BRISBANE, Dec 20:
A listless India capitulated to a four-wicket defeat in the second cricket Test against Australia with an inept batting display by the top-order to give the hosts an invincible 2-0 lead in the four-match series here today.
Resuming at the overnight score of 71 for one, the visitors lost four wickets in quick succession with an addition of only 16 runs and were eventually bowled out for 224 in 64.3 overs.
Chasing a paltry victory target of 128, Australians lost as many as six wickets but were always in control as they knocked off the required runs with more than a day to spare in what turned out to be a miserable fourth day for the Indians at the Gabba.
Nothing seemed to go write for the visitors when play started this morning with regular opener and overnight unbeaten batsman Shikhar Dhawan (81) not coming out to bat.
Dhawan, apparently suffered an injury to his right wrist during the morning practice session which led to Virat Kohli (1) coming out with Cheteshwar Pujara (43).
Kohli’s early departure virtually triggered off the collapse as Mitchell Johnson ripped through the top-order and finished with figures of four for 61 while Josh Hazlewood (2/74), Mitchell Starc (2/27) and Nathan Lyon (2/33) also chipped in.
Had it not been for 60-run eighth wicket partnership between Dhawan and Umesh Yadav (30), India wouldn’t have been able to set a three-figure target.
Australian run-chase was marked by two early jolts with David Warner (6) and Shane Watson (0) and though they continued to lose wickets, the target was never beyond reach.
Mitchell Marsh’s cover drive brought about the victory triggering off scenes of celebrations in the Australian camp as the players hugged each other.
The defeat also brought to the fore India’s dismal record outside the sub-continent with their 15th defeat in the last three and half years.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s poor track record as Test captain in overseas conditions continued as he lost his 14th Test match outside the sub-continent. Dhoni has now lost seven Tests in England, four in Australia, one in New Zealand, one in South Africa since 2011.
The two teams will now travel to Melbourne for the ‘Boxing Day’ Test with Australia needing a win or atleast a draw to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. (PTI)
Scoreboard
India 1st Innings: 408
Australia 1st Innings: 505
India 2nd innings (Overnight 71/1)
M Vijay b Starc 27
S Dhawan lbw Lyon 81
C Pujara c Lyon b Hazlewood 43
V Kohli b Johnson 1
A Rahane c Lyon b Johnson 10
R Sharma c Haddin b Johnson 0
MS Dhoni lbw Hazlewood 0
R Ashwin c Haddin b Starc 19
U Yadav c Haddin b Johnson 30
V Aaron c Hazlewood b Lyon 3
I Sharma not out 1
Extras (lb-2, w-5, nb-2) 9
Total (all out; 64.3 overs) 224
Australia 2nd innings (target: 128 runs)
C Rogers c Dhawan b Ishant 55
D Warner c Dhoni b Ishant 6
S Watson c Dhoni b Ishant 0
S Smith run out (Yadav/†Dhoni) 28
S Marsh c Dhoni b Yadav 17
B Haddin c Kohli b Yadav 1
M Marsh not out 6
M Johnson not out 2
Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-1, nb-6) 15
Total (For 6 wickets; 23.1 overs) 130
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