Bengaluru: It should go down as one of the most memorable, amazing comebacks in Indian Test history. Sure, it may not be a patch on the Kolkata heist in 2001 articulated by ,Harbhajan Singh but Virat Kohli’s feisty team, led by his go-to man R. Ashwin’s 25th five-for, stoked the fire like in the past.
Backed by their bowlers and stirred into a frenzy by a rousing, partisan 20,000-plus crowd, India scripted a sensational 75-run victory over Australia on the fourth afternoon of the second Test on Tuesday.
Set to chase a hugely tricky 188, the fifth highest if they could surmount it after India were bowled out for 274, Australia crashed to 112 in 35.4 overs with finger spinner Ashwin, whipping up the heat in spectacular fashion with a stunning 6-41, including a mind-blowing spell of 5-9 from 5.4 overs.
Game India. Match 1-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Two to go. Rivalry? Outstanding. Time then for the Ashes to be rested? If the M. Chinnaswamy stadium was a cauldron, then the Aussies were singed to the core: memories of Mumbai in 2004 when India silenced the Aussies for 93 setting them an even less — 107 — on a minefield at the Wankhede waltzed though the mind but this time there was even more to play for.
If the series had been already lost in 2004, it was thrown open by Steve O’Keefe in Pune: Kohli’s men had to pull off something special but they will be the first to admit they were never in this game for long durations.
Down for most part of the first three days save for the last session when Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane pulled them up for air, India bowled out at the stroke of lunch on the fourth day came out super-charged. Pujara (92, 293m, 221b, 7x4) and Rahane (52, 175m, 134b, 4x4) and their 118-run fifth wicket association gave the hosts enough runs on the board and the ammunition, well, the Indians led by Ashwin and with Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja proved too much for the visitors.
If the morning was about Josh Hazlewood’s career best figures of 6-67 to hasten the Indian innings as the hosts lost four wickets in eight deliveries and six for 36 in all to put a spin on the match, the second session was Ashwin’s.
Back in ’98, the Aussies, led by Mark Taylor had pulled off a 194-run chase here but the portents were different on this day: the personnel, the situation and of course, the rivalry which was non-existent then, was a 360-degree turner.
Ishant, tearing in, much as Mitchell Starc had done in the morning, fetched the breakthrough getting rid off Matt Renshaw but it was David Warner’s dismissal, who fell to Ashwin for the ninth time in 10 Tests that shook them. Trapped leg before, the Aussies went for the review and lost it as the umpire’s call was upheld.
It was to hurt them seriously. Shaun Marsh, adjudged lbw to Yadav erroneously, didn’t take the review in their hands and the rest played into Ashwin’s hands.
From 74-4, they lost their last six for 38 starting with Smith who was trapped plumb by Umesh Yadav.
