Just how is this possible! Yes, this Australia team is a lot different and newer than the previous few generations but what that has to do with a team’s character and efforts? Moreover, they were at the front foot in the first test too. A Ricky Ponting, a Brett Lee, or a Mathew Hayden still should be enough to pull out a crunch test match. But this one is surely not going Aussies’ way.
The Indians, led by Gautam Gambhir’s second Test hundred, galloped at five runs an over before declaring their second innings on 314-3, handing the Australians an improbable target of 516 to win the match.
Michael Clarke (42 not out) and Brad Haddin (37 not out) were left with an uphill task of batting out the final day along with the tail-enders, after Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma obliterated Australia’s top order to have them reeling at 58-5 at one stage.
Australia made a spirited start to their chase with Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich hammering the fast bowlers before losing five wickets in the space of nine runs to take India to the threshold of gaining a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series.
Hayden was trapped leg before for 29 after he missed a sweep stroke off Harbhajan while Katich was removed by a stunning catch from Sachin Tendulkar diving in front. The off-spinner added a third in his next over after tea when he had Michael Hussey leg before for one.
Ishant Sharma, bowling a hostile spell reminiscent of his famous duel with Ricky Ponting at Perth, produced the ball of the match, pitching just wide of off-stump and moving in sharply to rattle the Australian captain’s defence, before the lanky pacer did a repeat to have Shane Watson leg before.
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