Short ball usage by India:

At the start of Day 5, India had 31 overs left with the old ball. The increase in short deliveries was notable. On Day 4, India’s bowled four bouncers but on Day 5 they bowled 13, using them to keep Australia’s batsmen in their crease and also dismiss Travis Head.

Australia didn’t give in easily. Their last four wickets had endured 48.4 overs and their last three wickets 35.4 overs. India maintained excellent lines but analysis of their lengths relative to the strengths of Australia’s bottom four suggested poor planning. Cummins, Starc and Lyon are all relatively strong against the short ball but India’s quicks bowled a large proportion of short balls to all three of them and certainly didn’t bowl enough full deliveries to Lyon.

India’s bouncers usage in fourth innings

Day4

(Overs 1-49)

2% Day5 (Overs 49-80) 16%

Bumrah sets up Marsh: An over of tight off stump deliveries set Marsh up before the wicket-ball swung away by 0.73° and nibbled by 0.25° away off the seam to take the edge.

Ashwin’s battle: A match haul of 6/171 at an economy of 1.71 is a massive jump. Five of his six wickets were top four batsmen. To right-handers Ashwin hit the footmarks outside off stump with 42% of his deliveries in the 2nd innings, slightly less than Lyon’s 48%. Australia’s resistance: PLAN GONE SLIGHTLY WRONG

Full Good Short Batsmen Career batting average v pace

PAT CUMMINS

MITCHELL STARC Indian lengths in 4th innings (In %)