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Australia v India Second Test | Day 4 in Perth

Tim Paine delivered a cutting sledge about Virat Kohli after Nathan Lyon dismissed the Indian skipper to cripple the visitors.

James MattheyJames Matthey
@jamesmatthey
10 min read
December 17, 2018 - 9:53PM
The Aussies had the last laugh at Kohli’s expense.
The Aussies had the last laugh at Kohli’s expense.

Live Second Test, Australia vs India

Welcome to our live coverage of day four of the second Test in Perth between Australia and India.

Spinner Nathan Lyon claimed the prized wicket of Indian captain Virat Kohli as Australia closed in on victory in the second Test in Perth on Monday.

Set 287 to win on an unpredictable pitch, India were reduced to 112 for five at stumps on the fourth day.

Hanuma Vihari sits on 24 not out while Rishabh Pant goes to bed on nine.

The visitors still needed 175 to win with just five wickets in hand as Australia seek to level the four-Test series.

India lead 1-0 after victory in Adelaide, but have never won a Test series in Australia. The loss of Kohli appeared a fatal blow to their chances of a famous win.

8.27pm

Rahane sent packing, Pant loses his mind

Ajinkya Rahane tried upping the ante late in the day as India plundered through to stumps but found himself victim of a massive brain fade, falling to Josh Hazlewood for 30.

The Indian batsman threw his hands at a wide one but picked out Travis Head at point, who took a good grab off the searing square drive.

But Rishabh Pant took the cake for the biggest brain fade.

The Indian No. 7 tried belting Nathan Lyon over mid-wicket and was almost caught with an over left in the play.

Former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting was not impressed.

“Did that just happen? That is staggering. The last of the recognised batsmen, 5:48pm, his team trailling by 175, he runs down and tries to slog one over midwicket,” an incredulous Ponting said from the commentary box.

7.15pm

Lyon gets Kohli, Paine lands killer blow

Australia celebrated wildly when Nathan Lyon took the prized wicket of Virat Kohli for 17.

Kohli pressed forward but was undone by a lack of turn, outside edging to Usman Khawaja at first slip.

India’s hopes rested on Kohli’s shoulders and the tourists’ chances of winning took a huge nosedive with his dismissal.

“The joy amongst the Australians in the field said it all,” Alison Mitchell said in commentary for Channel 7.

Lyon has now dismissed Kohli seven times in Test cricket. Only Englishmen James Anderson and Graeme Swann (eight times each) have had more success against him in the whites.

Tim Paine then added insult to injury to Kohli. The two captains were engaged in a sledging war earlier in the day and after his rival skipper was sent packing the Aussie gloveman was heard having a chat to the not out batsman Murali Vijay.

“I know he’s your captain but you can’t seriously like him as a bloke,” Paine said. “You couldn’t possibly like him.”

Lyon then struck in his next over, ripping a ball back into Vijay as the opener tried to drive through cover. The ball spun enough to catch his inside edge and was dragged back onto the stumps and Vijay was on his way for 20, leaving India reeling at 4/55.

7pm

Kohli fights back

Virat Kohli has copped an absolute pasting from Aussie cricket greats over the past couple of days for his antics in the field and his sledging war with Tim Paine but as he did in the first innings he’s responding the best way possible — with his bat.

The Indian skipper has consolidated alongside Murali Vijay after the Indians lost two early wickets in their chase. Kohli is unbeaten on 15 and Vijay has moved to 18.

6pm

Starc’s perfect start, Hazlewood hits back

Whoops.
Whoops.

Mitchell Starc was on the money from the beginning, bowling KL Rahul for a duck in the first over.

Rahul was unsure whether to play or leave a full Starc inswinger and he paid the price for his indecision. The ball clipped his bat and ricocheted back onto the stumps.

Starc struck early in the first innings, bowling Murali Vijay with a similar delivery and he was on song again in the second innings.

Josh Hazlewood also made use of the new ball and the spicy pitch to get rid of Cheteshwar Pujara. He hit a good length and the Kookaburra reared off the surface, catching Pujara’s edge and he was caught behind for four.

India went to tea at 2/15 but Kohli, who came to the crease at the fall of Cheteshwar Pujara’s wicket, wasn’t taking it easy. According to former Indian star Akash Chopra, who is commentating in Perth, the captain spent the 20-minute break in the nets.

5.25pm

Brilliant Aussie partnership finally ends

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc both regularly backed away on a difficult pitch where self preservation was as important as scoring runs before their crucial 36-run 10th wicket stand came to an end.

Jasprit Bumrah bowled Starc for 14 but his partnership with his fast bowling comrade Hazlewood (17 not out) may prove vital in the context of the game as the Aussies built a lead of 286.

Australia lost 5/15 in a frenetic period after lunch but India was made to wait to mop up the tail as Starc and Hazlewood frustrated the tourists.

4.45pm

‘My god’: Aussies stung in cricket carnage

Nathan Lyon was struck in the head.
Nathan Lyon was struck in the head.

Tim Paine’s determined resistance came to an end when he copped a brute of a ball from Mohammed Shami that reared up and caught him on the hop.

Paine couldn’t handle the short ball and gloved it to Virat Kohli at slip. Kohli and Paine had been engaged in a slanging match on day three which spilled over into the morning session on day four and the Indian skipper laughed as his rival was sent packing for 37.

As India celebrated and Paine walked off, the gloveman turned around and appeared to exchange words with Kohli and Co.

“The Indians are carrying on with it to Tim Paine,” Mike Hussey said in commentary for Fox Crcket.

Aaron Finch returned to the crease after retiring hurt on Sunday when he got hit on the finger but was caught down the leg side very next ball for 25. Mohammed Shami was on a hat-trick with the first ball of his next over but couldn’t dislodge Usman Khawaja.

But the speedster only had a few more overs to wait to get his man. Khawaja had been so disciplined outside off stump in this innings but fended at a short-of-a-length delivery that flew off the pitch and he gloved behind to the wicketkeeper.

His dismissal for 72 from 213 balls meant Australia had lost 3/6 after lunch and gave Shami his fifth scalp for the innings.

The news got worse for the home team when Jasprit Bumrah bowled Pat Cummins for one with a ball that barely bounced at all and snuck under his bat. Australia had lost 4/8 to slump to 8/198 — a lead of 241.

But the Aussie bowlers would be happy with what they’re seeing from the pitch, with some balls flying around throats and others staying inexplicably low.

Play was stopped after Nathan Lyon was hit in the head by a Mohammed Shami bouncer as some commentators questioned whether Paine would declare to remove the risk of his bowlers getting injured on a surface Aussie legend Dean Jones suggested was becoming “dangerous”.

First ball after play resumed Lyon backed away to the leg side and cut a short ball to deep point.

“There’s injury risk out there for the tailenders. That’s plain to see,” Alison Mitchell said in commentary for Channel 7.

Speaking on Macquarie Sports Radio, broadcaster Tim Lane said: “It’s been a pretty terrifying hour for Australia’s batsmen.”

3.20pm

Aussies get to lunch unscathed

It was hard work but Tim Paine and Usman Khawaja battled through the morning session as Australia made it to lunch without losing a wicket.

Scoring was difficult and the home side added just 58 runs in two hours but importantly, it extended its lead to 233.

Paine was unbeaten on 37 while Khawaja had moved to 67 at the break.

2.50pm

Sledging war threatens to explode

Tempers threatened to boil over.
Tempers threatened to boil over.

Tim Paine and Virat Kohli exchanged words at the end of day three and the Indian skipper continued chirping on Monday.

Paine and Usman Khawaja were struggling to get the ball off the square in the first session and after another play and miss from the Aussie captain Kohli had some words for his opposite number, prompting Paine to reply with a self-depreciating assessment.

“Yeah, I’m no good,” Paine told Kohli. “We can’t all be The King.”

The banter became more heated next over as Kohli stationed himself at mid-on and kept badgering Paine, who wasn’t having a bar of it. Umpire Chris Gaffaney stepped in and tried to put an end to it.

“Oi, that’s enough, that’s enough,” he said. “Play the game. You guys are the captains.

“Tim, you’re the captain.

Paine didn’t seem too pleased at being told to pipe down, claiming there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.

“We’re allowed to talk. We can have a conversation. There’s no swearing,” he said.

Paine was heard having a crack at Kohli before the umpire intervened, saying: “You’re the one who lost it yesterday, why are you trying to be cool today?

“Keep your cool, Virat.”

As Paine raced through for a single to end the over Kohli came in from his fielding position and the pair made contact at the non-striker’s end. Kohli then stopped and complained to the umpire.

Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann took a dig at Kohli, saying Paine did absolutely nothing wrong in completing his run.

“If he got in my line and I’m running for a single, I’m running straight through him,” Lehmann told Macquarie Sports Radio.

2.35pm

Khawaja reaches an unusual 50

Usman Khawaja had to work damn hard for his runs.
Usman Khawaja had to work damn hard for his runs.

It’s been a case of slow and steady for Usman Khawaha, who reached his 14th Test half century from 155 balls — his slowest ever in Test cricket.

The No. 3 clipped Ishant Sharma through mid-wicket for three to bring up the milestone and his first 50 of the series.

Khawaja has been far from his fluent best this series and this knock has been no different. Usually a big boundary hitter, the left-hander has shelved the attacking strokes as he knuckled down and put a high price on his wicket.

“I’ve never seen him been so restricted in scoring,” Michael Slater said in commentary for Channel 7.

As the stats below show, rarely has Khawaja battled so hard and scored so slowly during a lengthy Test innings.

2.20pm

Aussie batsmen start slowly

Australia scored just 19 runs in the first hour of the day as India’s seamers regularly found the right lines and lengths.

Usman Khawaja was struggling to rotate the strike and was almost run out after setting off for a dicey single early in the day. But after getting out in the first innings from a loose cut shot he was showing great determination to leave anything wide outside his off stump.

Tim Paine was relying on singles worked off his hip to tick the scoreboard over as both batsmen found the going tough.

Michael Slater praised the hosts’ determination but questioned whether they were missing out on scoring opportunities by being so laser focused on defence.

“It’s just being ready to play that shot. If you get your mode in such a defensive mindset it’s very hard to click when you get that half volley and nail it,” Slater said in commentary for Channel 7.

12.15pm

Australian greats’ tag-team slam on Kohli

News story.
News story.

Indian captain Virat Kohli’s sportsmanship has been called into question by a host of Aussie Test greats following a heated day three in Perth.

Kohli’s prolonged conversation with Aussie captain Tim Paine, where Fox Cricket microphones picked up a series of sledges being traded between the warring captains, was one of the big talking points to emerge as Australia built a second innings lead of 175 heading into day four.

Kohli was at his animated best on Sunday, taking some digs at Australia’s batsmen as his bowlers delivered a series of bruising bouncers in the second Test at Perth Stadium.

The Indian skipper even spent some time trying to pump up the crowd as the on- field tension rose dramatically.

Aussie coach Justin Langer gave a curt response when aked on SEN Radio if he was comfortable with Kohli’s antics.

“It is what it is. It’s more white noise for us,” Langer said.

Some os his former teammates were among the Aussie legends to criticise Kohli’s behaviour.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen any captain carry on like that,” Former Test captain Allan Border said in commentary for Fox Cricket.

Test great Michael Hussey also told Fox Cricket: “Kohli is out of control... I don’t like his attitude at the moment”.

The criticism continued on Monday morning where Aussie greats John Hastings and Ryan Harris also suggested they had issues with Kohli.

“Kohli’s out of control,” Hastings told SEN Breakfast.

“The line hasn’t been crossed, it’s just the carry on.

“It’s the always geeing up the crowd and he just carries on, doesn’t he?

“He just flicks the switch at stages, it might be a little 10-over period where’s just out of control and it’s just, what are you doing mate? It’s not great.”

Harris told Macquarie Sports Radio: “The only thing that I look at is that when they get wickets he charges in at the batter.

“That’s what I don’t like. (I’m) Being one-sided at the moment, if we did something like that, we’d be in a bit of trouble.

“He keeps being able to charge in and say what he wants. It’s not a huge thing. I think Justin Langer nailed it pretty well when he said it’s just a bit of white noise.”

It came after Kohli’s decision not to walk on day three when he was dismissed in controversial circumstances off a scooping catch by Peter Handscomb was also criticised by Aussie greats Mitchell Johnson and Ed Cowan.

“There is zero doubt in my mind that this catch has carried,” Cowan told ABC Grandstand.

“Virat has made this a news story, and he shouldn’t. He should have the grace to walk off and say that was a fair catch”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/live-australia-v-india-second-test-day-4-in-perth/news-story/05a20cd44f4248a53f04b9cbe322585c