Kuldeep Yadav took 5-99 to rattle Australia on the fourth day at the Sydney Cricket Ground, bowling the hosts out for 300 to enforce the follow-on.
Bad light and rain came rushing to Australia’s aid as they battled to stave off an innings defeat against Virat Kohli’s Indian side. However, the weather couldn’t prevent Australia from being bowled out for 300 off 104.5 overs, with 24-year-old Yadav taking his second Test five-for in only his sixth match.
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Australia did well to post 300 from their overnight 236-6 after losing the overnight pair of Pat Cummins and Peter Handscomb in quick succession. Cummins fell six balls into the morning session without adding to his score, and Handscomb followed five overs later, having taken his score to 37 off 111 balls, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah (his only wicket of the innings).
Yadav trapped Nathan Lyon leg-before for a five-ball duck to leave Australia 258-9, after which Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood added an invaluable 42 off 84 balls to lift Australia up to 300. Yadav completed his five-for by trapping Hazlewood leg before after the No 11 had scored 21 off 45 balls (2×4), leaving Star undefeated on 29 off 55 balls (3×4).
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The spin twins did the damage in the first innings and will be front and centre of India’s push to win the Test tomorrow. Yadav bowled 31.5 overs for his 5-99, while Ravindra Jadeja sent down 32 overs in picking up 2-73, with Mohammed Shami contributing by picking up the wickets of two of Australia’s highest scoring batters in the innings, Marnus Labuschagne (38) and Pat Cummins (25).
Invited to follow-on, Australia were six without loss when bad light again brought play to a stop. With an hour of play still available in the day if the weather improves, Australia are 316 runs away from making India bat again, while their hosts need 10 wickets in three-and-a-bit sessions to claim a worthy 3-1 series victory.
Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
