Indian bowlers once again exposed the chinks in jittery Australian batting line-up leaving the hosts tottering at 104 for 4 in pursuit of a tough target of 323 on the fourth day of the first Test on Sunday.
India removed Travis Head and Shaun Marsh in the first session of the fifth and final day to close in on victory in the opening Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Monday.
India vs Australia, 1st Test: Full commentary & scorecard
Set a target of 323, Australia reached 186 for six at lunch at the Adelaide Oval. The visitors need another four wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Australia meanwhile need another 137 runs, with Tim Paine (40 not out) and Pat Cummins (5 not out) at the crease at lunch-break. They added 30 runs for the seventh wicket.
On Day 4, Ravichandran Ashwin (2/44 in 19 overs) and Mohammed Shami (2/15 in 9 overs) were impressive during the final session as Australia lost three wickets in Marcus Harris (26), Usman Khawaja (8) and Peter Handscomb (14). At end of play, Shaun Marsh was unbeaten on 31 runs (92 balls) while Travis Head was batting on 11 not out (37 balls).
1. Day 5 begins!
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Shaun Marsh walks out to resume Australia's innings along with their first innings' top-scorer and local boy Travis Head. They are saying that the pitch is not completely tricky for the batsmen so we can expect something interesting in the first session. While Marsh begins on 31, Head is on 11. The Indian skipper straightaway gives the ball to their best bowler so far in the match - Ravi Ashwin.
Australia are 1-4 for 4, need 219 runs to win this opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. PC: Reuters
2. OUT: Oh, Ishant you beauty!
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OUT! Travis Head had no answer to that piece of bowling from Ishant, who surprises him with a sudden short ball. Head couldn't;t duck it, couldn't play it, he just tries to block it before the ball hits the splice of his bat and lobs to Rahane at gully. A sitter for Rahane, Ishant is pumped here, Kohli is ecstatic and the Indian team is now closer to a historic victory in Adelaide.
Remember, India have never won the first Test on an Australian tour. So, today's win is going to be special. Aussies will have to produce something even more special to deny the moment to the Indians. PC: AFP
Australia 115 for 5, need 238 to win, while Indians need just 5 more wickets.
3. 50 for Shaun Marsh!
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Shaun Marsh is doing everything right at the moment and the Indians have to be patient with him. There is a decent turn in this pitch and Marsh Sr has a great record against lefties, to remember this. Moreover, Ashwin has repeatedly changed from over to round the wicket multiple times today already and that is just helping Marsh getting used to Ashwin here. Ashwin bowls a short delivery in the 66th over and Marsh is ready as he pulls it through the gap at mid-wicket for a FOUR and his second Test fifty in 2018.
Marsh Sr was under the radar for a series of low-string scores and there can be no better situation than today's for him to hit back at his critics and prove his worth. It was also his first-ever fifty in the fourth innings of a Test. But he knows the job is not done yet, Australia need him to stay till the end.
Australia 151 for 5, need 172 to win
4. Massive blow for Aussies, Marsh out!
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OUT! Bumrah to Shaun Marsh, a shorter ball with an inward angle that tempts Marsh to play it. Instead, he gets the faintest of edges that goes straight into the gloves of Rishabh Pant. Pant and other Indian players know they have trapped the big fish as they break into a massive celebration. A big blow for the Aussies in their chase as their set batsman as to depart for a gritty knock of 60 off 166 balls. He was looking dangerous and Bumrah does the job for India just when it is needed. PC: AFP
Australia 157 for 6, need 166 runs to win
Pat Cummins is the new man in
5. DRS Review: India 0 - Australia 1
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Ashwin bowls the 74th over that turns out to be eventful in regards with the DRS review. On the second delivery, Ashwin and India appeal for a bat-pad appeal for new batsman Pat Cummins. However, Ashwin did not look very keen, the others were and so Kohli asks for a review. The replays show a clear inside edge and India have a wasted review here. Three balls later, Llong gives Cummins out for getting caught close in and he immediately reviews. There was nothing on the HotSpot and Snicko and a new life for Cummins here.
Australia 171 for 6, need 152 to win
6. Lunch taken in Adelaide
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Australian captain Tim Paine and Pat Cummins survive three overs of the second new ball as the hosts take lunch at 186 for 6, still, 137 runs away from the win. Pane, especially who is suffering from a finger issue, has been very positive in attack and defence and is set towards a captain's knock on a pitch that fairly looks to be favourable for batsmen. India will be desperate to remove the Aussie skipper in order to sit back in the driver's seat again in this match.
Australia 186 for 6, need 137 runs more to win
7. Oh dear, Aussies! Paine goes for 41
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Jasprit Bumrah makes a crucial breakthrough soon after the play resumes post lunch and he bags the big fish - the Aussie skipper Tim Paine, who looked absoultely comfortable throughout the time he batted in the first session. Bumrah bowls a short one, Paine goes back to smash a pull but the pace beats him and Pant gets an easy catch as he runs to his left.
It is Pant's 10th catch of this Test and he equals Wriddhiman Saha for most dismissals in a Test for an Indian wicketkeeper - 10
Here is the overall list: Most dismissals by WK in a Test:
11 J Russell v SA, Joburg, 1995
11 AB de Villiers v Pak, Joburg, 2013
10 Bob Taylor v Mumbai WS, 1980
10 A Gilchrist v NZ, Hamilton, 2000
10 W Saha v SA, Cape Town, 2018
10 R PANT v Aus, Adelaide, 2018 *
Australia are 188 for 7, need 135 more, while Indians are three wickets away from a sweet victory here in Adelaide!
8. Australia need less than 100 now!
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14 overs now since Australia lost their last wicket. They now need 95 runs to win this nail-biting contest, thanks to this stubborn and spectacular partnership between Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc that is clearly getting on the nerves of the Indian captain. He is clueless right now. The bouncers are being ducked to, short balls are being played carefully and Ashwin is almost negligible right now.
During India's victory at Perth in 2008, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clarke had given the visitors a scare with a 9th wicket stand of 73 runs. India eventually went on to win the match by 72 runs. But things are getting equally close here. Cummins and Starc have together played 95 balls in this stand and put up 41 runs together.
India are in desperate need of a breakthrough here.
Australia 228 for 7, need 95 to win.
