Australia vs India 1st Test Day 4: Ashwin, Shami leave Australia facing uphill battle on final day

Posted on by
Ravichandran Ashwin two wickets Australia India 1st Test Day 4 Adelaide cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin ended the day with figures of 2-44 off 19 overs

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami took two wickets apiece to leave Australia four down and requiring 219 more runs for victory going into the final day in Adelaide.

Starting off the day on 151/3, India batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane converted their four-run partnership into an 87-run partnership, during which Pujara surpassed his fifty, before he was caught by Aaron Finch at short leg off the bowling of Nathan Lyon for 71, which came off 204 balls and included nine boundaries.

Rohit Sharma fell shortly after, while Rishabh Pant made a quickfire 28 before he was caught by Finch at deep cover point off the bowling of Lyon.

Ashwin was the next to go, while Rahane went on to score a 147-ball 70, which included seven boundaries, before he was caught by Mitchell Starc at backward point off the bowling of Lyon.

Lyon struck again the very next ball as he dismissed Shami for a golden duck.

India ended up being bowled out for 307, which set Australia 323 to win, when Ishant Sharma was caught by Finch at short leg off the bowling of Starc for a duck.

Lyon was the pick of the bowlers with six wickets, while Starc snapped up three and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with one.

Chasing 323 to win, Australia lost Finch early on as he was caught behind off the bowling of Ashwin for 11.

Debutant Marcus Harris, who opened the batting with Finch, managed to make 26 before he was caught behind off the bowling of Shami.

Ashwin then took out Usman Khawaja for eight runs, while Peter Handscomb became Shami’s second victim after scoring 14.

Shaun Marsh and Travis Head ensured Australia didn’t lose anymore wickets prior to stumps as they forged an unbeaten 20-run stand.

Ashwin and Shami claimed two wickets each.

Australia ended day four on 104/4 and will continue batting on Monday at 10:30 local time or 00:00 GMT.

Leave a Reply