On a flat Sydney pitch, India‘s lacklustre bowling attack failed to test Australia and the hosts ran away to an imposing first innings score on the opening day of the Sydney Test. You can follow the live scores of the second day of the fourth Test from the SCG starting at 10:30am (AEDT).
India would have come into the Test under their new captain Virat Kohli, hoping to stand up to the Aussies despite having already lost the series. Unfortunately for them, right from the time Kohli lost the toss, his bowlers were put to sword by the Aussie top four.
LIVE SCORES OF DAY FIVE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND INDA
Add to the below-par Indian bowling performance and the placid Sydney track, the visitors weren’t helped by their butter fingers as two catches went down at crucial times.
Australia were none for 46 when Chris Rogers nicked one from Mohammad Shami to KL Rahul at the second slip position and he let go of a sitter. Rogers and his opening partner David Warner went on to score 200 for the first wicket.
Then, at the fag end of the day’s play, Shane Watson’s poke at a delivery outside the off-stump flew to the first slip’s left. R Ashwin, who had earlier been the best Indian bowler on the day, failed to grab on to it.
These two lapses rubbed salts on the Indian bowling wounds which seemed to have widened as the series has progressed.
With Ishant Sharma ruled out because of a knee problem, India decided to bring in Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the first time in the series, preferring him over the way quicker but more erratic bowler, Varun Aaron.
Bhuvneshwar seemed to be showing side-effects of being away from the game for a long time as his pace rarely touched the 130 km/hr mark. In fact in one of his last spells, he began with sub-120 km/hr levels and was easily seen through.
What worsened it for India was that Umesh Yadav had a off-day. His 16 overs brought him no wickets and despite that last dropped catch off his bowling, he had already conceded 97 runs by then.
At the other end of the spectrum was the Aussie top four which battered the Indian bowling through the day.
Warner mostly motors along in just the fifth gear but when Rogers starts to bat positively as well, things get really difficult for the opposition.
That’s what happened as the pair got off to a quick start at the top of the innings as Rogers got himself to 18 from just 16 balls. The dropped catch obviously pegged Rogers back a little but at the other end, Warner showed no sign of abating, and got to his half-century from only 45 deliveries.
Rogers followed up with his own fifty at the stroke of lunch to carry the side to none for 123 at that stage.
77 runs came from less than 17 overs after the break before the opening stand was finally broken. By that time Australia had already gotten themselves to 200.
While the hosts lost two wickets in as many overs, with Rogers missing out on a well-deserved ton as well, there was no real respite for India after that.
Steven Smith joined Shane Watson and built a slow, but steady partnership. The rate did not achieve the heights of the Warner-Rogers stand but that mostly because of Watson’s lack of form and hence a cautious approach to his innings.
By close, Smith was only 18 short of his fourth successive Test century of the series while Watson had ridden his luck to end the day unbeaten on 61.
A score of 600 looks most likely from here on as Australia will hope to bat India out of the game on a very easy surface. The track is also supposed to start turning and behaving disconcertingly as the game moves on which should bring someone like Nathan Lyon in the game from late on the third day.
Does India have the wherewithal to make a comeback into this game or is the match already headed away from them?
You can follow the live score of the second day of this fourth Australia v India Test from 10:30am local time on Wednesday and post your comments in the section below.
Rob McHugh
Roar Guru
He's in very good form, but cool it on the "Bradman Status" talk for another couple of years. It's hard to judge the batsmen on this game. What we know is that they are all capable of batting decently on a batsmen's paradise, against an average bowling attack. To me this test has - so far - proven nothing.
SCC
Guest
He is actually a reliable ODI performer and I am surprised he is not talked about more. He has an impressive ODI average of about 40. Yes, higher than his Test or First-class. He could really anchor an innings Michael Clarke-style while undoubtedly possessing more hitting ability than him. His performances in the last ODI series in which he played (v England) tell that story.
Craig Watson
Guest
The runs keep coming from Smith's bat...698 of them @140. Freakish! Four tons in four tests all in the first innings.Three centuries in your first three tests as captain. Must be some sort of record. This bloke is fast reaching Bradman- like status. A good follow up from Shaun Marsh,and congrats Joe Burns on his first test half century.
Bobbo7
Guest
I would. While he has under performed it's not like he has had Watson-esque opportunities and when he is on he is amazing
Craig Watson
Guest
Yeh Nudge. A poor aspect of Starc's overall makeup. This need to chat after each ball. He also sent off Vijay after removing him. Not necessary Mitchell. A bad look. Let your performance do its own talking. Be careful not to overdo the aggression...otherwise Warne will be on his back over that as well.. Whatever happened to the simple stare...al ala Dennis Lillee.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia batted on to make 7/572 and then took the wicket of Vijay for a duck. K Rahul was coming into the game with a couple of rash strokes in the previous Test and then had dropped a sitter in the slips but he seems to have battled away well. Rohit batted with his head, something he often loses in Test match cricket, and has done well to get to 40. It continues to remain an easy pitch but spin is coming into its own and Nathan Lyon will continue to remain the key for both teams. India have a clear mandate, to bat the entire day tomorrow and push their innings as far as possible into the fourth. They don't do that, they will be left to do a lot of catching up in the last 100-125 overs of the game. That's it from me, will be back on tomorrow for the third day of the final Test at Sydney. Ciao!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Good bowling from Starc as he pushes one up to Rahul after having peppered him with a couple of bouncers. Rahul's watching it intently and pushes it down the ground for a couple. And then he defends a length ball to finish off the Starc over and with that, the day's play too. India end the day at 1/71 from 25.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Brute of a delivery from Starc and well played in the end by Rahul. He dropped his hands and got his head out of the way as the ball was looking to rear up alarmingly. Smith's brought in a short-leg in place now. 1/69 in the 25th
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Maiden from Lyon to end things off at his end for the day. One more over remaining. 1/68 in 24.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Mitchell Starc had been brought back into the attack and Rahul gets off strike first ball. Rohit gets one on his pads and almost paddles it around the corner for a four and then plays out the rest of the deliveries. Rohit's struggled outside the off stump on many an occasion, beaten the outside edge of the bat quite a few times. 1/68 in 23.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Ha! What was that? Would have been darn embarrassing to have gotten out there, a pre-determined sweep to a very full one and he has fallen over attempting it. Seems to have come off the inside edge as the fielders appealed for the lbw. Rohit lay sprawling on his back there. At the other end, Rahul gets a fuller one from Lyon and drills it through the covers for three. 1/63 in the 22
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Haha
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Nathan Lyon has now opted to bowl round the stumps at Rohit and the long-on has been brought in to mid-on. Tempting Rohit here with a change in line, therefore cramping him for room too...
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot, sweet timing from Rahul and well-placed too, gets himself a four through the extra-cover region for a four. That was after Rohit looked to be in bit of a soup outside the off from Harris before he took a single off the fifth ball of the over. 1/59 in 21.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Can someone please take the microphone off Warne.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just one from the Lyon over. Incidentally the half-century of the partnership was up in that previous over too, which makes it Rahul's first such effort in Test cricket. 1/54 in 20.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Five from the Harris over but there was one that beat the Rohit bat too. 1/53 in 19.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Not from the team's point of view but from the individual's point of view. The team will still be in front but bowlers do get rattled sometimes irrespective of the runs on the board, because that also allows the batsmen to overturn the pressure that could have been building from his end. A bowler might have all those runs in the bag but you take the confidence of a spinner away and he could start bowling it slightly shorter to prevent getting hit and lose their rhythm - taking wickets, in turn, becomes difficult. Look at what those two shots have done - pushed the long-on back for Rohit. And that's despite being 500 in front. If the batsman is smart he will now start milking them for singles.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Rohit ul haq
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Slightly wider from Lyon and bit short too, allowing Rahul to rock back and cut it through the backward point region for three. And then Rohit drives one down to long-on for a single. Four from the Lyon over. 1/48 in 18. 7 overs remaining.