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India vs Australia, Live Cricket Score, 4th Test, Day 2 in Sydney: Pant Slams Fifty After Pujara's Dismissal

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: January 4, 2019, 8:37 AM IST

4th Test, Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney 03 - 07 January, 2019

Live Now : Toss won by India (decided to bat)

Highlights

08:36(IST)

FIFTY FOR PANT: That's the third fifty for Pant in Tests. He has shown that he can hang around and play patiently. This innings will hold him in good stead. India are 426/6. 

08:26(IST)

OUT: Pujara's 193-run vigil finally comes to an end as he hits back one to Lyon. What a superb innings from the number 3 batsman. India are 418/6. 

08:19(IST)
08:07(IST)

DROP: Lyon produces a beauty and gets the edge off Pujara, who is batting on 192. But Khawaja makes a mess of it. That could be a costly miss.

08:03(IST)
07:58(IST)

MISS: Pant loses his patience and decides to take the aerial route against Labuschagne. He is saved though. In the meanwhile India bring up their 400. 

07:53(IST)

Indian batsmen have stamped their authority on this match and haven't been troubled by the Aussies at all. India are now 397/5. 

07:48(IST)

Pant has managed to keep calm against Lyon and not looked to go over the top. That has reaped him good benefit as India move to 395/5. 

07:35(IST)
07:02(IST)

LUNCH: That's a great session for the Indians as they move to 389/5 at lunch. Now India have laid the foundation and need to finish the kob to get a big first innings score. Australia, on the other hand have to play the waiting game and wait for the batsmen to make mistakes. 

06:57(IST)
06:54(IST)

Labuschagne comes into the attack right before lunch. He has been a touch expensive in his previous four overs. But this time just two runs come from it. India are 380/5. 

06:47(IST)

A rare shot in the air by Pujara as Hazlewood just drops his pace. The bowler is unable to pick it, but unfortunately there are no fielders around. India move to 373/5. 

06:39(IST)

Australian fast bowlers look tired as all have bowled over 20 overs. That has what Pujara has ensured. And the worst part for Australia is that five India wickets still remain, India move to 367/5. 

06:34(IST)
06:26(IST)

Pujara is continuing to bat like a dream as he transfers his weight beautifully and cuts Lyon for a four. This is exceptional batting from him as India reach 358/5.

06:22(IST)

FOUR: What a shot that by Pant. Starc delivers a yorker at 150.6 kmph and the batsman manages to punch it through mid on for a four. That is easily shot of the day and one that will give Pant immense confidence. India move to 353/5. 

06:16(IST)
06:14(IST)

FOUR, FOUR: That's an expensive over by Starc. First Pujara and then Pant score boundaries off him. India move to 345/5. 

06:09(IST)

Till now Rishabh Pant has been kept quiet, but with Lyon bowling at him and Paine chirping from behind, you can expect some fireworks. India are 335/5. 

05:59(IST)
05:56(IST)

OUT: What a heartbreaking end for Hanuma Vihari's resistance. He tries to sweep Lyon but the ball takes the edge, straight into the hands of the short leg fielder. He is out for 42. India are 329/5. 

05:53(IST)

150 FOR PUJARA: The batsman dances down the track to Lyon and sends the ball mid off boundary to bring up his 150. What a wonderful innings that is. That's also 100-run partnership between these two. 

05:45(IST)

It's been a slow morning till now. India would be looking to up the ante now as first hour on day two has already passed. India have added just 16 runs. The score moves to 319/4. 

05:34(IST)
05:32(IST)

There is still some good bounce on the pitch but that has not threatened Pujara and Vihari at all till now. Hazlewood completes yet another over as India are 314/4.

05:23(IST)

The best part about playing in Australian grounds is that the boundaries are longish and the outfield heavy. The batsmen might not get as many fours, but twos and threes are always on. Pujara and Vihari getting a lot of those. Meanwhile another over from Hazlewood comes to an end as India move to 314/4.

05:19(IST)

It's been a quiet morning till now for the Indians where they have scored five runs in four overs. The ploy is clear, to bat only once in this twice, and bundle out the opposition twice. India stay at 308/4. 

05:14(IST)
05:09(IST)

Cummins starts the proceedings from the other end. He keeps it tight and pitches the ball a little fuller from what he had been bowling yesterday. Pujara adds two more runs to his tally as India reach 308/4. 

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India vs Australia, Live Cricket Score, 4th Test, Day 2 in Sydney: Pant Slams Fifty After Pujara's Dismissal

(AP Photo)

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Live updates:FIFTY FOR PANT: That's the third fifty for Pant in Tests. He has shown that he can hang around and play patiently. This innings will hold him in good stead. India are 426/6.

Follow our live cricket scores between of the second day of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia through our live blog.

Day 1 review: The rock has now turned run machine. Cheteshwar Pujara scored his third century of the series to lead India's dominant batting display on the first day of the fourth and final Test in Sydney against Australia.

Pujara remained unbeaten on 130 and had Hanuma Vihari for company on 39 as India ended the first day on 303 for 4. The platform was set by Mayank Agarwal, who scored 77 off 112 balls. Josh Hazlewood bagged two wickets while the other bowlers struggled on an unhelpful pitch. There wasn't much turn or seam movement, although there was good bounce and carry.

India won a crucial toss and opted to bat first. It was a massive advantage, but India started off in a now familiar fashion, with KL Rahul nicking Josh Hazlewood to first slip in the second over. Rahul returned to the XI after being dropped for the previous Test, but there was no change in form.

At 10 for 1, it was familiar territory for Pujara. He settled in, while Agarwal piled on the runs at the other end. Agarwal was confident, driving anything full and in his zone through the off-side. India took the first session, going to lunch at 69 for 1.

The scoring rate improved in the second session, with Agarwal opening up a bit further. Australia's pacers switched to a short-ball strategy against Agarwal, but he still punched and occasionally pulled to collect runs. He took the attack to Lyon, smashing him for a straight six down the ground as the partnership crossed 100 off 179 balls.

Agarwal cruised into the 70s, and a maiden Test century was there for the taking. However, he threw it away, trying to attack Lyon again. One ball after he had stepped out to hit Lyon for a straight six, Agarwal tried an encore, only to mishit to long-on.

In walked Kohli, with a solid platform at 126 for 2. His first scoring shot of the year was a gorgeous cover drive off Hazlewood, and he settled in nicely along with Pujara. India went to tea at 177 for 2, the session run-rate improving to 3.86 after the first session's 2.88.

India were dented immediately after the break when Kohli was strangled down the leg-side by Hazlewood, falling in a rather soft manner. Just like the captain, his deputy Ajinkya Rahane too got a start but perished to a brute of a bouncer from Mitchell Starc which he edged behind.

Pujara, though, kept going. He showed that he can be versatile too; his knock wasn't all about block-block-block. Yes, he was steady and stubborn in defence but was also quick to punish the loose ones. He got plenty of those from part-time legspinner Marnus Labuschagne, who bowled multiple long-hops which were smashed to the boundary. One such four helped him past his half-century.

Pujara was also brilliant against Lyon, often using his feet to on-drive for boundaries. He got to his century flicking Starc to the deep square-leg rope.

Australia would have hoped for a few quick strikes with the second new ball, but Vihari ensured that wouldn't happen. He was freeflowing in stroke-play, and used the pace to good effect cutting and punching on the up. He did get a few short balls from Pat Cummins, but survived those to ensure India finished on top.

Team Rankings

RankTeamPointsRating
1 India 4397 116
2 England 5310 108
3 New Zealand 3213 107
4 South Africa 3712 106
5 Australia 3663 102
FULL Ranking
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