Australia v India: SCG fourth Test, day two – live!

138th over: India 448-6 (Pant 65, Jadeja 9) Oooh, this might be the start of the explosion, Pant jumping down at Lyon and slapping over cover inside-out for four. The timing wasn’t sweet but the power and intent were enough to get the job done.

137th over: India 441-6 (Pant 59, Jadeja 8) Neither player is too worried about going after the short of a length deliveries this time around from Cummins, Pant cutting twice and Jadeja pulling around the corner, all for risk-free singles. It never ends for Australia.

“Sharing your pain,” wries Siddharth Vaidyanathan of the Pant non-selection in the ODIs. “Oddest prediction and I wonder what the odds are on this – Jadeja gets to 25 + Pant to 75 (both achieved ideally)… and THEN do we see ODI / T20 mode? 10 years from now, with no intent of blasphemy whatsoever, I figure that we will see marathon innings at the pace of a T20 innings in a test match. And it may become more common. For me, Sehwag was the origin of this kind of thinking. He deserves much of the credit, realised or not.”

I reckon he does. In Australia at least, where he’s held in very high esteem. Sehwagology, as my colleague Jarrod Kimber dubbed it back in the day.

136th over: India 438-6 (Pant 57, Jadeja 7) Close again from Lyon to start, Pant taking him on down the ground but not getting all of it, just clearing the man at mid-off. The rest of the over is more convincing, three singles taken to the sweepers.

135th over: India 433-6 (Pant 53, Jadeja 6) Pat Cummins’ turn to bang away from the Paddington End, replacing Hazlewood who did his job in helping build the pressure ahead of the Pujara dismissal. He finds the edge first ball to gully, just past where the man is stationed there. Jadeja has to do the usual dancing routine for the rest, getting out of the way of a couple of legit bouncers and another couple below the shoulders but still on track for his chest. He does it well.

A quite outstanding email from Raja Mahraj, which I’m going to reproduce in all its glory (with the exception of one line about September 11).

“Vedic astrology talks of 60 year cycles when events repeat in a sense because Saturn and Jupiter return to same zodiac house. So 1929 market crash repeats in 1987 crash 59 years. Now 1959 India register first test win against Aussies of Richie Benaud in Kanpur. I was just 9 then and rejoiced. Fast forward 60 years to 2019 I am rejoicing as India on threshold to win 3-1 test series down under first time. Get it Steve you all who all live in caves like a frog and mock at Vedic astrology don’t you, the smuggish thinking you know it all when in fact you don’t.”

We’ve been told! I now have my tea break wikipedia reading sorted.

This was very good just before Pujara fell, by the way. Trent Copeland has been a fantastic addition to the coverage this year, a great get by Seven.

134th over: India 432-6 (Pant 52, Jadeja 6) During the break, The Richies were given a big run on the scoreboard singing a Christmas carol saying that Mitch Starc is the ‘new ball king.’ Well, they are only 27 overs from the third new ball, so there is that coming. Lyon to Pant after the breather, who again takes a single from the first ball of a new over, down the ground this time. Jadeja builds on his start, with two more to midwicket.

133rd over: India 429-6 (Pant 51, Jadeja 4) Pant is off strike first ball to cover, Jadeja then popping two into the legside for a couple before leaving the rest, the customary pair of bouncers in there. With that, drinks are called.

132nd over: India 426-6 (Pant 50, Jadeja 2) Jadeja gives the strike back to Pant early in the Lyon over, who clips one to midwicket to bring up his half-century in 85 deliveries. When he went to his maiden Test ton at The Oval in September, the left-hander exploded after reaching 50. Now, batting with the first of the bowlers (albeit a very good player in Jadeja), he’ll surely do the same again here shortly.

“I realise that Pujara and Kohli are the main game along with the amazing Jasprit Bumrah,” emails Gervase Greene. “But just how good is Rishabh Pant? (Rhetorical, that). He’s barely a grown-up, but whether batting, bantering, baby-sitting or keeping he seems to do it all. And in great spirit. For sheer ‘watchability’ he is a real find.”

Aakash Chopra was just on telly saying that Saha, a much better wicketkeeper at this stage, will struggle to get back into the Indian XI now that Pant has done so well with the bat. Could there be room for both? Having watched Pant play some absurd IPL innings, I can’t believe he’s not in the mix as a specialist bat in the ODI squad.

131st over: India 424-6 (Pant 49, Jadeja 1) Pant may have a new partner but his intent has not changed, getting inside a short ball from Hazlewood to help himself to a four to fine leg, taking him to within one of his half-century. Earlier in the over, Jadeja was off the mark with a hard-run single to midwicket. This should be fun.

Lyon has done it! After two excellent overs, Pujara advances to the final ball from the spinner and returns a straightforward catch. The end of the most mighty hand across 373 balls, denied a third double against Australia by just seven runs. Stand and applaud.

130th over: India 418-6 (Pant 44)

129th over: India 417-5 (Pujara 193, Pant 43) Hazlewood vs Pujara, starting outside the off-stump before banging in short, hitting Pujara on the elbow. He takes a moment to compose himself – that stung him a bit. Sure enough, Hazlewood bumps him again to finish.

“A Selfish of Adams?” suggests Adam Hirst, neatly linking together a couple of themes. Nicely bowled. I just want milestones, Ads (I’ve never called anyone that before and hate it when people use it for/at me). Welcome to my brain.

128th over: India 417-5 (Pujara 193, Pant 43) Two probing overs in a row from Lyon, Pant unable to get far from his crease in defence. Trying to make something from the final ball, he misses a cut close to his body, similar to the error he brought from Pujara in his previous over.

“This instant Twitter, elegant email malarkey and fast T20 stuff undermines the slow unfolding beauty of Test cricket,” writes Simon Richards. “I shall pen, in cursive, a letter to arrive via boat to reach you approx August 2019. (Spoiler alert: Even with those unsavoury Smith & Warner chaps I would suggest 3 – 1).” It’s going to take a lot to go right for Australia to win an Ashes Test next year.

127th over: India 417-5 (Pujara 193, Pant 43) Hazlewood is back to replace Labuschagne from our press box end and Pant enjoys the extra pace, flicking off his pads and to the rope at fine leg. Can be make it to tea? He grabs another one, also along the ground, his half-century nearing. Pujara deals with the rest in his usual way.

126th over: India 412-5 (Pujara 193, Pant 38) DROPPED CATCH! It’s about as hard as a chance comes for a first slip with an offie bowling, Pujara cutting hard off the edge so Khawaja only had time to throw his right hand at it. It doesn’t stick. In response, Pujara calmly takes a single from the next ball, Pant doing likewise through midwicket. That hurts. Had he pulled it in, comparisons would have been made to this. Related: there will be no Test at Hobart next year as Pakistan aren’t deemed worthy of a third. Sigh.

125th over: India 410-5 (Pujara 192, Pant 37) Pujara creams a Labuschagne long hop to the boundary in front of the members at midwicket, with it moving into the 190s. He defends the rest until the final ball, which he cuts to the sweeper at deep point. Before lunch, I was talking up the prospect of Pujara going to a triple ton in this innings. Selfishly, as I’ve never seen one of those raised in the 109 Tests I’ve attended.

124th over: India 405-5 (Pujara 187, Pant 37) Another three singles through the legside without risk. There’s not a lot going on for Lyon here in this spell after lunch.

123rd over: India 402-5 (Pujara 185, Pant 36) Another close call for Pant, this time nearly holing out to Hazlewood at long-on. The big quick, into his fifth session out there bowling, made plenty of territory but he couldn’t quite reach the ball with his dive. Labuschagne is landing his deliveries consistently now, attacking the stumps so he’s in the game, even if the Indian pair are taking relatively easy singles along the way. “If there was ever a time to cash in during a Test Match it is now,” says Ricky Ponting of Rishabh Pant, urging the Indian ‘keeper to kick on.

122nd over: India 398-5 (Pujara 183, Pant 34) Pant gets off strike first ball of the Lyon over, easing a full ball down the ground. Pujara does the rest, playing mostly with his pad outside the line of the off stump.

“G’day Adam, following from chilly Seoul.” Hello Will Arnold, great to have you with us. “Surely it’s got to be an embarrassment of Richies?” Verrrrry good. I was thinking an insufferable, but you’ve nailed it in one. As a nation, we really are no good at this stuff.

121st over: India 397-5 (Pujara 183, Pant 33) Run out chance! Pant was on the way down the track for a single from the final ball but Pujara sent him back. Had the throw been on target from the bowler Labuschagne, he was in real strife. Not to be.

120th over: India 396-5 (Pujara 183, Pant 32) I should say before we get too far into this that, if you are new to the OBO, you can be part of it by dropping me your emails and tweets at any time. Three singles off this Lyon over too, tucked, driven and pushed to the sweepers. Ricky Ponting is talking about the ODI squad on TV and noting that Maxwell is better than a part-time spinner in 50-over cricket. Given he was the man Australia used as their number one tweaker in their successful 2015 campaign, it was always odd how little Steve Smith used him with the ball when he was in charge.

119th over: India 393-5 (Pujara 182, Pant 30) Labuschagne continues his spell from before the break, turning one early in the over in the direction of Pant’s inside edge, which isn’t for nothing with a short leg fielder in place. That straight line of attack does allow easy singles to be taken as well, three of them before the over is complete.

118th over: India 390-5 (Pujara 181, Pant 28) I don’t know why I thought Lyon was bowling from our end. Of course, he’s operating at the Randwick End, as is the custom for tweakers at the SCG. His first over is accurate enough, Pant defending until the final ball when he has enough room to cut one. Between overs, The Richies are singing Waltzing Matilda. Can I get a few collective noun options for The Richies? They were belting out a beer commercial over and over before lunch, which guarantees we’ll have 72 renditions of the national anthem coming our way from them after tea.

[Christopher Walken] The players. Are back. On the field! [/Christopher Walken] One Australia not striding out is David Warner, but he was talking in Bangladesh earlier today about his growth away from the side. There are reports in the paper today that he could be up for a cool million to flog the full Sandpaper story (via book or interview) when the time comes. Won’t that be fun! Back in the middle, it is Nathan Lyon bouncing away from us to begin from the Paddington End, bowling at Rishabh Pant (28) with Che Pujara (181) down the other end. India are resuming on 389-5. PLAY!

117th over: India 389-5 (Pujara 181, Pant 27) Labuschagne closes out the session with three singles, and that will be that. SH writes in having noted Harsha Bhogle’s comment that Pujara has now batted more time in the series than a five-day Test. “This amuses me,” writes SH. “Pujara batting for five day just for the hell of it.”

He might just do it here at the SCG.

116th over: India 386-5 (Pujara 180, Pant 25) Lyon continues, and Pujara helps him around the corner for four more. Equals Rahul Dravid’s famous score against Australia from Kolkata in 2001.

This should be a children’s story book from Mahendra Killedar. “I have got a grasshopper theory for Vihari’s misfortune with DRS. You see lot of green between ball as it passes bat. That must be the naughty insect kissing the bat!”

115th over: India 380-5 (Pujara 175, Pant 24) Poor old Marnus Labuschagne. He’s on to bowl nine minutes before lunch. He’s absolutely being used like the classic part-timer, a sneaky over before a break to try to disrupt the batsman’s concentration. Not being treated as a legitimate part of the bowling plans. At least he keeps this over tighter than yesterday, only conceding three.

Pujara has just gone past the all-time record for balls faced in a four-Test series between these countries. In that 2003-04 series where they were so closely matched, Ricky Ponting faced 1201 balls and Rahul Dravid faced 1203. Pujara is at 1208 and counting.

114th over: India 377-5 (Pujara 174, Pant 22) Four runs from Lyon’s over. A belated appeal from the bowler after Pant almost misses a sweep, but he got something on it. And a couple of runs from the ricochet off his pad.

113th over: India 373-5 (Pujara 173, Pant 19) A false shot from Pujara as Hazlewood bowls a slower ball. Spoons it away on the off side, but it lands safely for two runs.

Tom Cameron is in our inbox with a worthy discussion point.

“We’re discussing here whether the current focus each day in the papers on what Australia’s precise batting order should be is getting a little weird. Or at least acutely disproportionate.

“Let’s be honest, whether Khawaja is opening or staying at 3 makes little difference at present (when our openers are pretty unreliable). Whether M Marsh or T Paine walks out at 6 or 7 – does it really make a difference? Don’t we need to focus far more on straight up form, and who is showing a preparedness to bat in a sensible, level headed way? Where exactly they bat in the order is not quite the issue. Can they face it in test conditions? Are they reliable in technique? Are they the sort of character we can see in the team in the long run? (England and beyond). They are the only real questions surely.

“The intense focus by many on where exactly our mob sit in the order is like giving Scott Morrison a comeback plan based on where his ministers sit on the Treasury benches during question time. Your thoughts?”

112th over: India 371-5 (Pujara 171, Pant 19) Lyon to Pant, cut away for a single. Lyon has dropped short a fair bit this morning. Pujara helps one around the corner for three. That double hundred is looming. “Borrowing a phrase I first came across in context of Welsh rugby in the late ‘80s,” writes Paddy Davies, “watching Australia play cricket is like intruding on a nation’s private grief.”

111th over: India 367-5 (Pujara 168, Pant 18) Hazlewood on for Starc, who just wasn’t right this morning. There’s a weary and jaded tread to Josh H, I have to say. He looked sore and tired chasing to the boundary earlier. No surprise given the long shifts at Melbourne and the short turnaround into another two days of bowling here. Bouncer, yorker, ball past the edge, and no love. The Hazlewood 2018-19 story.

110th over: India 367-5 (Pujara 168, Pant 18) Three singles from the Lyon over, comfortably collecting without trying to overdo it. Pant is still keeping his cool.

“They’ve been brilliant, haven’t they?” writes SH of the umpiring. “Don’t remember too many decisions getting overturned.” True, and they’ve got some very skinny ones correct.

109th over: India 364-5 (Pujara 166, Pant 17) Starc tries the yorker again, but only hits Pant’s pad and flies away for four leg byes. A couple of singles follow. The runs keep coming.

“Geoff, I must apostrophise your pant pun with apostrophe. Not possible if misused.”

Thank you, Antony Ransome. For those unacquainted, apostrophise: to “address an exclamatory passage in a speech or poem”.

If you’d like a further example of why apostrophes are their ilk can matter, see below.

108th over: India 358-5 (Pujara 165, Pant 16) Pujara is making it look so easy. Works the ball to leg a couple of times, straight to the field, but the last ball of the over Lyon gives him width, and Pujara immediately changes his line of attack to cut behind point for four.

107th over: India 353-5 (Pujara 161, Pant 15) Starc attempts the yorker at 151 kph. Just overpitches. Pant is doing the hornpipe to get his feet out of the way of the very low full toss, but gets enough on it to send it down the ground. It rolls and rolls and teases Hazlewood all the way into the rope.

106th over: India 346-5 (Pujara 160, Pant 9) Huge appeal, and Australia will go upstairs again. Pant swishes outside off stump and Lyon’s ball misses the top edge. There was a noise, you can hear a click as the ball goes past on the stump mics. “I didn’t hear anything. You guys know,” says Lyon. Khawaja at slip says “That’s out.” Paine reviews. But there’s nothing on DRS or Snicko, and it seems like a sliver of daylight between ball and bat. The noise must have come from somewhere else. More frustration, and Australia have now lost both reviews.

105th over: India 345-5 (Pujara 160, Pant 8) Mitchell Starc, ladies and gentlemen, is getting smashed. Pujara is the more attacking player right at the moment, and cover drives gorgeously for four. Starc comes over the wicket to the left-handed Pant, and produces the same result in mirror image, that ball so well struck it flew to the rope where plenty of others have limped. A single to each batsman means 10 from the over.

104th over: India 335-5 (Pujara 155, Pant 3) A maiden from Nathan Lyon to Rishabh Pant. Now I’ve seen everything. (“Oh really? Have you ever seen a man eat his own head? Well then you haven’t seen everything.”) Pant plays a couple of shots to the field, but otherwise defends and leaves. Wonder if he made a New Year’s resolution to stop holding out for 24 from 18 balls.

Ruth wishes to clarify that her former post was indeed satirical, and she’d like to wager that Pujara will be the not-out batsman. Safe shout.

103rd over: India 335-5 (Pujara 155, Pant 3) Right. Pants on, everybody. Pant’s on. Off the mark immediately as he deals with Starc’s yorker. Then dabs a single. Pujara adds another couple on the glance. Now it’s time for drinks.

102nd over: India 329-5 (Pujara 152) Down the track he comes to Lyon, shimmying as he did all yesterday, and drives with a flourish out through cover for four. The tumbling save out on the rope saves nothing. And another milestone comes up for Pujara, his biggest hundred of the series by a distance now. But when he swaps strike, Vihari is out to the last ball of the over.

Finally the breakthrough for Lyon. Vihari goes for the sweep, gets the faintest top edge, into his bicep, and flexed away to short leg. Vihari didn’t think he hit it, and reviewed immediately, but Snicko found the faintest flicker.

More evidence that “you always know when you’ve hit it” is self-confirming tosh.

101st over: India 324-4 (Pujara 147, Vihari 42) Starc on to complete a double change. Did I mention that Che likes the cut shot? Short, wide, dross, boshed. Starc gets the line better, and later in the over almost has Vihari playing onto his stumps. Got his legs in the way, luckily for the batsman.

100th over: India 319-4 (Pujara 142, Vihari 42) Lyon on for a trundle. Vihari blocks out the over watchfully. Checking for any turn or bounce from this surface. Doesn’t look threatening yet.

Abramowitz tips Pujara for 253.
Geoff Wignall for 177.
And the pool is closed.

99th over: India 319-4 (Pujara 142, Vihari 42) Pujara has been sharp on the threes today. Gets another from Hazlewood off his pads, thereby sadly knocking Josh (not Hazlewood) out of the running for the pool before even getting started.

“Pujara to fall for 139 top edging a reverse sweep. It’s later revealed this was part of a bet with fellow jokester and bloke who thinks it’s important to remember cricket’s just a game, Virat Kohli.”

98th over: India 315-4 (Pujara 139, Vihari 41) Pujara finally takes a run from Cummins via a cut shot. Moves his score on to 139. So then.

Pujara Party. Pool Party. Pujara Pool Party.

Andrew Benton has gone for 192. “I think he’ll have a brainstorm in a little bit.” You think he’ll put some butcher’s paper up on the wall and get out the felt-tip markers and write up some ideas? Real blue-sky thinking? What if we had no budgetary constraints? What do we stand for as an organisation? What brings us joy, and how can we best bring joy to others? Worthy stuff.

Gerard is going with 198.
Paul has 401.

97th over: India 314-4 (Pujara 138, Vihari 41) Another maiden, as the waiting game continues. Vihari has not yet decided that he’d rather play Hungry Hungry Hippos. He has to play at four Hazlewood deliveries, but all defensive strokes.

“Hi Geoff. These guys need to be bounced out methinks.” I do hope that’s satirical, Ruth, after what we saw yesterday morning.

96th over: India 314-4 (Pujara 138, Vihari 41) Another Cummins maiden to Pujara. Jono Maher has a very interesting question.

“I wonder if that list of top visiting run-scorers against Australia warrants some unpacking? By my reckoning all 15 entries come exclusively from England or India. Is that simply a function of the number of series played, or the effect of a few stand-out individuals, or something else perhaps? India in particular have never won a series in Australia, yet claim 7 of the top 15 highest spots, whereas the West Indies I believe have won 4 series here, and don’t feature at all…”

Not something I necessarily have time to unpack while doing the OBO, so please feel free to write in. Off the top of my head: yes, England have played far more series than anyone else, so have had more opportunities to get on the list. Also those series have been five or six Tests for a long time, where most countries visiting Aus play two or three.

India did play some five-Test series, and even when it dropped to four they had that generation of prolific batsmen who went huge when they went big. West Indies is the big anomaly, as you say. Perhaps they won Tests by batting once, or didn’t need more than about 200 themselves because they could bowl other teams out for 120?

95th over: India 314-4 (Pujara 138, Vihari 41) Both batsmen are starting to drive Hazlewood confidently. Can he use this against them? Vihari picks up two and then one, Pujara another three.

What’s the pool on Pujara’s score today? I’m tipping 232. Nominations close after the 100th over. Closest to the pin.

94th over: India 308-4 (Pujara 135, Vihari 39) Cummins in contrast takes the Route 1 approach, attacking the body. He’s got that leg gully in again, trying to replicate the dismissal of Pujara from Melbourne. Slightly different circumstances though this time around, and Pujara is happy not to score.

We might as well crack into the politics of the day, via Bill May.

“‘I don’t play for NSW’ used to be the lament of fine cricketers not selected in the Australian team. Now it’s ‘I’m not the kind of bloke the selectors are looking for.’ Time to remove politics from the selection process as in the PM’s assurance, ‘Have a go and you’ll get a go.’”

Not sure that Kirribilli is where I’d be looking for pointers on stable administrative process right at the moment, but the sentiment largely holds.

93rd over: India 308-4 (Pujara 135, Vihari 39) Hazlewood, first thing in the morning, with a ball that’s still fairly new. This is how he did in England in Adelaide a year and a bit ago. How much longer it seems… He beats Vihari with a good ball, but Australia’s bowlers have done a lot of that this series, and far less dismissing anyone. Hazlewood can’t change that, even as he chisels away just outside off stump. Vihari’s discipline holds.

92nd over: India 308-4 (Pujara 135, Vihari 39) Pat Cummins will start the day: Simon Atkinson will be happy. “Long time reader, first time caller. Having a particularly busy morning at work and knocked up this masterpiece (attached) for a group chat, but hoping it’s an omen for Cummins bring the spice (cumin?) to India today. Not sure I’ve got the meme right, but… I’m too old to understand memes. Thanks for the commentary yesterday, looking forward to a good morning of cricket for either team.”

Pujara blocks out the over tamely enough, bar two runs off his pads.

91st over: India 306-4 (Pujara 133, Vihari 39) And we’re away. Hazlewood with the first ball, defended, then the second ball, driven nicely by Pujara through covers for three. The bat twisted on impact there, but it was nice decisive footwork from the overnight batsman to get to the line of that ball. Vihari is tucked up on his stumps and tries to punch into the gap at point, but can’t beat the field.

It’s Day 2, so the Richies are out in force. Gathering at the pub across the road before the game as I walked in. Already in good voice. Though drunkenly yelling at passing cars at 9:30 in the morning wasn’t exactly the vibe that the great man exuded, if I’m bluntly honest. Let’s see how they go in the stands today.

And while we finish our morning Pujara Party, why not take some of the 25 minutes before play to read my piece from last night, in which I got to cite some beautifully accidental modern Australian poetry from South Australia bowler Nick Benton.

While Ric Finlay is doing the business (he’s the ABC statto, and one of the best in the world), how’s this for a number?

This gives a good sense of Pujara’s series. Dominant in terms of decent scores per innings, but nothing gargantuan. Currently 15th on this list, though he could vault up a fair few places today. Plus a second innings if necessary.

As always, drop me a line. We’ve had a fair bit of fun with the readers this series, who’ve come out of the woodwork more and more as the Tests have gone on. Find me on Twitter if that’s your bag, or use the old and elegant email: [email protected].