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4th Test, Day 4: Siraj completes fifer, Shardul gets four to restrict Australia to 294; India need 328 to win

Australia reached 243/7 in 66.1 overs with a lead of 276 runs before a short spell of rain forced the umpires to call an early tea on day four of the fourth Test against India here at the Gabba.

4th Test, Day 4: Siraj completes fifer, Shardul gets four to restrict Australia to 294; India need 328 to win

Brisbane, Jan 18: Australia reached 243/7 in 66.1 overs with a lead of 276 runs before a short spell of rain forced the umpires to call an early tea on day four of the fourth Test against India here at the Gabba.

Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur picked up three wickets each as the Indians dismiss seven Australia batsmen under 250 in their second innings. If the Indians picked up four wickets in the first session, the tourists picked three more in the post-lunch session.

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Steve Smith was the first wicket the Indians got in the mid-session but not before the Aussie notched up his 31st half-century in Test cricket. Smith was given a breather in his 40s when Mohammed Siraj fail to catch him at long-on off Washington Sundar. Sundar had almost got the wicket of the exceedingly talented batsman in the second essay as well. However, it was Siraj who made up for the mistake in the outfield by getting Smith caught at gully by Ajinkya Rahane, courtesy a well-directed short-pitched bouncer. Smith reviewed it but in vain.

Later Shardul Thakur got the wickets of Cameron Green (37) and Tim Paine (27) and kept themselves in the game. The hosts would be looking to add some quick runs on the board and get to a decent lead before declaring their innings and try to win the game.

Australia were 149/4 at lunch break and led the tourists by 182 runs after losing David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Wade. Starting the day's proceedings, the overnight batsmen Warner (20 not out) and Harris (1 not out) stitched a fifty-plus partnership for the first wicket. The duo saw out the first hour of play and scored at a brisk pace as Tim Paine's side face a race against time to win the Test and reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Harris was the first wicket to perish when the opener was caught behind by Rishabh Pant off Shardul Thakur. The opener scored 38 before getting dismissed. Warner - who has been struggling with the bat in the series - was poised for a well-deserved half-century but Washington Sundar trapped the southpaw in front for 48. Warner went upstairs to review it but went in vain as the Aussies lost two wickets in a gap of three runs.

Labuschagne, the centurion from the first innings, once again spent some time into the middle with the bat and got off to a good start. The talented right-handed batsman was caught at slip by Rohit Sharma off Siraj. He scored a quick 25 off 22 balls. Three balls later, Wade - the new-man in was dismissed for a duck by Siraj. Pant took a good catch diving towards his right after the batsman nicked the ball leaving leg-stumps. Steve Smith and Cameron Green then ensured hosts didn't lose any further wickets in the morning session.

Story first published: Monday, January 18, 2021, 11:54 [IST]
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