Border-Gavaskar Trophy | India collapses to 164/5 on Day 2 of 4th Test after Jaiswal's terrible run-out

Melbourne: A needless run-out in the extended final session marred India’s spirited resistance with the bat, allowing Australia to wrest control on the second day of the Boxing Day Test.

Australians' newest No. 1 target, Virat Kohli (35, 86b, 4x4) and an under-fire Yashasvi Jaiswal (82, 118b, 12x4, 1x6) managed to silence the home crowd after India's reply to Australia's first innings total of 474 -- thanks to Steve Smith's masterly 140 (197b, 13x4, 3x6) all out -- began on a shaky note. Skipper Rohit Sharma's punt to open in place of K L Rahul, who has been their most consistent performer with the bat, backfired.

He managed a 5-ball 3 runs before a feeble pull off his rival number Pat Cummins resulted in the simplest of catches.

Rahul, relegated to No. 3, looked in sublime touch during his fluent 24 but was undone by a peach from Cummins -- an off-stump rattler with a wobbled seam just before tea.

At 51/2, the prospect of an Indian collapse loomed. However, Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal steadied the innings with contrasting approaches. Jaiswal dazzled with an array of strokes, while Kohli showcased his trademark grit, silencing the vocal home crowd with his defiance. Amid loud boos from home supporters, the ageing warrior summoned the feisty fighter in him --- the one that thrived in extreme adversity. His off-side play, in particular, was a hallmark of patience, featuring just three scoring shots in that region off his first 60 deliveries.

The duo added 102 crucial runs, raising hopes of an Indian recovery, before disaster struck. Jaiswal, attempting a risky single, triggered a catastrophic mix-up, leaving both batters stranded at the same end. Jaiswal was run out. Though Kohli was ball-watching, it was too tight a call to make. The incident, however, appeared to have disturbed Kohli, who fell soon after chasing a wide delivery to hand Alex Carey an easy catch.

From 153/2, India crumbled to 164/5 as nightwatchman Akash Deep also departed cheaply. At stumps, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja were keeping vigil, but India trailed by a daunting 310 runs, needing a monumental effort to claw back into the contest.

Earlier, India faced a tough day on the field as their hopes of early breakthroughs were dashed by a resolute seventh-wicket partnership between Smith (140, 197b, 13x4, 3x6) and Pat Cummins (49, 63b, 7x4).

Though the second new ball was just six-over's old and conditions were overcast, Smith and Cummins faced few probing questions from the Indian quicks, including Jasprit Bumrah. The pair added 112 runs for the seventh wicket, frustrating Indian pacers on a pitch that appeared conducive to batting.

While Smith and Cummins caused a major damage, India's struggle to end the last-wicket stand between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland best reflected their plight on the day. While the duo added just 19 runs between them, the passage of play was a source of both amusement and frustration as successful Indian appeals were overturned upon review during this phase, with Boland surviving on both occasions. Ultimately, it took India’s trump card to dismiss Lyon lbw, albeit after some anxious moments, as Lyon’s review upheld the on-field umpire’s call.

Steve Smith, in sublime form, notched his 34th Test century -- his 11th against India, the most by any batter against them. Rohit Sharma deployed every possible strategy to disrupt the Smith-Cummins partnership, but nothing proved effective. The short-ball ploy, rarely favoured by Indian bowlers, also backfired. Instead of unsettling the Australian batters, it allowed them to score freely, with Smith and Cummins dispatching hook shots with ease. Mohammed Siraj, in particular, struggled with his accuracy, occasionally bouncing deliveries well beyond the reach of the wicketkeeper.

Rohit's persistence with Siraj, who bowled 23 wicketless overs and conceded 122 runs at 5.30 runs an over, was at once bizarre and inexplicable. Washington Sundar, who was accommodated at the expense of Shubman Gill, was the most economical of Indian bowlers with 10 or more overs and could have been utilised more even if to just bottle up one end.

On another well-attended day -- over 85,000 spectators -- Australia began the day from a position of strength and ended the day on an even better note.

Score Board

Australia (I Innings; O/n: 311/6):

Konstas lbw Jadeja 60

(65b, 6x4, 2x6)

Khawaja c Rahul b Bumrah 57

(121b, 7x4)

Labuschagne c Kohli b Washington 72

(145b, 7x4)

Smith b Akash 140

(197b, 13x4, 3x6)

Head b Bumrah 0

(7b)

Marsh c Pant b Bumrah 4

(13b, 1x4)

Carey c Pant b Akash 31

(41b, 1x6)

Cummins c Nitish b Jadeja 49

(63b, 7x4)

Starc b Jadeja 15

(36b, 1x6)

Lyon lbw Bumrah 13

(18b, 1x4)

Boland (not out) 6

(36b)

Extras (LB-11, NB-6, W-10) 27

Total (all out, 122.4 overs) 474

Fall of wickets: 1-89 (Konstas), 2-154 (Khawaja), 3-237 (Labuschagne), 4-240 (Head), 5-245 (Marsh), 6-299 (Carey), 7-411 (Cummins), 8-455 (Starc), 9-455 (Smith).

Bowling: Bumrah 28.4-9-99-4 (nb-3), Siraj 23-3-122-0, Akash 26-8-94-2, Jadeja 24-4-78-3, Nitish 7-0-21-0, Washington 15-2-49-1 (nb-1).

India (I Innings):

Jaiswal (run out) 82

(118b, 11x4, 1x6)

Rohit c Boland b Cummins 3

(5b)

Rahul b Cummins 24

(42b, 3x4)

Kohli c Carey b Boland 36

(86b, 4x4)

Akash c Lyon b Boland 0

(13b)

Pant (batting) 6

(7b)

Jadeja (batting) 4

(7b, 1x4)

Extras (LB-2, NB-2, W-5) 9

Total (for 5 wkts, 46 overs) 164

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Rohit), 2-51 (Rahul), 3-153 (Jaiswal), 4-154 (Kohli), 5-159 (Akash).

Bowling: Starc 13-0-48-0 (nb-1), Cummins 13-2-57-2 (w-5), Boland 12-4-24-2, Lyon 5-1-18-0, Marsh 3-0-15-0.