#INDvAUS: When India's INTENT was not enough

India captain Virat Kohli was big on the word intent ahead of the start of this Test. After four forgettable days in the series, the buzzword seemed to be reiterated again before play on Sunday morning, when the entire team sat in a huddle for a lengthy period just like on the match eve.

Intent, India did show on Sunday, but for two-thirds of the day. And that last bit of dip from the hosts was enough for Australia to take the ascendancy in this Test.

After a gripping day of Test cricket, the visitors were 237/6 at stumps on the second day, seizing a lead of 48 runs over India's total of 189. The lead might not be big in number, but it's huge in the context of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, where runs will be at a premium in the second innings.

You could feel a sense of unfulfillment by the way the Indians walked back to the pavilion after the day's play: slow and without a lot of talk. They knew they had grasped the Aussies for two full sessions but just loosened it at the end, blunting the sharpness with which they started.

The Indians resembled a bunch of vultures hungry for their prey in the morning. And they had a trap set for their first attack.

Ravichandran Ashwin started his spell going over the wicket to opener David Warner, landing deliveries on the rough. It planted a seed of doubt in the southpaw's mind and made him take the leg stump guard.

That's exactly what Ashwin wanted, and he had his victim in his third over. The off-spinner got a ball to hit the rough, spin diagonally from outside leg and castle Warner's off stump. Ashwin jumped and sprinted towards square leg as Kohli joined the pumped-up celebrations.

What Ashwin was doing from one end, the pacers were doing it with equal brilliance from the other: not giving an inch to the Aussies.

If Ishant Sharma gave away just 14 runs in his morning spell of six overs, Umesh Yadav cranked it up in a contest against Matt Renshaw that has been the best of the series so far.

Getting the ball to hit the deck and move away from the left-hander, Yadav induced three outside edges that went between the first and third slips, a low one among them being put down by Kohli.

The pressure was reaching its peak, and someone had to give in. Smith, it was, who inside edged a straight Ravindra Jadeja delivery on to his pad, the ball looping into the hands of a running wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.

The morning session – in which India gave away 47 runs and took two wickets in 29 overs – was just the impetus the hosts needed, and the vultures were on it after lunch as well.

Shaun Marsh and Renshaw, on their part, did well to keep them at bay, blocking everything to begin with and then releasing the suffocation with a couple of boundaries to bring up the team's 100.

The 20-year-old Renshaw, playing with unfluttered discipline, decided to open his wings up a bit, lofting Ravindra Jadeja over long-off for a six. But the left-arm orthodox bowler proved to be the smarter bird. Seeing him come down the track again a ball later, Jadeja shortened the length, got it to land on middle and turn away. The opener tried to pad it away but was stumped down the leg by Saha.

Peter Handscomb looked positive, probably a right approach that was done in by some luck on India's part. Using his feet against Jadeja, Handscomb chipped one in the air to the right of Ashwin at midwicket. The tall offie dived late, grabbed the ball but it popped out of his hand while landing on the ground. Fortunately for him and India, it bounced on his wrist to help him clean up the work.

Australia went from 160/4 to 163/5 off the last ball before tea, an astute bowling change from Kohli and a charged up Ishant Sharma doing the trick. Testing Mitchell Marsh with his tight line, Sharma got the ball to keep low right on middle stump. Mitchell was caught plumb in front and India went into the break bouncing.

But they were flattened out by Shaun in the final session. The elder of the Marsh brothers was standing tall amidst Australia's falling cards. The southpaw led a charmed life throughout, Kohli not reviewing a faint glove to the wicketkeeper on 14, Shaun overturning an LBW decision against him on 44, and Sharma trapping him off a no ball in the next over.

Yet, he steadily continued in his pursuit along with Matthew Wade, getting Australia into the lead as well as completing his half-century. Like Renshaw, though, Shaun too perished after the landmark, chipping a Yadav ball straight to midwicket. But Wade and Mitchell Starc added 17 runs thereafter, remaining unbroken.

The prey is now in the position of attacking the vultures.

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

SESSION ONE

A session of quality cricket
India come out charged up, and get the reward immediately. Bowling over the wicket, R Ashwin cleans up David Warner's off stump with a beauty. Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw weather India's storm before the former is snapped up by Ravindra Jadeja.
At LUNCH: Australia 87/2 in 45 overs (Renshaw 40*, S Marsh 2*)

SESSION TWO

India continue to make inroads
Shaun Marsh and Renshaw negate the Indian bowlers with watchful batting, but runs then start coming in. Renshaw brings up his fifty and falls soon to Ravindra Jadeja, who removes Peter Handscomb cheaply. Ishant Sharma traps Mitch Marsh off the last ball of the session.
AT TEA: Australia 163/5 in 80 overs (S Marsh 38*)

SESSION THREE

Australia fight, take lead
Shaun continues his hard work, ensuring the Indians are unable to run through the Aussies. He completes his fifty and gets them into the lead before falling to Umesh Yadav. Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc ensure their team a lead of 48 without further damage.
AT STUMPS: Australia 237/6 in 106 overs (M Wade 25*, M Starc 14*)

N ZONE

8
No. of times Ravichandran Ashwin has dismissed David Warner in Test cricket, the most by any bowler in the world. James Anderson has scalped Warner 7 times