AUS vs IND, 4th Test: Bumrah shines but Lyon-Boland partnership frustrates India on Day 4

AUS vs IND, 4th Test: Bumrah shines but Lyon-Boland partnership frustrates India on Day 4

A genius, high on speed and tempered with sense, largely owned a Sunday under Melbourne’s deep blue skies. Jasprit Bumrah’s inroads into Australia’s second innings and the host’s gritty lower-order resistance left the fourth Test poised on the razor’s edge.

At close on the fourth day, Australia posted 228 for nine in its second innings and has an overall lead of 333. The last-wicket pair of Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland resisted all that the visitors flung at them and frustrated Rohit Sharma’s men.

After India finished its first innings at 369 in the morning with centurion Nitish Kumar (114) being the last man to be dismissed, Australia had the task of converting the 105-run lead into a challenging target. Bumrah, though, had other ideas and relentlessly probed around the stumps.

Sam Konstas gave the charge, played and missed, while Usman Khawaja dug in. Bumrah castled Konstas and the Melbourne Cricket Ground came alive. The debutant retreated and even as Khawaja essayed some pulls, the latter had to grapple with Mohammed Siraj.

The speedster got one to dart in and as the stumps were pegged back, Siraj gesticulated to the crowd to stay quiet. Obviously, the reflexive booing that has greeted him Down Under, has rankled the speedster.

In the second session, Australia had to both stabilise and accelerate and with Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith at the crease, there was hope. The former picked fours off Bumrah and Siraj. Rohit pressed Nitish into service and the crowd acknowledged the latest star with a roar. But it was Siraj, who broke through as he forced Smith to go searching outside the off-stump.

Once Smith left, Rohit smartly called Bumrah for another spell. This was a moment tailor-made for a great player to impose his will, and the spearhead delivered. Travis Head, cramped by Bumrah’s angle, tried to force one towards the on-side and found Nitish waiting. In the same over, a tentative Mitchell Marsh attempted to ride the extra bounce and ended up feathering one to Rishabh Pant.

In his next over, Bumrah scythed through Alex Carey’s stumps. This was fast bowling of extreme menace and enormous merit. And the torrid spell read 3-1-4-3 while Australia gasped at 91 for six.

Meanwhile, Labuschagne motored on. Dropped on 46 by Yashasvi Jaiswal off Akash Deep, the batter got to his fifty, and with Pat Cummins, stretched Australia to 135 for six at tea.

In the last session, Labuschagne (70) fell to Siraj and when Mitchell Starc sought a risky two, he was left stranded by Rishabh Pant’s throw at the non-striker’s stumps. Skipper Cummins, ever the thorn in India’s flesh, hung in for a vital 41 till Ravindra Jadeja drew an edge.

The final pair of Lyon and Boland doggedly resisted through a 55-run unfinished partnership. Bumrah even ‘scalped’ Lyon with a no-ball in the day’s last over before sheepishly realising the over-stepping bit. Monday will be about agony or ecstasy, the Indians would hope for the second part.