Melbourne Test: Indian bowlers choke Australia, raise hopes of comeback victory

CHENNAI: Day by day, India are beginning to take control of the Boxing Day Test. On Monday, after taking a 131-run lead, an all-round effort from the bowlers put a series-levelling win in sight of India, as Australia finished at 133-6.

Rookie Cameron Green and Pat Cummins with a 34-run unbroken stand have ensured India will bat again. With only bowlers to follow, Australia are staring at a second successive Boxing Day Test defeat against India.

Resuming with an 82-run lead, India added only 49 more, losing five wickets in the morning session. The 131-run lead meant it was up to the bowlers once again to restrict Australia, as batting fourth could get tougher on a pitch beginning to get slower.

Though there are no signs of the ball keeping low and inconsistent bounce, India would be looking to complete the job as quickly as possible on Tuesday. Any target above 100 has the potential to make it a close contest, given Australia's attack which has matched India's in the two Tests.

While the Indians definitely hit the bed happy on Monday night, they still have some worries. Umesh Yadav could only bowl 3.3 overs before limping off with a calf problem after removing opener Joe Burns with a peach of a ball. While it reduced India to a four-man attack, they rarely took their feet off the pedal, keeping the hosts under pressure with leg theory that has so far kept Steve Smith quiet. With scores of 1, 1*, 0, 8, he averages 3.33 in this series.

Once Smith was taken out, this Australian batting line-up was not going to trouble India. Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj ensured Umesh is not missed just yet. From a bowling unit with the ability to adjust to any sort of condition, this was another standout effort.

Unlike Day 1, the pitch didn't have moisture, nor was there any swing on offer. The bowlers still chose to trust their skills, set fields accordingly and took wickets by building pressure. If Australia's run-rate was 2.69 in the first innings, it was 2.01 in the second, meaning they were made to work hard for each run.

“The track on the first day was very helpful for bowling but it became very slow today. Not much is happening and there wasn't much swing on offer. The key is to remain patient and hit one area consistently. Jassi (Bumrah) bhai told me not to try anything different. Bowl in one area, create pressure with dot balls and there should be equal focus on each ball,” said Siraj, who dismissed Travis Head.

According to Cricviz data, Indian pacers have found less swing than their Australian counterparts this Test, yet they average better thanks to their discipline. They have landed 48 per cent of their deliveries on a good length, which has made batsmen play. Even the spinners, Ashwin and Jadeja, adjusted their lines, with the off-spinner even having a fielder at cover thanks to the slow nature of the surface.

“We've only got ourselves to blame a little bit, but they've (India) been pretty much on the mark from the start. Our intent is to go out and score obviously as a batting group and individually, but they're making it quite challenging at times. It is hard to get going, they're bowling pretty well, pretty straight, making it hard to score,” said Matthew Wade, who top-scored with 40.