Kohli, Vijay give India fighting chance

Adelaide, Dec 13 (IANS) Opener Murali Vijay (batting 85) and Virat Kohli (batting 82) put India in a strong position to win the first Test against Australia as the visitors reached 205 for two at tea, needing 159 more runs to win on the fifth and final day at the Adelaide Oval here Saturday.

Vijay and Kohli shared an unbeaten 148-run partnership for the third wicket and went into the break with India needing to score 159 runs in 37 overs in the final session for a memorable victory and a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. 

Australia had declared their second innings at the overnight score of 290 for five.

The Indian duo batted in contrasting fashion. While right-hander Vijay, who scored 53 in the first innings, played a sedate and patient knock to keep the Australians at bay, Kohli batted with calculated aggression.

They not only saw off the threat posed by off-spinner Nathan Lyon but also milked runs off him.

The 26-year-old Kohli, especially, used the sweep and slog sweep to good effect as they not only helped him negotiate the extra turn but also fetched the bulk of his runs.

Vijay played well square of the wicket and ensured that the weak deliveries don’t go unpunished.

Earlier, India lost opener Shikhar Dhawan (9) and Cheteshwar Pujara (21) cheaply before the Vijay-Kohli pair took charge.

The Michael Clarke-led Australia decided to make full use of the early morning conditions by having a crack at the young Indian batting line-up. 

Their pacers got into their business from the start as they posed regular threat to the opening duo of Dhawan and Vijay.

Left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson removed Dhawan with a well-directed bouncer in the second delivery of the fifth over of the day with the Indian scoreboard reading 16. 

The high-rising bouncer kissed the bicep of Dhawan’s right hand and sailed into the hands of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin but the umpire ruled him out thinking it came off the batsman’s gloves.

Next man in, Pujara looked positive from the start and supported Vijay well. The 26-year-old, who had scored 73 in the first innings, utilised his feet well against spinner Lyon, who got good purchase from the fifth day pitch but erred with his length.

After few overs, Lyon, who bagged his sixth five-wicket haul in India’s first innings of 444, bowled with a better length. He got further support from the rough patches and created a lot of confusions in the minds of the batsmen.

One of his deliveries missed the rough marks slightly, forcing Pujara to overestimate the turn and he went back in his crease only nick it to Haddin.