Australia vs India 2018: 2nd Test Match, Perth, Day 4 - Report

Australia has put themselves in the commanding position after dominating performance on the penultimate day of the ongoing Perth Test. It was a fine performance from the hosts as they ticked the right boxes. The hosts came out with a sedate approach as they added 58 runs in the opening session to strengthen the lead.

In fact, the hosts were looking to get a huge lead and had their chance to bat India out of the game. However, Mohammed Shami breathed down the neck of the Australian batsmen. Shami who had bowled without luck in the first session tested the Australian batters with short-pitched stuff.

India is staring at a big loss.

Subsequently, Shami finally reaped the fruits for his sumptuous spell and got six wickets for 56 runs, which are his best bowling figures in the multi-day format. Shami bowled a Jaffa to get rid of Tim Paine soon after the Lunch break. Furthermore, he bowled another beauty to well-settled Usman Khawaja.

Shami bowled at the top of his game and gave a whiff of hope to the Indian National Cricket Team. The hosts made 243 runs in their second innings to give a steep target of 287 runs to the tourists.

However, the Indian team once again got off to a bad start. KL Rahul continued his dismal performance going as the right-hander chopped back the ball on the stumps while attempting to leave the ball. Cheteshwar Pujara got a beauty from Josh Hazlewood just before the Tea break.

Australia is in the driver’s seat.

Australia’s spinner Nathan Lyon took out the big fish, Virat Kohli. Kohli was drawn into his forward defence and Lyon got the outside edge of the talisman batsman. Lyon also produced another wicket as Murali Vijay tried to go for a drive to a ball which wasn’t there to be driven.

Ajinkya Rahane came out all guns blazing and took the attack to the opposition. Rahane looked to attack at every ball from the get-go, however, changed his approach after settling in. Although, Rahane perished while attempting a big shot through the off-side. The Indian vice-captain made an error of hitting the ball in the air and Travis Head took a good catch at point.

On the other hand, Hanuma Vihari looked solid in his approach and he is batting unbeaten on 24 with Rishabh Pant accompanying him at the crease. However, the tourists are staring at a big loss.

India needs another 175 runs to win but more realistically Australia needs another five wickets to win the second Test and square the series.

Brief Scoreboard: India 112-5, Josh Hazlewood 2-24.