Australia on top despite India's fightback

Lyon claims 8/64 as visitors need 76 runs for their first win of the tour

On the eve of the third Test here, Rohit Sharma was asked how much confidence would India draw from dismissing Australia in one session in the second Test in Delhi?

"What has happened to them can happen to us," the Indian skipper had answered. How prophetic!

The hosts were bowled out in just over a session on Wednesday's opening day and lasted a little longer on the second day in their second innings before folding up for 163 in 60.3 overs.

If left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann demolished India in the first innings, it was the veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon who bamboozled the home batters with his second-best Test figures (8/64) in an innings. His best figures (8/50) had also come against India.

Though India put up a much-improved show in the second innings, it was too little to off-set the damage they had inflicted on themselves on the opening day when they managed a meagre 109.

Indian bowlers, more particularly Umesh Yadav (3/11) and R Ashwin (3/44), did exceedingly well in the second half of the morning session to restrict Australia, overnight 156/4, to 197 all out in 76.3 overs here at the Holkar Cricket Stadium on Thursday. But conceding an 88-run lead on this surface was always going to hurt them. As a result, Australia are now left with a target of 76 to pull one back in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Even as the Indian wickets fell after short partnerships at one end, Cheteshwar Pujara (59, 142b, 5x4, 1x6) stood like a rock between Australia and their potential first win on the tour. He seemed to have no issues with sharp turn or low bounce that others found difficult to negotiate. There was no hesitation when he stepped out and was confident when he defended in the crease. He even danced down the track to deposit the ball in long-on stands, only his 16th six in 101 Tests.

Australia needed his wicket to enhance their winning chances and India required him to be in the middle to pull themselves out of the woods. After an attritional yet compelling battle between Lyon's guile and Pujara's skill, it was the Aussie who had the last laugh.

So assured Pujara looked at the crease that it demanded a moment of brilliance on the field to see his back. Flick had been one of the more productive strokes for Pujara on the day but it also ended his stay when he worked Lyon to leg-slip where Steve Smith took a blinder diving to his right despite being blinded by the wicketkeeper's leg. The celebration by Aussies showed how much Pujara's wicket meant to them.

Before Australia took a firm step towards a potential victory, it was critical for India to dismiss Smith's men before they could bat the hosts out of the game. India's hopes, however, appeared to be withering away in the searing heat.

As it often happens in Indian conditions, there was a dramatic turn of events soon after the resumption. Ashwin set the ball rolling by dismissing Handscomb in the first over after the break.

Umesh left a big imprint of himself on a match dominated by spinners, and Green was the first of his three victims. The right-arm quick worked up good pace and got the ball to move off the pitch - one of which sent Mitchell Starc's off-stump cartwheeling for his 100th Test wicket in India.

The procession continued as Ashwin trapped Alex Carey in front and Umesh crashed through Todd Murphy's defences. Ashwin ended the innings in style by castling Lyon with a loopy off-spinner. In the space of 29 minutes and 11 runs, Australia lost all their six wickets with Ashwin and Umesh sharing them equally.

Australia may have missed a chance to shut India completely out of the match then but they fought back through Lyon to set themselves up for a morale-boosting win.