Aussies survive scare as Indian hero turns villain

Indian cricket fans have turned on record-setting wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant after he went from hero to zero in the fourth Test.

Centurions Cheteshwar Pujara and Pant’s contrasting career highlights broke records and Australia’s resolve on day two of the fourth Test at the SCG, where India declared at 7-622.

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The tourists were looking to ram home their sizeable advantage with some early wickets when paceman Mohammed Shami caught Usman Khawaja’s edge.

The Aussie opener was still yet to score a run when Pant dived to his left in an attempt to take what should have been a regulation catch.

However, after bludgeoning a new highest Test score of 159 not out earlier in the final session, Pant put down the chance to let the Aussies off the hook.

Khawaja (5 not out) and opening partner Marcus Harris (19 not out) survived as the Aussies navigated to stumps at 0-24 – trailing India’s first innings total by 598 runs.

While some fans were quick to forgive Pant after his batting heroics, others were not so generous on social media.

Australia’s misfiring attack continued to toil on Friday for scant reward, picking up a wicket in each session as Pujara extended his most-productive series with a patient 193.

Pujara’s highest score outside India was followed by the biggest of Pant’s career, 159 not out, and Ravindra Jadeja’s knock of 81.

Pujara’s dismissal reduced India to 6-418 but Pant and Jadeja put on 204 runs, a venue record for the seventh wicket, before the latter’s dismissal prompted Virat Kohli to show some mercy.0

A demoralised Australia took the third new ball after tea but couldn’t avoid the ignominy of their opposition reaching 600, a monstrous total that has India perfectly placed to complete an emphatic maiden Test series win in Australia.

It’s just the 10th time in history that a team has compiled such an imposing Test total against Australia in Australia.

Pant strolled to three figures off 137 balls, making history when he smacked a full delivery from Marnus Labuschagne to the rope to reach three figures, then needed 48 more deliveries to reach 150.

Pant produced the first Test century by an Indian keeper in Australia.

Khawaja arrived at the venue on Friday morning with high hopes of Australia’s quicks running through the middle order and tail of India, who resumed at 4-303.

Instead, Khawaja found himself rolling his arm over in the day’s final session as Tim Paine struggled to come up with fresh ideas on a placid pitch.

Pujara, who chipped a catch back to Nathan Lyon, was the sole wicket in the post-lunch session on day two.

The morning session was likewise lopsided, with Hanuma Vihari’s dismissal to Lyon for 42 the only wicket to fall.

Jadeja, bowled by Lyon in search of his ninth boundary, was the only Indian wicket lost in the final session.

Pant and Jadeja combined for the third 100-plus partnership of the innings.

Australia’s misfiring batsmen, by contrast, have managed a single 100-plus partnership in the entire series.

With AAP