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HomeSportsCricketInd Vs Aus - Yadav, Ashwin tilt balance in India's favour

Ind Vs Aus – Yadav, Ashwin tilt balance in India’s favour

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India finally have Australia on the mat after three whole days of momentum see-sawing between the two sides in parts. After being bowled out themselves for 274 in the first session and setting Australia a target of 188 in the second Test in Bengaluru, India reduced Australia to 101 for 6 by Tea on Day 4, much to the delight of the spectators at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday (March 7), tightening their grip on the game to level the series 1-1. Peter Handscomb and Mitchell Starc will take the field when play resumes with Australia requiring 87, and India needing four.
Australia started strongly with David Warner and Matt Renshaw negotiating Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin up front. Renshaw, who has been one of Australia's most gritty batsman so far this series, gloved one to the wicketkeeper in the fifth over for 5. Warner and Steve Smith went about business in fine fashion, scoring at a quick rate, putting away the bad deliveries and fending off the good ones effectively. It was all going jolly well for Australia until Ashwin decided to go around the wicket. And he struck with the first ball.
Warner, attempting the sweep, missed one that turned and was trapped leg before. The umpire had little doubt to give that out, but Warner, albeit obvious doubt, referred it. Australia lost a referral in the process and Warner had to make the long walk back for 17, despite the ball just clipping the stumps. Umpire's call was adhered to. Had the umpire have adjudged it otherwise, the decision would have been overturned. That decision would later go onto become a subject of debate.
Smith and Shaun Marsh steadied the ship once again, despite some probing from Umesh Yadav. Yet, survived. Umesh then bowled one that pitched outside off and didn't have enough in it to go back. Marsh didn't offer a shot as the ball struck him on the pads. India appealed. Umpire obliged. Australia decided not to review it, but replays showed the ball missing the stumps by a mile. Had they not had reviewed Warner's dismissal, Australia wouldn't have been in two minds about reviewing and Marsh would've survived.
India were all over Australia by this point in the game. Runs dried up, the Indian fielders swarmed the two batsmen in the middle and the pressure was palpable. Australia were in a spot of bother and needed their captain to guide them through this tough period. However, their captain was trapped by a beauty from Umesh for 28. Smith was plumb, and perhaps knew it at the back of his mind. He indulged in a bit of chat with Peter Handscomb after the umpire adjudged him out. Smith then looked towards the dressing room for any hint on how to proceed, which are against the rules, let alone spirit, of the game. That, irked Virat Kohli as he expressed his displeasure to the umpire, who was already on Smith's case.
With Smith back in the pavilion, the game had already tilted in India's favour. They bettered it even to firm their grip on a victory after getting two more wickets before Tea was called upon. The second Ashwin was brought back into the attack, there was a sense of the impending doom for Australia. And he delivered immediately once again. Mitchell, who had survived a leg before decision earlier after India decided to review it, played with the turn and got a glove to one that lobbed up straight to Karun Nair. Matthew Wade then departed for a duck as Ashwin picked up two in his return spell as Australia stared at an inevitable defeat. Earlier in the day, India lost 6 for 36 in their second innings to be bowled out for 274. Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed for 94, while Rahane departed after a gritty 52. Ishant and Wriddhiman Saha added 16 for the final wicket. 

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