Australia will be really happy about not losing a wicket so far on Day 4 of the Perth Test. The hosts now have a 233-run lead against India.
For Australia, star batsmen Usman khawaja and Tim Paine are unbeaten and look to add more runs on Day 4 of the second Test at Perth. With a display of good temperament and grit, Khawaja stepped up yet again to score his solid 14th Test fifty of 155 balls as Australia’s lead swelled to 200.
Earlier, the Indians batted for a little over one session and added 111 runs to their overnight score before being bowled out, handing a lead of 43 to their opposition. The way Aussies have batted has kept them majorly ahead in the game.
Ajinkya Rahane in an interview with Michael Howard said that the team is looking to stay in the present, and feels they have to bowl well in the first hour. However, the way Indian bowlers have bowled early in the day showed that things have not gone for them according to what they had planned.
The Indian seamers consistently tried to bowl short pitched bowls but failed to get the expected results.
According to stats, out of the total 57 balls bowled in the morning by team India bowlers, only four could hit the stumps. However, the bowling attack managed to stop the flow of runs and keep the Aussies under pressure as only 15 runs came off the first 12 overs, since that start of play today.
It was in the 55th over when India missed a run out chance as speedster Jasprit Bumrah had a shy at the non-striker’s end, but missed to hit the stumps.
The pitch reports stated that there was plenty of action for the spinner for the day, but rookie Hanuma Vihari, who was expected to get some advantage from the cracks, failed to impress.
Earlier on Day 3, India resumed from their overnight score of 172/3 and India skipper Virat Kohli's classic centurion knock helped the visitors post a total of 283 runs on the board before being bowled out.
Australia had posted 33/0 at tea, with Aaron Finch, who was batting on 25, forced to retire hurt just before the break after being hit on his hand by a Mohammed Shami delivery.
In a major relief for Australia, opener Aaron Finch was cleared of any serious injury on his right index finger after being hit by a nasty Mohammed Shami short-pitched delivery on Day 3 of the second India-Australia Test match at Perth.
Finch had walked off the field suspecting a fracture for 25 after his index finger jammed between the ball and handle in the 13th over of Australia’s second innings. X-rays, however, revealed no great cause of concerns but importantly, it is still not clear whether he will be able to take any further part in the ongoing second Test match.