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An unbeaten 75 from debutant Moises Henriques averted a fourth-day defeat for Australia, who closed just 40 ahead of India at 232-9 in the first Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium here yesterday. |
India off-spinner R Ashwin snatched his second fifer before Henriques struck his second half-century of the match on a difficult pitch taking the Test into the fifth day.
The tourists looked set to lose by an innings after slumping to 170-8, 17 runs short of making India bat again. But Henriques, who made 68 in the first innings, hit eight boundaries and put on 57 with last man Nathan Lyon (8).
Earlier on resumption, India ended their first innings at 572, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni stretching his score to 224. Australia had made 380 in their first outing.
Henrique and Lyon frustrated the Indian bowlers with their stubborn yet attacking stand after the Indian spinners reduced Australia to 175 for nine. Ashwin finished the day with five for 90, while Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh, playing his 100th Test, got two wickets each.
Henriques struck six fours and two sixes in his 124-ball knock, getting to his fifty with a straight six off Harbhajan.
Australian openers Ed Cowan (32) and Shane Watson (17) looked comfortable to start with as the effect of heavy roller softened the pitch somewhat. Watson was promoted up the order after regular opener David Warner was down with an upset stomach.
Minutes before lunch, Ashwin dismissed a hapless Watson, caught by Virender Sehwag at first slip, leaving Australia at 34 for one.
Cowan (32) and Warner (23) stuck their heels for a while, but Ashwin struck again to get rid of Cowan, trapping him lbw. It triggered a middle-order collapse as Australia went from 64 for one to 121 for five.
Phil Hughes followed Cowan, unable to cope with a vicious delivery from Jadeja gloving it to Sehwag.
Harbhajan got Warner leg-before and then bowled wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (8) as the batsman tried to sweep.
Shortly after tea, skipper Michael Clarke began belligerently, but it was too good to last. He was trapped leg-before by Ashwin with one that came in sharply and low.
Henriques then waged the grim battle with the tailenders, but double strikes by Ashwin left them staring at an innings defeat.
India, resuming at 515 for eight, added 57 runs in the first hour before their innings was terminated. Dhoni added 18 runs to his overnight 206 before becoming James Pattinson’s (5-95) fifth victim, caught behind hooking.
Dhoni’s stupendous 224 is now the third highest score by a wicket-keeper. Overnight batsman Bhuvneshwar Kumar also made a fighting 38.