RAISING THE TEMPO:
TEST MATCH PRESSURE ON AUSSIES
JOSH Hazlewood claimed five wickets but Australia was left red-faced after India’s nonames once again dug deep on Sunday to leave the Border-Gavaskar Trophy decider on a knife’s edge.
The series-deciding Test at the Gabba is delicately poised after a stoic batting performance from India’s ‘Neville Nobodies’ on day three put the heat firmly on Australia.
The hosts had few answers for the gritty, yet expansive and exciting, batting of Indian tailenders Shardul Thakur (67) and Washington Sundar (62), whose 123-run partnership brought the match back to life after Australia threatened to take control.
India was eventually rolled for 336 in reply to Australia’s first innings 369, leaving the hosts with a slim 33-run advantage in a match they must win to break the one-all series deadlock.
Australia was 0-21 at stumps after David Warner (20) and Marcus Harris (1) navigated a tricky 20 minutes to finish the day with a 54–run lead.
Boasting one Test between them, Thakur and the sensationally-named debutant Washington frustrated Australia so much they resorted to bodyline-style tactics to finally bowl out India after 111.4 overs when their top six batsmen fell inside 67 overs.
Hazlewood was the standout with 5-57 from 24.4 overs, his ninth five-wicket haul, but it was a subdued celebration after India gave Australia so much grief in batting for most of the day.
“It was a crucial partnership by them, we had them at around 6-200, we were well on top, but they batted really well,” Hazlewood said.
“We didn’t execute as well as we could have. We probably let pressure off at certain times throughout the day. There’s a bit of frustration, when they’re six down you’re well on your way to knocking them over.
“We missed our mark there a little bit where we were a touch full or short.
“Here at the Gabba the bounce is so consistent that even tailenders can hit the ball if we pitch it up. The short ball is the best way of getting the tail out, or setting them up for the full ball.”
Nathan Lyon’s poor series continued with a return of 1-65 in his 100th Test while Mitchell Starc (2-88) and Pat Cummins (2-94) struggled to clean up a mostly inexperienced India line-up.
With two days to play, and rain forecast in Brisbane, Australia must score quickly on Monday to give themselves a defendable total to bowl at.
India has played gutsy cricket for much of the series and last week in Sydney proved they can dig-in for a draw, but batting on day five is rarely easy and Australia has an opportunity to push for victory.
“If Davey bats a long time things happen pretty quickly,” Hazlewood said.
“There’s a bit of rain forecast on both days which could come into calculations. We’ll bat normal for the first two sessions and see where we’re at.”
Australia made a positive start on Sunday in consistently picking up wickets early on.
India added 43 to their overnight total of 2-62 before Cheteshwar Pujara (25) fell and when Starc found captain Ajinkya Rahane’s (37) outside edge India was exposed at 4-144.
The last two recognised Indian batsmen – Mayank Agarwal (38) and Rishabh Pant (23) – departed shortly after lunch to leave the tourists at 6-186, still trailing Australia by 183 runs. That is when Thakur and Washington went to work.
The inexperienced duo piled on a stunning 123 for the seventh wicket in a 36-over stand which left Australia frustrated and with few answers.
Thakur was the more aggressive of the two, blasting nine fours and two sixes in his innings before falling to Cummins with India trailing by only 60.
“Both of us have the temperament to succeed at this level,” Thakur said.
“We weren’t looking at the scoreboard, the idea was to spend some time out there and we knew their bowlers were tiring.
“If we hung in there for one more hour we would be on top because the bowlers were tiring. It was really important to hang in there.
“We were communicating really well with each other. If someone was losing their focus we would say ‘let’s get back to normal’.
“We were waiting for our chance. Whenever there was a loose delivery bowled we put it away. It’s a long tour, as a player it’s challenging to stay motivated and do well in the last game.
“The series being tied at one-all, this game turns out to be the most important. You don’t need extra motivation. You just give 100 per cent to the team and make useful contributions.”
It was the type of partnership which could be the difference in India’s quest to retain the trophy and typified the spirit the visitors have shown for most of the series.
Washington was the ninth wicket to fall and India was soon all out for 336.