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  4. India vs Australia highlights second Test day 4, Bengaluru : Ashwin stars as hosts square series

India vs Australia highlights second Test day 4, Bengaluru : Ashwin stars as hosts square series

India win a low-scoring nail biter by 75 runs. Ashwin picks 6 . One has to say with their back stuck against the walls they came out like real champions.

KL Rahul bagged the Man of the Match though there were other likely candidates in the fray. Things are well poised looking ahead at the series.

India win a low-scoring nail biter by 75 runs. Ashwin picks 6 .

Ashwin says the ball was not cocking out of the hand properly.

3:02: Ashwin gets another one. He has picked up five today. OUT Again there is a wicket. India square series.

Victory is now a reality for India. Two wickets to go.

2:57: Spin from both ends, Handscomb is BOWLED, OUT!!

2:54: Ashwin is making the ball talk now. Handscomb is finding it difficult to face upto Ashwin. Bat pad has been moved towards leg slip. A probing over again by Ashwin.

Ashwin will now look to get a five wicket haul.

2:51: Umesh Yadav still has it in him to bowl bouncers. That troubled Handscomb. Umesh is straying too much on the leg stump one feels.

2:50: Ashwin is giving us moments to believe why he is the best. What a probing over.

Ashwin now has 200 wickets in India.

82 with 3 wickets in hand against Indian spinners, looks very, very tough!

2:46: Keefe is off-the mark. India cannot become casual about things, allowing the game to drift. They have been guilty of that in the past. Could have been curtains for Handscomb had Umesh hit. Ashwin is looking to take a wicket of each ball.

2:41: Keefe has come into the middle. Handscomb looks settled and is playing Umesh well. Smith is tensed in the dressing room. From here it seems the Indian spinners are well equipped to take three scalps.

2:37: Ashwin has to get Starc soon or else he can be lethal. There is a leg slip now. Ashwin gets Starc, OUT. Ashwin picks four. Starc leaves a straighter one only to see his timber disturbed. Ashwin gives Starc a send off like he was given. Tit-for-tat!

85 more to win with 4 wickets in hand.

2:33: Umesh Yadav will bowl from the other end to Starc. Starc has been in good form with the bat. Australian dressing room is tensed. Starc gets off the mark with a single. Handscomb holds the key now, he is the only proper batsman batting. The crowd is getting behind Umesh. The fast bowler is really bowling fast.

2:30: Starc is the new batsman, Ashwin has the ball. Virat is egging the crowd on. Ashwin completes the uncompleted over.

Australia need 87 more.

It has to be said this has been a fascinating series so far, though India is reeling 1-0.

Aakash (InUth): The buttery hands are trying hard to turn the scenario into a cakewalk.

Karan (InUth): The next 20 overs will be crucial and will decide the fate of the match.

We are all set for a scintillating last session which will certainly have a winner, India with the wicket of Wade will feel a wee-bit comfortable. Australia will not have a good tea break.

2:12: Ashwin, this certainly has to be the last over. Matthew Wade is OUT Ashwin is on fire.

2:10: Jadeja zips through the last over.

This could be the last over before tea.

2:02: Ashwin is back, but is it too late. One before tea, and the last session will be a fascinating battle. 100 up. Ashwin strikes at the stroke of tea, giving India a ray of hope for the last session. OUT

Australia need 87 more to win with 5 wickets in hand.

Ashwin picks up a wicket, we are sure he will now bounce off this confidence. Another one round the corner.

1:57: Marsh gets a FOUR, he caressed Ishant’s over pitched ball through covers. This time Marsh straight drives to get another FOUR. He is playing a little gem. FOUR more, the last one was streaky, through the cordon. Time to look beyond Ishant.

Meet the Marsh brothers!

Target is now less than 100.

1:53: Jadeja will desperately look for another break through before tea. 20 minutes to go!

103 more to get with 6 wickets in hand.

1:49: To avoid the leg before, Handscomb is standing way outside the crease. And also looking to walk into Umesh to nullify the in-dippers. As we speak, Handscomb gets a handy FOUR! Handscomb has changed gears all of a sudden, another FOUR, creamed through covers.

The climax is poised to be a mouthwatering affair!

1:43: Jadeja has the ball, Kohli egging on the crowd, he can sniff a miracle. The ball has suddenly started turning. Jadeja looks a different bowler. He is looking to take a wicket each ball. This looks close, Marsh trapped in front, Kohli dilly dallies before going for the review. This looks out. So close, yet so far. This is where DRS gets tricky!

Jadeja has 5 overs 2 runs, no wicket!

Is India looking to create an epic?

Smith and Kohli have a heated discussion, the umpire is forced to intervene.

1:38: Smith OUT! He was plumb in front. He did not even go for the review.

Australia in the meanwhile are closing in on victory.

1:35: Jadeja, mean as a miser is bowling stump to stump. Smith is unflustered as ever. It takes two balls to get two wickets, but who will it be to bowl it. Smith looking for a quick single only to decide against it.

1:30: India surely need a couple more before 100 to keep the fight alive. Whatever be the result, it has been a tribute to good old Test cricket. Yadav is truggling with consistency in this over, he is not on the target. Virat is now having a 7-2 off side field. This is quick thinking by Kohli, not allowing the game to drift. He has now taken the on side out of the equation and has asked Umesh to bowl off stump.

1:26: Jadeja continues, Handcomb is focused, defends it well. Jadeja is bowling a consistent wicket to wicket line. Finally there is some sharp turn for Jadeja, he is now creating questions in the batsman’s minds.

1:22: Umesh just like he did on day 2, he is bowling consistently around the 145 kmph mark. Handscomb is the new batsman. He gets off-the mark straightaway. Smith is looking settled and comfortable after his early stutters. The ball is keeping viciously low.

Aakash (Inhouse): It is not out of reach. India can win.

Is there an epic on the cards?

India is now sniffing a comeback.

1:14: Umesh Yadav has the ball. Umesh is darting the ball back in to the left handed Marsh, looking for that one which holds its line. He nearly does what he wanted. He is out, OUT. Marsh leaves one and the umpire believes it is crashing into the stumps.

A bowler from India has to have a dream day for India to pose a challenge.

Lets have a DRINK!

1:10: Jadeja is breezing past his overs.

India need a couple of breakthroughs before they reach 80-100, to lurk the idea of a win.

1:06: As expected Jadeja is given the ball. He starts of as economical as ever. He also troubled Marsh on a couple of occasions. Smith shows class, rocks back, uses the depth of the crease and cuts it for a FOUR. Smith tucks it to the leg side and picks up a single.

1:00: Ashwin continues with a leg slip in place. That does not stop him from sweeping the ball. He gets a single. Marsh carves one past covers and point to pick up a boundary. FOUR

12:57: Umesh Yadav is in the attack. Will he get some reverse. Runs required is slimming down. Couple more required quick. A streaky boundary for Smith passed slip and keeper. FOUR He picks up a single straight after that.

12:49: Again Ashwin gets his bunny, Warner. OUT! They have taken the review, widely so, it seems woefully close. No bat involved. Shaun Marsh comes in.

Ashwin giving India a ray of hope.

12:46: Smith is showing all world batsmen how to counter Indian conditions and then succeed. Smith is not bothered at all as to how the pitch is playing. He is playing the ball according to its merit. Ishant and Umesh have to be the two positives from this Test. The last ball of the over squares up Smith, the captain is clueless.

India have to do something quickly before they slip into quicksand.

Australia need 148 to win.

12:41: Ashwin continues, Smith firm in defense. Smith is defending the ball from close to his body. Smith knocks it to the leg side and picks a single. Another extra it is a repeat of the earlier boundary. Warner gets a single. Smith and Warner seem to be carrying the march forward in style. Warner comes down the track and smashes it for a SIX.

Time to get Jadeja in the attack. Lets see who gets the ball.

Virat & Co. should take batting lessons from Smith after the tour.

12:37: Not a lot of runs to play with and the best batsmen of the visiting team are batting. Ishant, like yesterday is bowling his heart out. No questions on commitment. Smith is the only batsman who has looked in no problem whatsoever in the series.


High time to get Jadeja from Ashwin’s end.

12:31: Warner tries the reverse and misses. Warner now starts padding upto Ashwin. Ashwin has got the better of Warner on 8 occasions. Ashwin is asking questions to Warner. Smith does not allow the ball to spin, picks it from outside the off stump, sweeps and gets a boundary. FOUR Smith is in a hurry and is looking edgy.

Will this give Ashwin confidence from the other end?

12:25: Australia are breezing along. Ishant has the ball. A man comes into the gully region. India does not want to give away easy runs. Renshaw now looks to be settling down slowly but surely. India get a wicket. OUT! Ishant draws first blood. It was a snorter! Ishant goes past Smith’s outside edge. Successful over.

World No.1 batsman and the visiting captain Steve Smith walks out.

Australia need 166 more to take an unassailable lead in the series. One feels had Kohli gone for a review against Renshaw, may be he would have emerged trumps.

12:21: Ashwin continues over the wicket. Warner is looking to get these runs in this session itself. He gets one to spin across the face of Warner’s bat. Ashwin is coming close but Warner is playing with soft hands. FOUR The ball hits nothing it is extras. Indians are leaking extras. A bat pad is required.

12:18: Ishant looking to cramp Warner up from round the wicket. But Warner is equal to the task he clips it to the leg side to pick up a couple. The runs required is getting smaller. The balls are keeping low but they are not directed at the stumps to worry the visitors. Warner punches one straight past the bowler, it is chased down by Ashwin, the pick up three runs. Hige appeal by Ishant for a leg before turned down by the umpire. Kohli consults and decides against taking the review.

Jadeja needs to get the ball early.

The going seems easy for Australia.

12:12: Ashwin balls down leg, the ball pitches and goes straight on missing everything for a boundary. these sre costly runs and Australia will take them however it comes. Warner dances down the tracks picks a single, he seems to be in a hurry. Renshaw plays it on the off side picks up a single.

Ashwin or Umesh?

Australia need 182 with 10 wickets in hand.

12:05: Warner is off the mark straight away. Ishant has the new ball. Every run from here will be massive for the equation. Ishant is spraying the ball around. An extra given. 186 needed. Renshaw edges gets a streaky boundary. Rebshaw steady in defense.

Steve Waugh says while day two flashpoint was great viewing, it’s had a negative effect on Steve Smith.

India have a mountain to climb. Out come the Aussies.

11:50: Ashwin and Jadeja may have had an early lunch and are rolling their arms over to wreck havoc from ball one. You can make your predictions here, just to see you are good enough to donn the predictor’s hat or not.

It is lunch, play will resume at 12:10. Enjoy you LUNCH!

India bowled out for 274 in the second innings setting Australia an in-between target of 188. It will not be a walk in the park for the visitors but now they have a clear chance of taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 4-match Test series. India still have a slim hope. Ashwin and Jadeja have to wreck havoc. In-out field right from the start.

11:26: Keefe gets Ishant. OUT!

11:21: Hazlewood is desperate to get his seventh. Lead is 187. Saha nearly pops one onto his stumps. Saha plays a wild pull, the ball goes in the air but a catch is dropped at long off. It was a tough catch, on the other end there is a runout chance but they make it on time.

11:18: O’Keefe is back to wrap up things. A well spread out field for Saha. He picks a single of the first ball. It seems he is trusting Ishant to play Keefe. Ishant is showing application. Two more to go.

Indians are crawling to 200. They will take it however they come.

11:13: Saha is showing a lot of character. India lead by 185. He is farming most of the strike which is wise and understandable. Saha finally picks a single of the fourth ball. Ishant will have to see off two balls. Josh launches a short pitched ball, Ishant ducks, one more to go. There is an appeal, umpire says no. Australia will review it, but seems it will slide down leg side.

11:09: Saha picks up a valuable single, but exposes Ishant to face five balls of Lyon. India lead by 184. The strike is being rotated but it just takes one ball. India are 15 short of setting the visitors a target of 200.

11:07: Ishant has to see off Hazlewood. He sees off the first ball.

11:05: Great piece of fielding at third man saves a boundary. Saha needs support, will Ishant show grit and valour? Saha denies another single.

If India bowl before lunch, how many wickets will they get?

11:00: Ishant shows guts takes on Lyon gets a FOUR. Lead is 180. Saha sweeps to pick up a single. The drifter beats Ishant all ends up but he survives. Lyin appeals, Ishant not out.

10:58: Saha denies a single to Ishant. Is it the right thing to do? Debatable. The double bounce in the wicket still exists. He again denies a single on offer. Starc is looking for his third wicket and the ball is keeping. Saha goes arial, gets a boundary. FOUR

Will 171 or 180 be competitive?

Saha will take strike next over. It seems the Test may get over today itself.

10:52: Ishant is facing up to Hazlewood who would look for his seventh. India lead by 171 runs.  Hazlewood is trying to bounce out Ishant. Come on you cannot, he is too tall, mate!

10: 45: Starc is bowling like a real superstar.

Big day for Ashwin to prove his worth.

10:35: Umesh Yadav takes a wild swing only to get caught at short long off. OUT! Look at David Warner.

10:33: Saha has a chalked out plan, FOUR! Saha has to get India to 200.

Can Umesh Yadav do a Umesh Yadav?

10:29: Time to get back to the grind again. Ashwin is expected to bring some sanctity. Ashwin whacks one for FOUR. It seems he has come out with a clear plan. As we speak, Ashwin is bowled. OUT! Hazlewood gets his reward. Umesh Yadav walks in.

This is what happens when you count the chickens before they are born.

10:24: Finally a boundary in between all the hullaballoo. Pujara gets to his 90’s. Pujara is OUT!

It seems live bloggers curse has struck Team India.

10:15: Starc is ready! Full toss to Rahane who slices it to third man. Australia are also becoming defensive now, looking at the scoreboard. Pujara keeps out a screaming yorker from Starc. Starc spays one wide, the umpire calls it a wide. They scamper through for a single. There is an leg before appeal, umpire says no, Smith is contemplating a review. That looks out. Rahane is OUT! Two in two for Starc, OUT!

India now lead by 148 runs. They need 250 at least. With Steven Smith in such good form, pitch becomes inconsequential.

10:10: Pujara has a loss of concentration, fetches for one only to miss it.  Thank god! It is good to see Pujara present the full face of the bat, forcing Josh to bowl more towards the stumps. Josh digs one short, but again that tennis-ball bounce.

10:04: Starc steams in. Rahane has not been over cautious, he has played the ball according to its merit. That slipped out of Starc’s hand, they run a single as well. All these runs are handy. Starc is looking aggressive as ever. He has bowled well in this innings, looking to get the ball across the right hander. Starc bowls the sucker delivery, Pujara up to the mark. A single of the last ball.

India is slowly but surely acquiring a healthy lead. Every run here would give Kohli more breathing space.

10:00: Hazlewood will share the new ball. He is looking to bowl outside the off stump, drag the batsman into a false shot. Pujara is happy to defend. Pujara offers no shot, there is a huge appeal, the unpire says no. The ball struck him outside the line and was not hitting the stumps. Pujara’s patience is on display here, Josh will continue holding that nagging line.

Now, it is Pujara’s turn to reach a milestone. India have seen of the first half an hour beautifully. Every run is worth gold.

9:53: We are expecting a few easy runs with the new ball. Starc has the brand new cherry. Rahane cover drives it beautifully for FOUR. Rahane gets to fifty. Starc drifts to Rahane’s legs, clips it for a couple. All these runs are important.

Australia takes the second new ball.

The first hour is very important.

9:50: Pujara and Rahane are both looking positive. That augurs well for team India. Lyon is now settling in to a good rhythm. Lyon is trying to get the bat pad into play.

9:48: Pujara does just that picks up a single. An expansive drive by Rahane to pick up a single and end the over.

Boundaries are going to be hard to come by, singles should be the order of the day.

9:45: Smith has a leg slip in place. Rahane advances down the track and misses the line. He cannot be playing rash shots. Rahane has to be selective about things.

Both the batters are approaching milestones. Nervousness is expected.

9:42:  Rahane too has to dig deep and play according to the merit of the ball. O’ Keefe is hitting the right lengths. Rahane picks a single, they are not allowing the bowlers to settle.

Seems like the wheels of history is changing and in India’s favour.

9:38: Pujara should get these nerves out of the system. He is staying classically low when in defense.  He is forcing Lyon to drop it short. That is given out. Pujara asks for the review. The umpire says it is out, the ball turned a mile. Is it missing leg? Finally a successful review. 

9:36: A silken drive through the off side will give Rahane a single. All these runs are very crucial. Every run is worth gold. There is an appeal against Pujara the umpire has gone upstairs. They are checking if the ball dropped before the catch was taken. It is not out. Pujara is looking cautious.

9:33: Lyon is pitching it wide outside the off stump. Pujara drops it in front of cover gets a single. They have to keep rotating the strike as well. Rahane picks a single now. Lyon is going to be lethal today. There you go, Lyon finds spin. Pujara picks up 2.

Spin from both ends for Australia, Lyon is here.

9:29: Stephen O’ Keefe will start proceedings, he bowls to Pujara, a single taken on the leg side. Pujara is on 80, nervous times. Keefe is bowling consistently in that area that got Rahul. He is hoping for the same with Rahane. Rahane has a big role today. He has to wait and be patient to see off the first hour. Cautious in defense is Rahane.

Pujara too has a century in his sights.

9:26: The umpires have come on the field. It will be a tough day for the umpires as wait, spare a thought.

Meanwhile, joining the Healy bandwagon in a way Steve Waugh has said  Virat Kohli is “out of sorts” but expects him to fire later in the series.

Either Saha or Karun can be asked to launch a counter attack, as that seems to be the best chance of survival.

9:18: Rahane and Pujara have to restart from scratch and that is tough, Virat Kohli is talking to Ashwin, probably about his role with the bat.

9:03: Wade was seen sharpening his keeping skills before the start of day 4.

8:30: Peter Handscomb was seen having a hit not in the nets but off it. Team Australia know they have to bat deep and grind it out come the fourth innings.

Hello and welcome to the live blog of the ongoing India v Australia second Test, Bengaluru. I am Ankit Banerjee and I would take you through the whole days proceeding. InUth sports also promises you fastest digital updates along with analysis.

This has been one of the most fascinating Test matches in recent times. There was a fair contest between the bat and the ball. Finally, India with some logical cricket shown yesterday have finally got their noses in front in this Test match. Virat Kohli would be hoping his soldiers in the middle, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara would carry the battle on and set a challenging target for the visitors.

India would also be wary of the spin duo that the visitors posses. They both have stamped their authority in this series. The visitors will fight for every inch in this Test. Apart from the two Indian batsman in the middle, Karun, Saha, Ashwin who are slated to come in next will have to bat out of their skins if India intend to put pressure on the visitors in the last innings.

Some cracks seems to have appeared on the pitch. This will assist the spinners. Ashwin, Jadeja must be licking their fingers.

Virat Kohli could also give the license to either Karun or Saha to attack, considering not much will happen if they try to block out things. Day 4 in Bengaluru is poised for another epic, mouthwatering contest between the bat and the ball.

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