Temperamental flare-ups clouded what was otherwise an engrossing day’s cricket at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
While the sad passing away of Phillip Hughes had a sobering effect on the teams during the first three days, the heat of the battle finally got to the players in the Border-Gavaskar series.
The in-form David Warner made his second hundred of the first Test on a sweltering day but not before he was involved in two on-field incidents that brought the umpires into play.
As the dust settled on an eventful fourth day’s play that also saw Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon scalp five, Australia was 290 for five.
The host has an overall lead of 363 going into the final day on a surface that could offer increasing assistance to Lyon. If cracks develop under bright sunshine, the pacemen could also exploit them.
Having blundered by leaving out R. Ashwin, India will need to bat well to save the Test. First, the side will need to stay focused and not be distracted.
Frayed tempers, not unfamiliar in an India-Australia series, were on view after Warner, on 66, was bowled by Varun Aaron. The bowler and skipper Virat Kohli said ‘come on’ to each other before replays showed Aaron had overstepped.
Then, Warner, perhaps angered by Kohli’s extravagant celebrations, shouted back the same words at the Indians as he walked back to the crease. Soon Shikhar Dhawan got involved and Kohli had a word with the umpires who then spoke to Warner.
There was another flashpoint when Steve Smith stepped down and then padded up to a delivery from Rohit Sharma.
Smith signalled his unhappiness with the bowler’s prolonged appeal which forced a response from Rohit and Kohli. Before long Warner came running down from the non-striker’s end. The umpires had to intervene again.
The crowd, booed. The fault lay with cricketers from both sides.
Consecutive hundreds
Once Australia batted again, Warner held centre-stage. He had slices of luck but also played some emphatic strokes on both sides.
While much has been said about his aggression, Warner has tightened up his game. His back-lift is measured and straight, and he gets his feet into play.
This was an innings where he was willing to be patient. While aggression defines his cricket, Warner has comprehended the value of defence.
Warner’s straight hits — including one over Ishant’s head — and his cover drives were compelling. He swept and reverse swept the spinners even as he crossed 1,000 Test runs for the year.
Warner could have been dismissed on 89 had Vijay held on to a difficult, high catch at gully; Shami was the bowler.
The left-hander had earlier survived a vociferous caught behind appeal from the Indians who were convinced he had gloved Aaron in his bid to pull.
Ashwin was missed on a surface where Lyon had exploited the footmarks so well. India’s desperation was evident when Vijay was brought in to bowl his part-time off-spin in the 10th over.
In the last phase of the day, the lanky and exciting Mitchell Marsh (40 off 26 balls) upped the tempo with some clean hitting.
And Smith, who once again employed his feet delightfully to the spinners, essayed a few charming strokes to remain unbeaten on 52.
Earlier, Chris Rogers, searching for runs, miscued a swipe off Karn Sharma to mid-wicket, Shami reversed one to breach the fluent Shane Watson’s defence and Aaron got a leaden-footed Clarke to edge one outside off.
There were a couple of wickets for Karn but he should have operated with greater control on this track. The fizz off the track, an essential ingredient for a leg-spinner, was lacking.
In the pace attack, Aaron generated some speed, Ishant bowled with discipline and Shami got a few deliveries to swing the other way.
Interesting fields
Kohli tried some interesting field settings like having three fielders at mid-wicket for Smith, against Shami, in a bid to force the batsman to play towards the off and against the swing.
However, it was intriguing why India continued to send down several deliveries round the wicket when there are already marks for Lyon to work on.
In the morning, Lyon held one back slightly to hold a diving return catch from Rohit (43); this was a big strike.
A battling Wriddhiman Saha (25), as replays showed, was unlucky to be adjudged caught at slip off Lyon.
There were wickets for a rejuvenated Siddle while Shami clubbed some useful blows. But then, India would have expected to bat longer.
Scoreboard
Australia —1st innings: 517 for seven decl.
India — 1st innings: M. Vijay c Haddin b Johnson 53 (88b, 3x4, 2x6), S. Dhawan b Harris 25 (24b, 5x4), C. Pujara b Lyon 73 (135b, 9x4), V. Kohli c Harris b Johnson 115 (184b, 12x4), A. Rahane c Watson b Lyon 62 (76b, 10x4), Rohit c & b Lyon 43 (89b, 5x4), W. Saha c Watson b Lyon 25 (68b, 2x4), Karn b Siddle 4 (8b), M. Shami c Watson b Siddle 34 (24b, 3x4, 1x6), Ishant c Smith b Lyon 0 (2b), V. Aaron (not out) 3 (4b); Extras (lb-4, w-1, nb-2): 7; Total (in 116.4 overs): 444.
Fall of wickets : 1-30 (Dhawan), 2-111 (Vijay), 3-192 (Pujara), 4-293 (Rahane), 5-367 (Kohli), 6-399 (Rohit), 7-406 (Karn), 8-422 (Saha), 9-422 (Ishant).
Australia bowling : Johnson 22-6-102-2; Harris 21-6-55-1, Lyon 36-4-134-5, Siddle 18.4-2-88-2, Marsh 11-4-29-0; Watson 5-1-13-0, Smith 3-0-19-0.
Australia —2nd innings: C. Rogers c Rohit b Karn 21 (45b, 2x4), D. Warner b Karn 102 (166b, 11x4, 1x6), S. Watson b Shami 33 (86b, 4x4, 1x6), M. Clarke c Saha b Aaron 7 (20b, 1x4), S. Smith (batting) 52 (64b, 5x4), M. Marsh c Vijay b Rohit 40 (26b, 4x4, 3x6), B. Haddin (batting) 14 (15b, 2x4); Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-5, nb-9): 21; Total (for five wkts. in 69 overs): 290.
Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Rogers), 2-140 (Watson), 3-168 (Clarke), 4-213 (Warner), 5-266 (Marsh).
India bowling: Shami 11-2-42-1; Ishant 14-3-41-0, Karn 16-2-95-2, Vijay 6-0-27-0, Rohit 12-2-35-1, Aaron 10-0-43-1.
