vs India 2nd Test, Day 4 is scheduled for a 05:30 pm IST (10:30 local | 00:00 GMT) start at Brisbane Cricket Ground. The live score updates will be available HERE, HERE & HERE. Catch the live streaming of Australia vs India, Day 4 HERE & HERE.
Propelled by the lower-order bat’s Australia seized the advantage from the visitors. Building on the platform Mitchell Starc then led the home team to 505 before being bowled out. With their task cut for them, Murali Vijay opened the innings with Shikhar Dhawan in the last session at the Gabba.
The openers gave India a steady start until Vijay was castled by Mitchell Starc. With their man-in-form back in the dressing room, Cheteshwar Pujara joined the left-handed opener in chipping away at the deficit.
Playing circumspectly, both Dhawan and Pujara took India to stumps at 71/1 in an unbroken 30-run stand. Earlier, the first hour belonged to India. Ishant Sharma tested the batsmen with a tight line on the off-stump and built up pressure with some assistance off the wicket.
With Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav complimenting the tall pacer, India maintained the upper-hand as they got off to a good start early on in the day. Ishant gave the visitors their first breakthrough of the day. Mitchell Marsh left the delivery which came in and the ball clipped the top of the off-stump leaving the batsman clueless.
The trio maintained a strangle hold on the innings and Aaron was the next to strike. An edgy Brad Haddin was done in by a bouncer. As the wicketkeeper batsman raised his arm to protect his face the ball deflected off to the short leg and Cheteshwar Pujara took the catch.
With the hosts in a precarious situation Johnson came to the crease and launched a counterattack to pull back the momentum from the visitors. While Johnson unleashed himself on the bowlers Smith held one end and kept rotating the strike.
Nathan Lyon too joined in adding useful runs to the lead. His cameo however ended for 23 with a hit straight to mid-on. With Australia nine wickets down, the tea break was delayed by half-an-hour while Starc and Josh Hazlewood strengthened the lead.
The duo milked the Indian attack and Starc posted a fifty as they batted through the extended session. They took the team past 500 and had taken the lead to a whopping 95 runs in an unbroken stand when tea was eventually taken.
