reuters
Sydney, Jan 10: Australia were denied a dramatic victory and forced to settle for a 2-0 series win when India survived a nervous final session to force a draw in the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground here Saturday.
Steve Smith’s side were aggressive to the very last ball but unable to break the eighth wicket pairing of Ajinkya Rahane (38 n o, 55b, 5×4) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (20 n o, 30b, 3×4) and grab a third win to go with those they achieved in Adelaide and Brisbane.
The tourists, who were handed a victory target of 349 when Australia declared on their overnight score of 251-6, collapsed from 160-2 at tea to 217-7 but Virat Kohli had promised his team would never throw in the towel and they were true to his word.
There was a period around the tea break when Kohli (46, 95b, 3×4) and opener Murali Vijay (80, 165b, 7×4, 2×6) flirted with going for the victory, which would have smashed the previous record for a successful fourth innings run chase in a Test at the ground.
Once their third wicket partnership was broken with the departure of Vijay, however, it was damage limitation all the way as Kohli, the luckless Suresh Raina (0), Wriddhiman Saha (0) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1) all quickly followed.
That the last three were all out leg before wicket was an indication that the pitch was finally producing some turn and movement after being something of a batsman’s paradise for much of the match.
It was also fitting reward for Australia’s bowlers, particularly paceman Josh Hazlewood and spinner Nathan Lyon, who had bowled with discipline and accuracy in the first two sessions without being able to claim more than two wickets.
The stage was set for a pulsating fifth day’s play with Australia declaring their second innings at the overnight score of 251 for six, giving India a target of 349 in 90 overs to register their first win in the series.
India lost young opener Lokesh Rahul (16) early but Vijay and Rohit Sharma (39, 90b, 2×4, 2×6) stitched 56 runs for the second wicket to stabilise the innings
Then Vijay and Kohli put on 74 runs for the third wicket before the former was caught behind off Hazelwood. Kohli tried to carry on and but was caught in the slips off Mitchell Starc and with him the victory hopes disappeared.
Australia (1st innings): 572 for seven decl
India (1st innings): 475
Australia (2nd innings) overnight 251 for 6 declared
India (2nd innings): M Vijay c Haddin b Hazlewood 80, L Rahul c Warner b Lyon 16, R Sharma c Smith b Watson 39, V Kohli c Watson b Starc 46, A Rahane n o 38, S Raina lbw b Starc 0, W Saha lbw b Lyon 0, R Ashwin lbw b Hazlewood 1, B Kumar n o 20, Extras: (b-4, lb-8) 12, Total: (for seven wickets) 252.
Fall: 1-48, 2-104, 3-178, 4-201, 5-203, 6-208, 7-217.
Bowling: Mitchell Starc 19-7-36-2, Ryan Harris 13-3-34-0, Nathan Lyon 30.5-5-110-2, Josh Hazlewood 17-7-31-2, Steven Smith 2-0-7-0, Shane Watson 8-2-22-1.
