Live Cricket Score India vs Australia 2014-15, 4th Test Day 2: Rohit, Rahul bring up half-century stand

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Mitchell Starc claimed the early wicket of Murali Vijay © Getty Images (File photo)

Jan 7, 2015

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(Can the Steven Smith-led Australia complete a 3-0 series victory, or can Virat Kohli lead India to a consolation victory in the final Test at Sydney? Catch live cricket scores here)

Lokesh Rahul and Rohit Sharma steadied India after they suffered an early wicket in form of Murali Vijay. They have added more than 50 runs for the second wicket, showing a lot of application on the wicket. India were 71 for one at stumps, trailing by a mammoth 501 runs.

Australia declared their first innings at 572 for seven, and tasted success immediately in the first over as Mitchell Starc struck to remove India’s in-form batsman Murali Vijay for a duck. ‘Tired shot’, cried Sunil Gavaskar on air as India are in trouble early in their innings.

Mohammed Shami took the wicket as he also completed a five-wicket haul. India have a humongous task ahead of them with Australia amassing a monumental total. Joe Burns fell after scoring completed his maiden Test half-century, off 94 balls with the help of nine boundaries. He has also added more than 114 runs with Shaun Marsh, as India are helplessly awaiting Australia’s declaration. Marsh was dismissed by Mohammed Shami in the 147th over, getting the left-hander caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha for 73 off 116 balls and nine boundaries.

Australia have gone past 500 runs in the first innings against India. This is the fourth occasion in this Border-Gavaskar series 2014-15 that Australia have done so. This is also the fifth time in cricket history that a team has conceded 500 or more in a Test series.

Shaun Marsh has completed his half-century and has also put up a solid fifth-wicket stand with Joe Burns. The two Australian batsmen began post lunch and took their side past 450-run mark. Both the batsmen were looking uncomfortable towards the end of the first session but in the second, they have started off on a positive note, attacking the Indian bowlers.

Mohammed Shami provided India the much-needed breakthrough when he had Shane Watson caught by R Ashwin for 81 in the 108th over of the innings. Steven Smith was the second wicket to fall on Day Two, caught by Wriddhiman Saha off Umesh Yadav, who finally tasted success. Australia were 420 for four with Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns at the crease. They managed only 72 runs in the entire session, losing the key wickets of Smith and Watson.

Watson fell after scoring a fluent 81, which came off 183 balls and seven boundaries. He added as many as 196 runs with Steven Smith. The Australian skipper and Watson began on a positive note for Australia on the second day. The Australian captain did not waste much time in notching up his fourth Test century of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15 — becoming the first captain to score three tons in his first three Tests. In the 107th over of the innings, Australians went past the 400-run mark. The Australians batted fluently and they would be aiming to keep the momentum going as India’s confidence seems to have taken a hit. Smith toyed with the Indian bowling attack, as the bowlers presented him lot of lose deliveries, and the man in form had absolutely no qualms at all in putting away these poor deliveries for runs.

Another day of fantastic cricket comes to an end with India replying back strongly to Australia’s huge total. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma did extremely well in the final session, but the real test will be tomorrow. Till then, goodbye. Here’s Nishad Pai Vaidya’s final report of the day.

India would certainly be chuffed up with the character they showed towards the end of the day, with Mitchell Starc targetting the youngest member with a verbal barrage as well as short pitch bowling. India end the day on a confident note, let’s see how much fight they put up tomorrow!

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have done a fine job of steadying Indian innings, and also bringing up their 50-run stand for the second wicket. Both the batsmen were low on confidence coming into this innings, but after initiail nervousness they have recovered well.

Rohit and Rahul have done a fine job for India keeping the Australians at bay, and they have steadied the Indian innings. Rohit has hit two sixes off Lyon so far. About 30 more minutes remaining in the day’s play.

Nathan Lyon has been introduced into the attack and Rohit Sharma welcomes him with a massive six down the ground. Rohit and Rahul have done extremely well to keep the Australians at bay. India trail by 548 runs now.

India are in complete pessure. Rohit Sharma struck the first boundary of their innings when he pulled one very short by Mitchell Starc on the leg side. But the trouble lies outside the off-stump. Australia are charged up in the field.

INDIA ARE ONE WICKET DOWN! Mitchell Starc has struck early as Murali Vijay is out on an extremely poor shot — so uncharacteristic of someone who is known for immense concentration. Rohit Sharma walks in. India in deep trouble early on!

OUT! M Vijay c Hadidn b Starc 0 (3)

Australia declared their innings as there was no point continuing this run-fest. Ryan Harris got 25 quick runs, which will all come handy given the fact that India are in tremendous pressure now. Mohammed Shami completed his five-wicket haul, but it’s of little significance looking at the total Australia have put up.

OUT! R Harris c Ashwin b Shami 25 (9)

Ryan Harris has come out all guns blazing as he has made a mockery of India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Australian batsmen slams four boundaries to take the team total past 550. 19 runs scored off the 152nd over in the innings.

Play begins post tea and Australia have lost one wicket in form of Joe Burns, who is out after scoring a fine 58. KL Rahul takes a fine catch moving backwards, and is a happy man now.

OUT! Joe Burns c Rahul b Shami 58 (114)

Bhuvy gets to 3 figures. So what if Australia’s top 6 got fifties. Indias top four got hundreds. :p #AUSvIND

— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) January 7, 2015

Shaun Marsh scored 73, his third half-century in Test cricket. Joe Burns is batting on 52 not out, as these two batsmen added as many as 114 runs for the fifth wicket. Australia are in complete command, and they might have out-batted India already in this fourth and final Test. Time for tea, here’s Nishad Pai Vaidya’s tea report.

Fifth session in a row won by Australia as they lose only one wicket but score plenty of runs to keep India out of contention. The hosts will be eyeing a total in excess of 600, and possibly make India bat twice.

Might be new territory for Australia, but it’s the fourth time Indian bowlers have been at the receiving end #AusvInd pic.twitter.com/stGN1vnwkd

— Indian Cricket News (@IndiaCricNews) January 7, 2015

Out-of-sorts Brad Haddin walks in and immediately smashes a six, as Shaun Marsh is caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha off Mohammed Shami. India are not even celebrating their wickets now. Fine knock by Marsh, facing 116 balls and nine fours.

OUT! Shaun Marsh c Saha b Shami 73 (116)

Joe Burns completes his maiden half-century in Test cricket, and it will be interesting to see if he features in Australia’s next Test — in the Ashes in England later this year. But for now, India are looking completely out of sorts with Burns and Marsh taking their stand for the fifth wicket past 100 runs.

Australia go past the 500-run mark as the talks about declaration heat up. There’s no way that India would bowl out Australia, as all of their bowlers are struggling. Marsh and Burns flourishing quite comfortably now.

The fifth wicket partnership between Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns is of 71 runs now. Marsh has completed his half-century and he is improving his Test record at home. Before this innings Marsh was averaging close to 20 at home, compared to more than 52 overseas in five Tests.

For us, Dec 8, 2014 was a month ago. For Steve Smith, it was four centuries ago.

— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) January 7, 2015

Both Burns and Marsh are looking extremely positive now as the Indians have once again started to leak runs and easy boundaries. Australia’s total is past 450 now.

Joe Burns has started off well in the second session, getting off the mark with two consecutivee fours off Ravichandran Ashwin. It’s a critical session for both the sides with Australia looking for more runs and India looking to continue taking wickets.

Australia take lunch with things pretty much in their control. However, both Marsh and Burns have looked uncomfortable in the middle and the Indians will come out with more positivity in the second session. Here’s Nishad Pai Vaidya’s lunch report.

Australia would be ruing the fact that they did not score many runs in this session — there were as many as 30 overs bowled and they managed only 72 runs — and they lost two key wickets. Both the new batsmen are looking slight fidgety.

Australia have lost their fourth wicket as Steven Smith is dismissed after a scintillating century. Umesh Yadav pitches the delivery outside the off-stump, which Smith tries to go for the drive, which results in a nick to the wicket-keeper.

OUT! Steven Smith c Saha b Umesh 117 (208)

Brilliant effort this from Australia as they have crossed the 400-run mark in the 107th over of the innings, with only two wickets down. Smith is scoring runs at ease and Shane Watson, who looked in absolutely no hurry at all, mistimed one off Mohammed Shami and has been caught by R Ashwin in the deep. India have struck for the first time in the day. Shaun Marsh, who scored 99 in the last Test, walks into the middle.

OUT! S Watson 81 c Ashwin b Shami (183)

Shane Watson lucky to be at the crease as Wriddhiman Saha drops one that had taken an inside edge — http://t.co/gL7j5Wl6dJ

— CricketCountry (@cricket_country) January 7, 2015

There it is! Steven Smith completes his fourth century in the series as he continues to make most of the brilliant form he is in. Smith resumed the day at 82 not out, but has wasted absolutely no time at all to score the remaining 18 runs and get to the three-figure mark.

Frustrating half hour for Kohli. His bowlers started well and, rather predictably, let the pressure go.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2015

Seven runs scored from Umesh’s first over in the day. He was completely out of sorts on Day 1 as well! — http://t.co/gL7j5Wl6dJ #INDvsAUS — CricketCountry (@cricket_country) January 7, 2015

Shane Watson and Steven Smith have done well so far this morning. Mohammed Shami started off well this morning but he has somewhat lost the rhythm he was looking in. Steven Smit is nearing his yet another century in this series.

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog of the second day’s play in the fourth and final Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). This is Devarchit Varma, and I will be bringing you the live updates of the match.

India were hapless on the opening day as Australia smashed 348 for two on the first day. David Warner scored his 12th Test century while Chris Rogers was unfortunate to have missed out on a century. Rogers played well for his innings of 95, which came off 160 balls with the help of 13 boundaries.

Warner was the star in the Australian innings on the first day, garnering 101 runs off 114 balls with the help of 10 boundaries. He was exceptional on the opening day as Warner garnered runs on both the sides of the wicket with lot of ease. Warner added 200 runs with Rogers for the first wicket, which was certainly the best opening partnership between these two batsmen.

Warner and Rogers were dismissed in quick succession, but their dismissals brought Steven Smith and Shane Watson at the crease. Smith has been in rich form of late, particularly in this series and it was evident with the way he went about his job on the first day. The Australian captain remained unbeaten on 82 off 134 balls with the help of 10 boundaries. Watson, on the other hand, remained not out on 61 off 132 balls and six fours.

For India, it was a forgettable day on the field as they dropped two catches. Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami took one wicket each but their effort brought no relief for the Indians, who were on a leather hunt for most part of the day’s play on Tuesday.

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