Jadeja removed Warner and Lyon prior to the end of the fourth day

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

After Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha fashioned a crucial lead for India with knocks of 202 and 117 respectively, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja removed Australia opener David Warner and nightwatchman Nathan Lyon in quick succession on the fourth day in Ranchi.

Starting off the day on 360/6, Pujara and Saha continued to frustrate the Australians as they converted their 32-run partnership into a 199-run stand, during which Pujara brought up his double century and Saha his hundred.

With their brilliant partnership, Pujara and Saha shattered the record for the highest seventh-wicket stand in a Test match against Australia. The previous best was 132 between Hemu Adhikari and Vijay Hazare in January 1948.

With nothing going Australia’s way, they could only watch on as Pujara and Saha kept the scoreboard ticking and built a decent lead for India.

Ultimately, it was Lyon who provided the breakthrough Australia desperately needed as he removed Pujara for 202 off 525 balls, which included 21 boundaries.

Pujara is thrilled upon scoring his third double century

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pujara broke the record for the most balls faced by an Indian batsman in a Test innings, surpassing the 495 deliveries Rahul Dravid faced against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in April 2004.

Saha fell shorty after for a career-best 117 off 233 deliveries, which included eight boundaries and a six.

Saha celebrates after bringing up his third century

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav stabilised the innings with a 54-run partnership before Yadav was sent packing by Steve O’Keefe for 16.

Not long after, Jadeja brought up his fifty, which prompted India captain Virat Kohli to declare with his side on 603/9, which gave them a 152-run lead.

Jadeja ended up finishing on 54 off 55 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes.

Pat Cummins was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while O’Keefe snapped up three and Lyon and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Trailing by 152 runs, Jadeja dealt Australia a major blow in the sixth over as he clean bowled Warner for 14.

In his very next over, Jadeja and his team-mates were celebrating again after he flattened Lyon’s off-stump.

As soon as Lyon was out for two runs, stumps was called, which left Matt Renshaw undefeated on seven off 21 balls, which included one boundary.

Jadeja was the only bowler to take any wickets.

Australia ended day four on 23/2 and will continue batting on Monday at 09:30 local time or 04:00 GMT.