If day one belonged to the Indian bowlers – in particular to the debutant Kuldeep yadav, day two action was stolen by Nathan Lyon, who also picked four Indian wickets as the final Test match at Dharamshala is interestingly poised.
With fifty two runs behind and four wickets in hand, India have to bat well tomorrow morning, though the hosts getting a good lead seems not quite possible at the moment. Full marks to the Australian bowlers today the way they have restricted the Indian batsmen, not giving any extra liberty to score runs at liberty.
Hazalewood got the first breaktrough, getting rid off Murali Vijay with a beauty. Murali was forced to play on the front foot and got a nick to be comfortably taken by Wade behind the stumps. Then KL Rahul and Pujara steadied the innings with a fine partnership, taking the score safely to lunch without any further loss. But Rahul who was looking so good for a big score, got tempted by Cummings bouncer and got a leading edge to be caught by Warner at covers. It was his fifth fifty of the series.
Like Kuldeep ran through the Australian middle order yesterday, it was Lyon today, who got all the next four wickets India lost. He removed, Pujara, Rahane, Nair and Ashwin as Indian ran in to trouble from a comfortable position. That is of course the beauty of Test cricket, which changes in just some seconds.
Saha and Jadeja should bat carefully tomorrow and if they are going to be involved in a big partnership India still can hope for a good lead. But morning dew helps the bowlers at Dharmshala and Hazelwood and Cummings can be dangerous in the first half hour.
Mahavaadi Sudeer– DD Commentator
