Sydney, Jan 4: Australian bowlers were made to grind as a dominant Indian side declared first innings at mammoth 622/7 on the second day of the fourth and final Test match here on Friday (January 4).
The day's play began with overnight batting pair of Cheteshwar Pujara (130* overnight) and Hanuma Vihari (39* overnight) looked to frustrate the hosts on another hot summer day at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Sydney Test, Day 1: As it happened
Vihari (42) added just 3 runs to his overnight total before he was dismissed. But Cheteshwar Pujara (193), Rishabh Pant (159*) and Ravindra Jadeja (81) frustrated Australian bowlers all through the day before captain Virat Kohli declared the innings. Indian batsmen made the Aussies toil all through the day before Marcus Harris (19*) and Usman Khawaja (5*) ended Australia's innings on day 2 at 24/0 after facing 10 testing overs.
Having won the toss, India - who have already retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and hold a 2-1 lead - are well placed to win a Test series in Australia for the first time.
Agarwal and Pujara combined for a 116-run partnership for the second wicket after India chose to bat and KL Rahul fell early. Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane were the other two batsmen India lost in the process.
Here's how Day 2 panned out:
Stumps! Khawaja (5*) and Harris (19*) batted cautiously as Australia reached 24/0 in 10 overs. They trail India by 598 runs.
Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav have been introduced by skipper Kohli.
5 overs have been bowled Australia are 18 without loss. Harris is looking in great touch, Khawaja hasn't been into his zone.
Dropped! Rishabh Pant dives towards his left at first slip and fails to hold on to the catch. Usman Khawaja gets a breather on 0. Shami isn't happy with Pant's effort.
DROPPED! Usman Khawaja gets a life after Rishabh Pant drops a catch off Mohammed Shami.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) January 4, 2019
📺 Watch LIVE on Fox Cricket &
📰 follow the action in our live blog: https://t.co/7wzGkI5lOD #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/us70LxWYgf
Jasprit Bumrah bowls the second over and concedes 5 runs from it. Australia 10/0 after 2 overs.
Australia's innings begins! Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja are into the middle to open innings for the hosts after fielding for nearly 170 overs. Mohammed Shami starts with the new ball for India. 10 overs will be bowled before stumps.
Meanwhile, Indian fans were seen having some quality time the stands.
#AUSvIND
— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) January 4, 2019
We’ve got Pant
Rishab Pant
I just don’t think you’ll understand
He’ll hit you for a six
He’ll babysit your kids
We’ve got Rishab Pant
.
.
.#BharatArmySongBook @RishabPant777 #BharatArmy #TeamIndia #12thMan #WeveGotPant #COTI 🇮🇳👶🍼 pic.twitter.com/ZiXaPWqi6M
Wicket! Ravindra Jadeja is clean bowled for 81. He fell 19 short of his second Test ton and first on Aussie soil. Lyon breaks the partnership. Here comes the declaration as well. India declare innings at 622/7.
India is the only side to declare in three consecutive innings against Australia.
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 4, 2019
They have done it twice - first in 2008 (in Mohali & Delhi) in India and now in this series #AusvInd#AusvsInd
200-run partnership between Jadeja and Pant. This is the highest seventh-wicket stand for India against Australia.
150 for Pant. He surpasses MS Dhoni's record.
4,0,0,4,4,4! 16 runs came from that over bowled by Pat Cummins. Ravindra Jadeja hit four superb boundaries and India have reached 600-plus. The partnership between Jadeja and Pant is the highest 7th wicket partnership from India in Australia. India - 604/6 now.
This is now India's 9th highest ever total away from home in Test cricket. #AUSvIND
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 4, 2019
150-run partnership between Jadeja and Pant for the seventh wicket.
Third new ball as been taken by Australia.
Fifty! Ravindra Jadeja completes his 10th Test half-century with a single. And the sword-wielding celebration makes appearance in SCG!
Unsheath and twirl away, Sir Jadeja. #AUSvIIND
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) January 4, 2019
💯 Century stand between Pant and Jadeja. This is the third 100-plus partnership for India in this innings.
Virender Sehwag hails Pant's fine ton.
Pantastic ! Wonderful 100 from @RishabPant777 , 2nd overseas century and now the 2nd highest run getter in the series after Pujara. Yeah Baby! Sitter pic.twitter.com/k8HNvJjFMm
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 4, 2019
Some record for young Pant!
Hundreds by India's WKs outside Asia:
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 4, 2019
118 Vijay Manjrekar v WI, 1959
115*Ajay Ratra v WI, 2002
104 Wriddhiman Saha v WI, 2016
114 Rishabh Pant v Eng, 2018
100*RISHABH PANT v Aus, 2019#AUSvIND
Century! Rishabh Pant brings up his second Test ton with a boundary. Superb knock this has been from the youngster.
Rishabh Pant is now the only 2nd visiting wicket-keeper to register Test 100s both in England and Australia.
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 4, 2019
Jeffery Dujon was the first - 100s at Manchester & Perth in 1984 #AusvInd#AusvsInd
Pant is now the second leading run-getter in this series.
25, 28, 36, 30, 39, 33, 94*
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) January 4, 2019
Believe it or not, Rishabh Pant (285) now has more runs than Virat Kohli (282) in this series 👏🙌#CricketMeriJaan #AUSvIND
Play resumes in the third session. Pant is 12 short of his second Test century. Will he be able to get to his ton?
TEA! India dominate another session as Rishabh Pant (88*) and Ravindra Jadeja (25*) are present into the middle. India are 491/6 in 146 overs. India scored 102 runs from 29 overs bowled in this session and lost the key wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara on 193. The Indians would wait for Pant's century before declaring their innings.
Apart from his banter with Paine, Pant is making this tour even more special!
Besides baby-sitting Tim Paine's children, Rishabh Pant has taken a record 20 catches and scored 262 runs already as I write this. Not bad for a 21-year-old in his first series Down Under 😀
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 4, 2019
SIX!! Ravindra Jadeja hammers Cummins over mid-wicket for a maximum and bring up 50-plus partnership with Pant. India are 469/6 in 141 overs.
Four! Jadeja gets a boundary against Cummins and brings up 450 for his team in style.
Four! Rishabh Pant hits Lyon over mid-off for a boundary as India reach 446/6.
India..
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 4, 2019
at MCG 443/7d in 169.4 overs in 742 mins
at SCG 446/6* in 137.3 overs in 596 mins#AusvInd
That's some fun for Pat Cummins near the boundary line.
Pat Cummins and the Richies having some fun on the boundary! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/xk9o5553nt
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2019
Michael Clarke hails 'Wall' Pujara.
193 for the WALL @cheteshwar1 what and innings, what a series, what a player. Test Match batting at its best 👏🏻🏏👌🏻
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) January 4, 2019
Pujara's marathon innings!
9 hours, 8 minutes and 373 balls later - @cheteshwar1 walks back after scoring 193 👏🙌🙌 #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/atOD7TeAOD
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 4, 2019
Fifty! Rishabh Pant notches up his third Test half-century. This one came off 85 deliveries, he has played a patient knock.
Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant are two left-handed batsmen into the middle for India.