Three late wickets have given Australia the ascendancy at stumps on day two of the Boxing Day contest after Steve Smith notched his 34th Test century at the MCG on Friday morning.
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A catastrophic mix-up between superstar Virat Kohli, who became public enemy No. 1 overnight following his shoulder barge on Australian debutant Sam Konstas, and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal proved a turning point in the match, ruining India’s promising start with the bat.
The tourists are 5-164 at stumps, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (6*) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (4*) unbeaten overnight, still trailing Australia by 310 runs.
Kohli and Jaiswal, India’s elder statesman and young prodigy, combined for a century partnership to put the visitors in control before disaster struck late in the evening session. Having fended towards mid-off, Jaiswal sprinted through for a quick single, only for Kohli to remain unmoved at the non-striker end, guilty of ball-watching. With both batters stranded at one end, captain Pat Cummins and wicketkeeper Alex Carey combined to send Jaiswal packing for 82.
The rising star trudged off 18 runs short of a deserved hundred, but Kohli only lasted another five minutes before feathering a length delivery from local hero Scott Boland, caught behind for 36.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs India fourth Test scorecard
Monumental mixup sparks India tumble | 00:54
Earlier, Australia was bowled out for 474 in 122.4 overs after Smith bludgeoned a sublime 140 (197), forming a 112-run partnership with Cummins for the seventh wicket to frustrate the tourists during the morning session.
It was Smith’s fifth Test hundred at the MCG and his 11th against India, which is a record. He now boasts the same number of Test centuries as modern greats Brian Lara and Sunil Gavaskar.
Smith was at his eccentric best when played resumed on day two, giving Jasprit Bumrah a thumbs up after the Indian quick evaded his defences and squealing when an outswinger beat his outside edge.
Every Boundary – Smith’s 5th MCG ton | 04:16
India’s quicks turned to a short-ball barrage before spinner Jadeja unearthed the much-needed breakthrough, with Cummins miscuing a lofted slog towards mid-off for 49.
Smith accelerated after reaching triple figures in 167 deliveries, charging at Mohammed Siraj and carving the seamer through point before thumping a slog-sweep against Jadeja over mid-wicket. Mitchell Starc didn’t shy away from playing his shots either, clobbering Bumrah over long-on for a swashbuckling six.
Immediately after the lunch break, Jadeja snared his third wicket by bowling Starc for 15, while Smith departed the following over in bizarre circumstances — after charging at paceman Akash Deep and edging into his pads, he watched from the middle of the pitch as the Kookaburra trickled back onto the stumps.
Smith in shock after unlucky dismissal | 00:35
Tailenders Nathan Lyon and Boland added 19 runs for the final wicket, which included two successful LBW reviews, before Bumrah returned to the attack and wrapped up the innings, finishing with 4-99.
Rohit Sharma’s horror tour continued in the Victorian capital, with the Indian captain top-edging a hesitant pull shot against Cummins towards mid-on for 3.
Fellow opener Jaiswal and KL Rahul steadied the ship with a 43-run partnership for the second wicket before Cummins produced an absolute peach on the final delivery of the afternoon session. Pitching on a good length and nipping away from the right-handed Rahul, the Kookaburra beat the outside edge and kissed the top of off stump.
Cummins erupts after vital wicket falls | 00:35
Greeted by a chorus of boos as he walked to the crease, Kohli settled into a 102-run partnership with Jaiswal to chip away at Australia’s first-innings lead. Meanwhile, Konstas channelled Victorian icon Merv Hughes by orchestrating the rowdy patrons in Bay 13, continuing to take selfies with young fans on the fence.
The Australians were adamant all-rounder Mitchell Marsh had broken the stand after hitting Jaiswal on the knee roll, but ball-tracking replays showed the delivery had pitched an inch outside leg stump.
Jaiswal’s run out sparked a brief collapse of 3-6 from 27 balls, with Boland also removing nightwatcher Akash Deep, caught at leg gully for a 13-ball duck, to reignite the Melbourne crowd.
The fourth Test between Australia and India resumes on Saturday at 10.30am AEDT.
Randy Wrona
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