Adelaide Test: India 6 wickets away from victory, Aussies 104/4 at stumps

Adelaide [Australia], Dec 9 (ANI): India are just six wickets away from registering a win in the first Test of the ongoing four-match series against Australia as the hosts have lost four wickets at the score of 104 runs while chasing a target of 323 set by the visitors here at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Chasing the target, Australian openers Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris did a good job surviving the crucial first ten overs of their second innings. But the script changed when India introduced spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The right-arm bowler provided India with their first breakthrough as Aaron Finch was given out by the on-field umpire for gloving a tossed up delivery which was caught behind by Rishabh Pant. There was a scope for reviewing umpire's decision but Finch chose not to.
With one Australian batsman back in the pavilion, India brought back their pacer Shami into the attack and he did not disappoint. He bowled a good length delivery to Harris who failed to judge the line and length giving away an easy catch to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
The Indian bowlers continued to dominate as they restricted the run flow for the Australian batsmen. The pressure reaped fruit for India in the 24th over with the wicket of left-hand batsman Usman Khawaja (8). Ashwin's flighted delivery trapped Khawaja who went for a deep extra cover shot which was caught brilliantly by Rohit Sharma. Australia were in trouble as they had lost three wickets at the score of 60 runs.
New batsman on the pitch Peter Handscomb joined Shaun Marsh with the hope of giving some balance to the trembling Australian batting order. Pacer Shami, however, had other plans. He scalped his second wicket of the innings when Handscomb (14) misjudged a short delivery and played a loose shot. He was caught by Pujara in the midwicket area.
Marsh and Travis Head are holding the crease for Australia at the respective score of 9 and 11.
In the morning session, India had resumed at their Day 3 total of 151 runs but their batsmen could only add 156 runs and lost wickets quick succession after the fall of two set players Cheteshwar Pujara (71) and Ajinkya Rahane (70). The duo stitched an 87-run partnership to take their side towards a strong lead.
Australian spinner Nathon Lyon did the job for his team as he scalped both Pujara and Rahane using his deceiving deliveries. While Pujara was caught at short leg off one of the brilliant deliveries of Lyon, Rahane was caught at the backward point while trying to reverse sweep a tossed up delivery from the spinner.
What followed next was a sheer batting collapse of India as no other player, except for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (28), could go beyond the score of 5.
Lyon with his five-wicket haul in the match emerged as the most successful bowler for Australia. For India, Ashwin and Shami took two wickets each driving their side to a comfortable position in the match. (ANI)