SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia’s quicks removed Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha before lunch on the fourth day of the final test last night to leave the tourists on 407 for seven, a first innings deficit of 165.
Ravichandran Ashwin, on 33, and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, on three, were at the crease at the break and will resume looking to further eat into Australia’s imposing tally of 572-7 declared.
India skipper Kohli added just five runs to his overnight score in 19 minutes before he clipped a Ryan Harris delivery to Chris Rogers at midwicket, shaking his head in disappointment at his dismissal for 145.
His fourth century of the series helped bring his tally over the four tests to 646 runs, the second highest by an Indian batsman in an overseas series after the 774 Sunil Gavaskar accumulated in West Indies in 1971.
Saha survived another 50 minutes of penetrating Australian fast bowling in bright sunshine at the Sydney Cricket Ground before he too departed attempting to pull a short Josh Hazlewood delivery.
Caught in two minds over whether to play the shot or leave it, he managed only a top edge to Steve Smith in the cordon with the Australia skipper taking a comfortable catch.
It was a welcome boost for Smith, who dropped Kohli and opener Lokesh Rahul the day before both went on to make centuries.
Kumar survived a scare before he got a run on the board when he gave a bat-pad chance off spinner Nathan Lyon but close fielder Joe Burns failed to gather the ball.
Australia, 2-0 up in the series after victories in Adelaide and Brisbane, will be looking to mop up the Indian tail quickly after lunch and build a competitive lead to try to force a result tomorrow.
India had resumed on 71-1 in reply to Australia’s 572-7 declared and restored a great deal of pride as well as reducing the deficit to 230 runs.
Rahul had more to prove than most after his torrid introduction to test cricket in Melbourne last week, where he scored four runs in two innings.
The 22-year-old rode his luck and was forced to dive bat-less into the Sydney dirt to prevent being run out soon after Rohit Sharma (53) had become the only batsman to fall in the opening session.
He was perhaps even more fortunate to escape with his wicket just before lunch when, on 46, he ballooned the ball into the air but Steve Smith failed to hold the catch.
The Australian captain, who later also dropped Kohli on 59 at second slip, made it clear he believed the wire that holds the overhead TV camera — Spidercam — in place had prevented him from dismissing Rahul.
Rahul and Kohli batted cautiously through the second session in a partnership of 141, the opener reaching the century mark with his 11th four just before tea having faced 253 balls.
“I’d say I’m more relieved than proud of myself. It was a nightmare debut and it didn’t make my life easier coming here,” Rahul told reporters.
“I think we still have a chance (of a win) if we can bat really well tomorrow.”
He was gone soon after the break for 110 when he skied another pull shot to be caught and bowled by paceman Mitchell Starc but his captain soon joined him as a Sydney centurion with a drive down the ground for two runs.
Kohli, who scored a century in each innings in Adelaide and another in Melbourne, joined English batsmen of the 1920s Wally Hammond and Herbert Sutcliffe as the only visiting players to have scored four centuries in a series in Australia.
Indian cricket fans have become used to batting collapses over the last year, however, and all rounder Watson roused the crowd by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane (13) and Suresh Raina in consecutive balls.
Scoreboard
Australia 1st innings 572 for 7 decl (S. Smith 117, D. Warner 101, C. Rogers 95, S. Watson 81, S. Marsh 73, J. Burns 58; M. Shami 5-112)
India 1st innings (Overnight: 342-5)
M. Vijay c Haddin b Starc 0
L. Rahul c&b Starc 110
Ro. Sharma b Lyon 53
V. Kohli c Rogers b Harris 147
A. Rahane lbw b Watson 13
S. Raina c Haddin b Watson 0
W. Saha c Smith b Hazlewood 35
R. Ashwin not out 33
B. Kumar not out 3
Extras (b-1 lb-6 nb-5 w-1) 13
Total (for 7 wickets, 144 overs) 407
Fall of wickets: 1-0 M. Vijay,2-97 Ro. Sharma,3-238 L. Rahul,4-292 A. Rahane,5-292 S. Raina,6-352 V. Kohli,7-383 W. Saha
To bat: M. Shami, U. Yadav
Bowling M. Starc 29 – 6 – 101 – 2 R. Harris 27 – 7 – 71 – 1(nb-3) J. Hazlewood 26 – 8 – 58 – 1(w-1) N. Lyon 40 – 10 – 102 – 1(nb-1) S. Watson 18 – 4 – 51 – 2(nb-1) S. Smith 4 – 0 – 17 – 0
Referees Umpire: Kumar Dharmasena
Umpire: Richard Kettleborough
TV umpire: Simon Fry
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama