India’s top order in trouble against Australia on second day of fourth Test | Sports news

Steve Smith’s heroics and India’s late batting collapse put Australia firmly in control of the crucial fourth Test.

Australia’s scorching pace attack destroyed India’s top order to put them in the driving seat in the fourth Test after they set a daunting target in the first innings on the back of Steve Smith’s 34th Test century.

The visitors were 164-5 at the end of Friday’s day two play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, still 310 runs behind after Australia were bowled out for 474 shortly after lunch on the back of Smith’s stylish 140.

Rishabh Pant was not out on six and Ravindra Jadeja on four, with three wickets in the final half-hour splattering India’s momentum after 153-2.

Scott Boland and Pat Cummins took two wickets each.

Skipper Rohit Sharma returned to his usual role as opener after dropping to six in the last two Tests.

But that didn’t help his miserable recent form and he was out for three, gifting an attempted pull from Pat Cummins to Boland at mid-off for a simple catch.

Cummins pounced again to remove the in-form KL Rahul with the last ball before tea and bowled him for 24.

But opener Yashasvi Jaiswal stood firm with a quality innings, playing well from the front foot and cracking a number of stylish boundaries in his 82.

The 22-year-old, who scored 161 in the first Test in Perth, looked destined for another century but threw his wicket away in a comical mix-up with Virat Kohli.

Jaiswal laid out for a quick single off Boland but his teammate said no, leaving the youngster stranded, ending a perilous 102-run stand.

Kohli, who was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for a day one shoulder charge on Australian debutant Sam Konstas, was caught behind by Alex Carey for 36 off Boland, who then removed nightwatchman Akash Deep without scoring.

Smith takes control

The hosts resumed on 311-6 after a dominant opening day and plundered another 163 runs, with the composed Smith hitting 13 fours and three sixes.

Smith again came on 68, with Cummins next to him on eight.

They took 15 off a Deep over before Smith hooked Jasprit Bumrah for six to rub salt in the wounds, with India’s body language showing their frustration.

Smith reached his 34th Test century with a boundary off Nitish Kumar Reddy, who came on the back of a return to form in the last Test in Brisbane, where he made 101.

With landmarks out of the way, both men began swinging the bat and Cummins paid the price, caught for a fine 49 by Reddy in the deep off Jadeja to end a 112-run stand.

Starc was bowled by Jadeja for 15 in the first over after lunch, with Smith following in bizarre fashion.

Facing Deep, he danced down the wicket and looked to drive but got an inside edge where the ball bounced off his pads and trickled onto leg stump.

Nathan Lyon (13) was the last wicket to fall, lbw to Bumrah, who finished with 4-99.

The five-match series is locked at 1-1 after India won by 295 runs in Perth before being crushed by 10 wickets in Adelaide. The rain-affected third Test in Brisbane was drawn.