India let it slip!

Mohammed Siraj misses a caught and bowled chance off Nathan Lyon in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Having fought their way back into the fourth Test in spectacular style, India made a clutch of schoolboy errors to allow Australia to grab the initiative at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Nitish Kumar Reddy's maiden century ensured that India kept Australia's lead down to 105, potentially decisive though it didn't feel that way. It was as if the momentum was with India even after Nitish was dismissed 16 minutes into Day Four for a wonderful 114, a momentum on which Jasprit Bumrah and Co were determined to build.

With Bumrah expectedly at the forefront and Mohammed Siraj finally finding the kind of rhythm that makes him such an able foil to the lead pacer, India had Australia on the hop at 91-6 in their second innings. A pitch that seemed to have lost all its bite came spectacularly alive with Bumrah getting the ball to go this way and that, the only stumbling block the resolute Marnus Labuschagne.

Also Read: India struggle to 33/3 chasing 340 on day five

Jaiswal's costly drop

Akash Deep has been desperately unlucky over the last two Tests, often beating the bat, at times finding the edge, but not finding much joy. His misfortune boiled over when Yashasvi Jaiswal shelled Labuschagne at gully, a regulation catch to his left at a good height, with the right-hander on 46 and Australia on 99 for six. Had Jaiswal not dropped the catch, Australia would have lost five for 19 and the end would have been nigh.
Instead, they pulled away to finish the day on 228-9, benefitting hugely from an unseparated stand of 55 for the last wicket between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland which has their overall advantage to 333. Just for the record, no team has successfully chased down more than 332 (England, 1928) at the MCG.

Labuschagne's was one of three catches Jaiswal put down on a miserable personal day. He also dropped Usman Khawaja (on two) off Bumrah in the third over and Pat Cummins (on 21) with Australia 135-6. The former didn't cost a huge deal but Cummins went on to make 41, putting on 57 with Labuschagne at a critical juncture after Bumrah had returned India into the contest with the scalps of Travis Head (200th Test victim), Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey in a terrific third spell of 3-1-4-3 when a wicket appeared imminent every ball.

Konstas falls to Bumrah

Bumrah had signalled his intentions in his first spell itself with the wicket of Sam Konstas, who had taken him apart in the first innings. The teenaged debutant was given no leeway to attempt his cute scoops and his fancy reverse scoops, Bumrah finally packing the 19-year-old off after having had his fun with a jag-backer that cut the batter in half. Siraj's dismissal of Steve Smith was the one that allowed Bumrah to step in and land the three quick punches, but as the ball got older and the pitch flattened out with only occasional uneven bounce a threat of sorts, Australia's lower order rallied to amass crucial runs.

No one did it better than Lyon and Boland, though they did enjoy plenty of luck. Siraj put Lyon down on his followthrough when the batter was on five and Australia 174 for nine, while Bumrah denied himself a five-fer after overstepping in the last over after having the same batter caught at gully. A disappointing end to a cracking day, you might say.

Brief scores
Australia 474 & 228-9 (M Labuschagne 70, N Lyon 41', P Cummins 41) v India 369 (N Reddy 114; S Boland 3-57, P Cummins 3-89, N Lyon 3-96)