AUSTRALIA has capitulated at the crease on day three of its second Test match in India, squandering a golden opportunity to level the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The tourists went from claiming a first innings lead, to losing 8-28 in 74 balls before lunch on the very next day, setting India a measly target of 115 which was surpassed with six wickets to spare.

Spin once again proved king in Australia’s decisive second innings, as Ravindra Jadeja (7-42) combined with Ravichandran Ashwin (3-59) to turn the tide in remarkable fashion. Jadeja ended with 10 wickets en route to back-to-back player of the match honours, with the pair now laying claim to 31 of their side’s 40 wickets for the series.

As was the case in game one, Australia won the toss and elected to bat, with David Warner and Usman Khawaja breaking to a 50-run opening wicket stand. After Warner became the first of Mohammed Shami‘s four victims, Khawaja went on with things to notch up a stylish 81.

Ashwin (3-57) then snared the key breakthroughs of Marnus Labuschagne (18) and Steve Smith (0) within three deliveries of each other, but revelation returnee Peter Handscomb picked up the slack to finish unbeaten on 72. His partnership with skipper Pat Cummins (33) made for a solid first innings total of 263.

Though India capped off day one with typical assuredness, things began to unravel once Nathan Lyon got to work the following morning. The prolific offie tore through the hosts’ top order, claiming 5-67 as Australia restricted the scoring and turned the game in its favour.

Debutant Matt Kuhnemann snared the first two wickets of his Test career, including that of Virat Kohli, who looked locked in throughout his 84-ball effort of 44. India’s tail wagged though, and Axar Patel (74) waxed with Ashwin (37) to whittle Australia’s lead down to a single run.

Concussion, and a fracture to his left elbow, rendered Warner unavailable for the remainder of the match, handing Matt Renshaw a reprieve and prompting Australia to rejig its batting order. In the second dig, Travis Head opened up and looked in fine fettle, as he and Labuschagne got their side to 1-61 at the close of play on day two.

Despairingly, both batters departed in relatively quick time on day three, top-scoring with 43 and 35 respectively before the tourists’ middle order fell to pieces. No other Aussie breached double-figures as Jadeja and Ashwin ran riot in an unbroken bowling partnership, limiting the total to 113 after just 31.1 overs.

India’s chase was even shorter than that, with captain Rohit Sharma setting an aggressive tone for his 20-ball stay of 31, leaving Cheteshwar Pujara (31) and keeper KS Bharat (23) to hit the winning runs. In his 100th Test, Pujara did so with a boundary to put his side 2-0 up in the series.

Australia next travels to Indore for the third Test of the four-match series, which it now only stands a chance of levelling. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will thus remain in India’s hands, though Australia still has a spot in the ICC World Test Championship final, and number one ranking to play for.

SCORECARD

TOSS: Australia won the toss and elected to bat
RESULT: India (262 & 4-118) def. Australia (263 & 113) by 6 wickets.
POTM: Ravindra Jadeja (India)

1st Innings: Australia 263 (78.4)
Usman Khawaja 81 (125), Peter Handscomb 72* (142), Pat Cummins 33 (59)
Mohammed Shami 4-60 (14.4), Ravichandran Ashwin 3-57 (21), Ravindra Jadeja 3-68 (21)

2nd Innings: India 262 (83.3)
Axar Patel 74 (115), Virat Kohli 44 (84), Ravichandran Ashwin 37 (71)
Nathan Lyon 5-67 (29), Todd Murphy 2-53 (18), Matt Kuhnemann 2-72 (21.3)

Australia led by 1 run.

3rd Innings: Australia 113 (31.1)
Travis Head 43 (46), Marnus Labuschagne 35 (50), Steve Smith 9 (19)
Ravindra Jadeja 7-42, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-59, Axar Patel 0-2 (1)

Australia led by 114 runs.

4th Innings: India 4-118 (26.4)
Cheteshwar Pujara 31* (74), Rohit Sharma 31 (20), KS Bharat 23* (22)
Nathan Lyon 2-49 (12), Todd Murphy 1-22 (6.4), Travis Head 0-9 (1)

India won by 6 wickets.