Bumrah is the star with four wickets but Australia’s lead pushes the lead past 300 on day four of the fourth Test.
Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah was at his unplayable best on the fourth day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, taking 4-56, including his 200th wicket, in a stunning performance against Australia.
Bumrah dominated Australia’s middle order on Sunday, beating Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey cheaply before the home side’s tail wagged, reaching 228-9 with a day’s play to spare. Australia leads by 333 runs with the five-match series tied at 1-1.
Earlier, Australia lost four wickets for 11 runs in 22 deliveries, plunging from 80-2 to 91-6 in a dramatic middle-order collapse after lunch.
But the home side recovered thanks to a 57-run partnership between Marnus Labuschagne (70) and Pat Cummins (41).
India continued on Sunday at 358-9 and were bowled out for 369 points while the home team scored 474 points.
Nitish Kumar Reddy scored 114 as the highest score. It was the 21-year-old’s first century in his fourth Test. Cummins (3-89), Scott Boland (3-57) and spinner Nathan Lyon (3-96) took three wickets each.
Reddy said it was a special moment that family and friends, including his father Mutyala, watched as he scored his first Test century.
“It was a special century for me and my father,” said Reddy. “When I was nothing, my father was the first person to believe in me. He believed in me and gave up his job for me.
“He made a lot of sacrifices. I’m so grateful to have a father like him.”
Australia slowly crept up to 53-2 after 25 overs from Lunch in the second innings on a pitch that continued to allow sideways movement. Openers Sam Kontas (eight) and Usman Khawaja (21) were eliminated before the break.
Mohammed Siraj (3-66) sparked a collapse by removing first-innings century maker Steve Smith, who was trailing by 13 at 80-3.
In the next over, Bumrah broke through twice. The 31-year-old took his 200th wicket by removing Head caught at forward square leg for one, and Marsh was caught four balls later for a duck.
The 44-Test captain Bumrah picked up his fourth wicket of the innings when he bowled Carey (2) in his next over as Australia reeled to 91-6.
Labuschagne described the bowling of Bumrah, who took 29 wickets in the series at an average of 13.24, as “relentless”.
“He just bowls a relentless length. He attacks the stumps. It’s hard to navigate,” Labuschagne said. “He was hot. He had three wickets in two overs. He was very good in this series.”
Yashavi Jaiswal missed three catches in the field, including Labuschagne’s drop at gully on 46th and Cummins on 21st at Silly Point.
Australia regained their composure and extended the lead to over 250 before Siraj dismissed Labuschagne lbw for 148-7. Mitchell Starc (5) was eliminated shortly after tea at 156-8.
Cummins was caught at slip 17 runs later but India wasted a fourth chance when Siraj missed a catch-and-bowl chance while Lyon was at five.
Lyon (41 not out) and Boland (10 not out) added to India’s frustration with an unbeaten 55-run partnership for the final wicket. Bumrah had Lyon caught at slips for 35 in the last over of the day, but it was a no-ball.
The most successful run-chase in a Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since 2000 is Australia’s 231-2 against England in the 2013-14 season.
Reddy said it was important to have “one or two good partnerships” to give India a chance of winning.
“Later on the fourth day, we can see that the pitch performed a little better,” Reddy said. “We don’t need to put more pressure (on ourselves) by saying the place does this or that.”
The five-game series is 1-1. The fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar series is scheduled to begin on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
