Brisbane, Dec 20: India capitulated to a four-wicket defeat in the second cricket Test against Australia with an inept batting display by the top-order to give the hosts an invincible 2-0 lead in the four-match series here Saturday.
Resuming at the overnight score of 71 for one, the visitors lost four wickets in quick succession with an addition of only 16 runs and were eventually bowled out for 224 in 64.3 overs.
Chasing a paltry victory target of 128, Australians lost as many as six wickets but were always in control as they knocked off the required runs with more than a day to spare in what turned out to be a miserable fourth day for the Indians at the Gabba.
Nothing seemed to go right for the visitors when play started this morning with regular opener and overnight unbeaten batsman Shikhar Dhawan (81, 145b, 8×4) not coming out to bat.
Dhawan, apparently suffered an injury to his right wrist during the morning practice session which led to Virat Kohli (1) coming out with Cheteshwar Pujara (43, 93b, 7×4).
Kohli’s early departure virtually triggered off the collapse as Mitchell Johnson (4/61) ripped through the top-order while Josh Hazlewood (2/74), Mitchell Starc (2/27) and Nathan Lyon (2/33) also chipped in.
Johnson took three wickets for 10 runs in the space of 11 balls as he rocked the Indian batting order. Kohli was the first to go, in the 27th over, playing on to his stumps, an inside edge doing the job for the bowler.
Eight balls later, in the 29th over, he removed Ajinkya Rahane (10) with one that rose up and the batsman had no chance to fend it off and was caught at backward point. Two balls later, Rohit Sharma (0) was gone edging the ball to keeper Brad Haddin as the Indian second innings lay in tatters.
Had it not been for 60-run eighth wicket partnership between Dhawan and Umesh Yadav (30), India wouldn’t have been able to set a three-figure target.
Australian run-chase was marked by two early jolts with David Warner (6) and Shane Watson (0) and though they continued to lose wickets, the target was never beyond reach. Chris Rogers (55, 57b, 10×4) and Steve Smith (28, 39b, 4×4) added 63 runs for the third wicket to lay the platform for early victory.
Scoreboard
India (1st innings): 408 all out
Australia (1st innings): 505 all out
India (2nd innings; overnight 71 for 1): S Dhawan lbw Lyon 81, C Pujara c Lyon b Hazlewood 43, V Kohli b Johnson 1, A Rahane c Lyon b Johnson 10,R Sharma c Haddin b Johnson 0, MS Dhoni lbw Hazlewood 0,R Ashwin c Haddin b Starc 19, U Yadav c Haddin b Johnson 30, V Aaron c Hazlewood b Lyon 3, I Sharma n o 1, Extras (lb-2, w-5, nb-2) 9; Total (all out; 64.3 overs) 224
Fall: 1-41, 2-76, 3-86, 4-86, 5-87, 6-117, 7-143, 8-203, 9-211
Bowling: Johnson 17.3-4-61-4, Hazlewood 16-0-74-2, Starc 8-1-27-2, Watson 13-4-27-0, Lyon 10-1-33-2.
Australia (2nd innings; target: 128 runs): C Rogers c Dhawan b Ishant 55, Warner c Dhoni b Ishant 6, S Watson c Dhoni b Ishant 0, S Smith run out (Yadav/Dhoni) 28, S Marsh c Dhoni b Yadav 17, B Haddin c Kohli b Yadav 1, M Marsh n o 6, M Johnson n o 2, Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-1, nb-6)15; Total (For 6 wickets; 23.1 overs) 130
Fall: 1-18, 2-22, 3-85, 4-114, 5-122, 6-122
Bowling: Ishant 9-2-38-3, Yadav 9 -0-46-2, Aaron 5.1-0-38-0
PTI
