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India Vs Australia 2nd Test: Ashwin bags six-for as India beat Australia by 75 runs, level series

India levelled the four-match Test cricket series against Australia as the hosts prevailed in the second match by 75 runs here on Tuesday.

Bengaluru, March 7: Ravinchandran Ashwin completed his career's 25th five-wicket haul as India levelled the four-match Test series against Australia by prevailing in the second match by 75 runs here on Tuesday (March 7).

Series schedule; Photos;

Defending a competitive target of 188 with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on line, Ashwin was unplayable on a tricky fourth-day surface with magnificent figures of 6 for 41.

India Vs Australia 2nd Test: Ashwin bags six-for as India beat Australia by 75 runs

Australia ended up decimated for 112 in only 35.4 overs. Just like Indian wickets fell like nine pins in Pune, Australia too crumbled like a house of cards and lost the last six for a mere 11 runs between overs 26th and 36th.

Ashwin spins India to 75-run win:

With their backs firmly against the wall, it was a battle of attrition for Kohli and his boys after their humiliating loss in Pune.

It turned out to be a collective effort in the end with KL Rahul (90 and 51), Cheteshwar Pujara (92) and Ajinkya Rahane (52) doing their bit with the bat. Not to forget an invaluable 20 runs from Wriddhiman Saha.

After a bad run in Pune, spin twins Ashwin (8 wickets) and Ravindra Jadeja (7 wickets) accounted for 15 out of the 20 wickets.

The pitch, which deteriorated with each passing moment, made the target of 188 look as big as 350. Only skipper Steve Smith (28) and Peter Handscomb (24) were the only batsmen to cross 20-run mark for Australia.

Till the 10th over of the chase, things looked good for Australia as they were 42 for 1, losing only Matt Renshaw (5) who got an unplayable delivery from Ishant Sharma.

David Warner (17) got a leg before decision off Ashwin's bowling going against him. Warner reviewed it unsuccessfully.

Umesh Yadav (2/30 in 9 overs) then produced the double break with Shaun Marsh (9) getting one to come back after hitting one of those ever widening cracks.

Smith got a shooter that didn't even rise enough hitting him on the boot. It was plumb and Smith, trying to get a clue from the dressing room beyond his 15-second time, got into a brief altercation with rival captain Kohli.

Mitchell Marsh (13) and Peter Handscomb (24) added 27 runs and tried to stem the rot during their fifth wicket partnership.

This was the time when Ashwin, coming for his second spell, ran riot dismissing Marsh, Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc in quick succession. Once it was 103 for 7, the game was all over for Australia. The third Test will be played in Ranchi from March 16.

Earlier, pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood wreaked havoc with the second new ball to trigger a sensational batting collapse and restricted India to 274. India, perhaps, fell 20 odd runs short as a target of 210-plus could have been a decent total to defend.

Pacers wreak havoc:

The visitors dominated the first session, thanks to a feiry spell from their pacers Starc and Hazlewood.

Australia took the second new ball immediately after it was available and it worked into their favour. Starc gave the visitors their first break through by removing Ajinkya Rahane (51) via review and didn't look back ever since.

New man-in Karun Nair was dismissed for golden duck by Starc immediately after Rahane.

Hazlewood then removed Pujara (92) and Ashwin (4) in the very next over to push hosts on the backfoot and tarnish their hopes of a big lead.

Hazlewood then dismissed Umesh Yadav (1) to complete a six-for. He finished with 6/67 in 24 overs.

Wriddhiman Saha (20*) and Ishant Sharma (6), however, made a valuable 16-run partnership to help their side extend lead to 188 runs before Sharma fell to Steve O'Keefe.

Pujara and Rahane's brilliant 118-run partnership, which frustrated the Australians in the final session on Day 3, was the highlight of the Indian innings. Starting their innings from 213 for four, the visitors added 61 runs to their overnight total and lost 6 six wickets.

OneIndia News

Story first published: Thursday, August 3, 2017, 7:44 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 3, 2017