India in strong position
Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara were threatening to torment Australia yet again, having lifted India to 177-2 at tea on day one of the fourth test in Sydney.
Kohli called correctly at yesterday’s toss, significantly boosting India’s hopes of securing their maiden test series win in Australia.
The skipper’s partnerships with Pujara have represented a stumbling block for Tim Paine’s team throughout the series, most recently when they combined to outscore Australia’s entire first innings at the MCG.
Kohli and Pujara’s unbeaten stand was worth 51 runs, with the latter having clattered three Marnus Labuschagne long hops to the rope in the penultimate over of the post-lunch session.
Kohli was booed to the crease by some sections of the SCG crowd, who took little enjoyment from Pujara’s unbeaten knock of 61 that has already spanned 138 balls.
Tim Paine had wasted one of his two reviews; the Australian skipper referring a caught-behind shout off Pat Cummins’ bowling when Pujara was on 12.
Josh Hazlewood, who struck with his third delivery of the day when recalled opener KL Rahul was out edging, unsettled Pujara late in the morning session with a bouncer that struck the back of the helmet.
Pujara quickly regained composure and had now spent more than 25 hours at the crease during this series, underlining how pivotal his patience has been in the tourists retaining the Border-gavaskar Trophy.
Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc both delivered lively new-ball spells, while Nathan Lyon dismissed Mayank Agarwal for 77.
Agarwal, who produced the same impressive form he displayed on test debut in Melbourne, was caught in the deep by Starc after attempting to hammer Lyon for a third six.
Rahul, having scored all nine of his runs off edges, prodded forward to Hazlewood and offered Shaun Marsh a regulation catch at first slip.
Australia made two changes for the fourth test, recalling Labuschagne and Peter Handscomb in place of Mitch Marsh and Aaron Finch.
For full report go to stuff.co.nz