Australia set 188-run target after India collapse

Bengaluru: Australia wrested the initiative with six wickets for 36 runs as India set the visitors a target of 188 runs in the second cricket Test here today.

Josh Hazlewood (6/67) and Mitchell Starc (2/74) were the wrecker-in-chiefs in the first session of the fourth day’s play at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, cutting short India’s second innings at 274 in 97.1 overs.

India had scored 189 in first innings after opting to bat. In reply, Australia scored 276 in their first innings, taking a lead of 87 runs.

Hazlewood bowled his heart out with the second new ball, which was taken after 80 overs. Trailing 0-1 in the four-match series, India were overnight 213 for four with Cheteshwar Pujara, who would eventually fall for 92, batting on 79.

Hazlewood took the prize wickets of Abhinav Mukund, skipper Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja yesterday and dismissed Pujara, Ravichandran Ashwin (4) and Umesh Yadav (1) in the fourth morning.

Bowling in tandem with Hazlewood, Starc rattled the Indian middle order by bagging the wickets of a well-set Ajinkya Rahane (52) and Karun Nair (0) off successive balls.

The last wicket was taken by Stephen O’Keefe when he removed Ishant Sharma for six off 28 balls, ending a dogged 16-run partnership.

Pujara and Rahane added 25 runs this morning before Rahane was trapped in front of the wicket by Starc.

Local lad Karun Nair, who had scored a brilliant triple century against England, failed for the second time in front of his home crowd as he was cleaned up by Starc.

Pujara was next to go as he was caught at gully by Mitchell Marsh off Hazlewood with the total reading 242 for seven.

In the same over, Ashwin was cleaned up by Hazlewood, and Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav did not survive long.