SYDNEY, (Reuters) – 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 yesterday.
Steve Smith’s side were aggressive to the very last ball but unable to break the eighth wicket pairing of Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar 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.
They had reached 252-7 when Australia ran out of overs in the early evening gloom.
“It would have been nice to have got the win today,” said Smith, who was named man of the match and of the series for his batting exploits.
“I thought we were going to be a good chance to win this game, but today wasn’t to be. The boys toiled really hard today and it was disappointing not to get the result in the end.”
There was a period around the tea break when Kohli and opener Murali Vijay 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 for 80, however, it was damage limitation all the way as Kohli (46), 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 field closed in around Rahane (38 not out) and Kumar (20 not out) with often just one Australian outside the cordon but the Indian batsmen held firm to secure a second successive draw after the Boxing Day test in Melbourne.
PROUD KOHLI
Given the lack of success for both sides in each other’s countries in recent years, that could be considered something of an achievement for India.
“We took them to the end on three occasions, two were draws and one was a loss that could have gone either way,” Kohli, who deputised for Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Adelaide and took over permanently in Sydney after the wicketkeeper called time on his test career.
“I’m really, really proud of the way the guys have played in this series. Australia has had to earn both the victories they’ve had.”
The series started late with a schedule rejigged and compacted after the death of former Australian batsmen Phillip Hughes.
With 5,870 runs scored by both sides, it featured more runs than any other four-match test series with Smith (769) and Kohli (682) leading the way with four centuries apiece.
Both got their fourth in Sydney, Smith’s 117 leading his side to their imposing first innings tally of 572-7 declared and Kohli’s 147 the gel in India’s 475.
India learned yet again, however, that you cannot win tests in Australia without disciplined and accurate pace bowling to take 20 wickets, however strong a batting line-up you possess.
“There is a lot for us to improve on as a test side, especially seeing the way the Australians bowl,” Kohli added.
“I think that’s something we need to learn from, big time to be honest. If we can improve on that we’re going to be a very strong test team moving forward.”
Smith has clearly marked himself out as permanent test captain when Michael Clarke’s back finally forces him out of the game, even if he will return to the ranks for next month’s 50-over World Cup.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, I’ve had a great time,” Smith said. “The boys have done everything I’ve asked of them. They’ve worked their backsides off every day and I couldn’t be prouder of them for the way they’ve performed in this series.”