The hosts Australia is now eyeing to level the four-match Test series against India after the end of day four of the second Test of the series at the new Perth Stadium (Optus Stadium). Chasing down a very challenging target of 287 runs, India is struggling on 112/5 at the stumps on day four.
Staring the day on their overnight score of 132/4, the hosts Australia got a perfect start. The unbeaten overnight batsmen Usman Khawaja and the skipper Tim Paine added 60 more runs for that fifth wicket partnership. In fact, the hosts didn’t lose any wicket in the first session of the day where they scored 58/0 and their total was 190/4. At that period, Khawaja completed his half-century in 177 balls.
From the beginning of the second session of the day, the condition changed rapidly as Australia was bowled out for 243 runs. Indian pacer Mohammed Shami (6/56) bagged six wickets and another pacer Jasprit Bumrah (3/39) picked up three wickets to lead the visitors for Australian late batting collapse in the second innings.
Paine was dismissed on 37 runs while Khawaja scored 72 runs off 213 balls before losing his wicket. Aaron Finch (25 runs), the Aussie opener who was retired-hurt on the day three after he was struck on his finger, was caught behind on the very first ball he faced after returning to the crease. From 192/4, suddenly Australia was struggling on 207/9.
After that, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood provided a crucial 36-run partnership for the last wicket. Bumrah broke that partnership in the end by dismissing Starc on 14 runs while Hazlewood was not out on 17 runs. While Australia was all-out on 243 runs in their second innings, India got a challenging 287-run target for their fourth innings.
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In reply, India lost their opener KL Rahul (0) and the no.3 batsman Cheteshwar Pujara (4) at the very early stage as they were 15/2 at the tea break.
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After the 35-run partnership for the third wicket between another opener Murali Vijay and the skipper Virat Kohli, Kohli (17 runs) lost his wicket to the Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon. In his next over, Lyon bowled Vijay (20 runs) and the visitors have gone under pressure.
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After a 43-run partnership for the fifth wicket, Ajinkya Rahane (30 runs) was dismissed at the end moment of the day. Hanuma Vihari remained unbeaten on 24 runs while the wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was not out on 9 runs and India finished the day on 112/5. India needs to score more 175 runs to take the 2-0 lead of the series while the hosts Australia needs to take five more wickets to level the series 1-1.
Among the Aussie bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon have picked up two wickets each while Mitchell Starc has picked up one wicket.
