Pujara double ton puts India in charge

Cricket365
March 19, 2017

An immense knock from Cheteshwar Pujara helped India claim the advantage in an epic Test battle with Australia in Ranchi.

Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha resumed with India on 360/6 on the fourth morning still trailing Australia by 91 runs.

The pair would show great patience and would bat through two sessions without giving Australia a look in.

They would put on 199 runs for the seventh wicket and allow India to claim a vital lead in a match that may yet end in a draw but seems unlikely to conclude with a home loss.

Pujara recorded his second career double ton while Wriddhiman went to his third career century and played one of the greatest knocks ever by an Indian keeper.

Nathan Lyon eventually broke the partnership after tea when Pujara finally played a loose shot, chipping a pull straight to Glenn Maxwell at short midwicket.

With India now chasing quick runs having established a lead they lost Wriddhiman (117) and Umesh Yadav (16) to Steve O’Keefe.

Ravindra Jadeja continued what has been a fine Test for him by smashing 54 not out off 55 balls with India eventually declaring on 603 for 9.

India put themselves in a great position to strangle a final day win by picking up two quick wickets in a short spell before stumps.

It was that man Jadeja, who looks likely to claim the number one spot on the Test bowling rankings from teammate Ravichandran Ashwin, who claimed both scalps.

First Jadeja cleaned up David Warner (14) who will regret playing back to a ball that turned viciously past the bat and clattered into the stumps, then he produced a ball that was too good for nightwatchman Lyon (2) and smacked into his off stump.

The second wicket brought the day to a close with Australia trailing India by 129 runs with 8 wickets in hand.