Final Score: India: 272 - 201 / 10 in 69.4 overs RR: 2.89, Australia: 604/7 d - 167/5 d in 46.0 overs RR: 3.63
Whitewash Down Under
It took Australia only 13.5 overs on last day of the series to complete 4-0 whitewash over India. The 298-run victory for the hosts at Adelaide culminated what has been a clinical performance over the last five weeks. For India, the ignominy of conceding overseas tests that statrted during the English Tour continued as they have now lost eight consecutive Tests on foreign soil.
Resuming at 116 for 6, India needed to bat through the day for a draw or score an unlikely 334 for a win. With just four wickets remaining and no specialist batsmen left after Virat Kohli’s run-out yesterday evening, India had little hopes of achieving any of the two. They could score only 35 more before the Australian victory parade got underway.
Ishant Sharma, who had come as a nightwatchman found himself in the company of Wriddhiman Saha, edged Ryan Harris to the keeper for 2. Saha too couldn’t do much and was caught by Brad Haddin off Peter Siddle in the next over.
Zaheer Khan swung his bat and connected thrice before Ben Hilfenhaus had him caught by David Warner at covers. Shortly afterwards, Umesh Yadav poked at a Nathan Lyon delivery and Haddin pulled off his third catch to end the torment for India and its huge fan following.
While India showed their usual tendency of sinking without a fight, the little passage of play in a way summed up Australia’s team effort in the series. The four Indian wickets were shared by all the four frontline bowlers even as Nathan Lyon took 4-63 against the ‘best’ players of spin.
The battered Indian side now changes uniform for the limited overs leg. It remains to be seen if the World Champions any anything differenmt to offer than the capitulation in the Tests.
Day 4: Bulletin on next page
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