Despite conceding first innings lead, India didn’t shy away from putting a solid show on the fourth day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Team India restricted Australia’s top-order but the hosts still managed to build a solid 326-run lead by the end of day’s day.
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Pacer Ishant Sharma and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were the pick of the bowlers and played instrumental role in restricting Australia to 261/7 on the fourth day. Ishant, Ashwin and Umesh Yadav picked two wickets each, while Shami took one wicket.
Earlier, Australia looked racing away with the game, when Chris Rogers and David Warner were batting. They stitched a 57-run partnership to take Australia’s lead past 100, but Ashwin broke the partnership by dismissing Warner (40).
The hosts struggled to make any big partnerships after that, as Indians picked wickets on regular intervals. Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Joe Burns and Rogers got out in quick successions as the touring party used the conditions to their advantage.
Shaun Marsh, meanwhile, held one end firmly after Rogers’ dismissal and went back in form by scoring a fine fifty, his second in Tests. Marsh battled against the moving ball and made some crucial small-small partnerships with the lower-order to keep India at bay.
Australia finished the day with a solid lead, with Marsh (62 not out) and Ryan Harris (8 not out) are at the crease.
In the morning session, the hosts in no time dismissed remaining Indian batsmen. Speedster Mitchell Johnson dismissed remaining two batsmen in a space of just two overs in the morning session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami failed to put any resistance and got out cheaply. The first breakthrough arrived in the second ball of the day when a faint edge from Yadav’s bat went into Brad Haddin’s gloves. Shami (12) was caught in the second slip by skipper Steve Smith while chasing Johnson outside the off-stump.
