It would go down as one of the riveting days of Test cricket after India has made a sensational comeback to rattle Australian batting line-up to level the series 1-1 with two to go as both sides had their moments of joy during the game which wrapped inside four days in Bengaluru.
The Bengaluru Test witnessed healthy banters, see-saw battles, controversial decision, celebrations, mocking each other, calling for DRS while having the hope against hope followed by the rock and roll performances from India-Australia bowlers as India eventually had the last laugh.
The Australian collapse is summed up by 11 runs which Australia had added while losing last six wickets followed by six batters who did not cross the double digit mark as India won the match comfortably by 75 runs.
On a wearing surface, in what seemed to be a tricky run chase early on, Indian bowlers rose to the occasion and made a mockery of Australian batting line-up as they were bundled out for 112 inside two sessions in 35.4 overs at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to level the four-match Border-Gavaskar Test Series.
It was the Indian bowlers who breathed life into a game after Australia started off well in the first four overs as they put on 22 on board for the first wicket.
The pendulum swung when the hosts’ bowlers tarnished the hopes of the visitors to lead the series by 2-0 as they claimed the wickets at regular intervals – to make it further miserable for the Kangaroos.
The star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin broke the back of the visitors batting line-up by bagging six wickets to give away 41 runs in 12.4 overs.
Umesh Yadav, who bowled brilliantly alongside Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets. However, Jadeja and Ishant shared wicket apiece.
At one stage Australia looked settled to chase down the target when David Warner looked positive in the middle.
However, the floodgates opened when Shaun Marsh (9 off 19 balls) was sent back to pavillion when the replays suggested the ball was missing the stumps after he had a brief decision with his skipper whether to take a review or not before trudging off the ground which further has turned the game open for the hosts.
Mitchell Starc (1 off six balls) and Nathan Lyon (2 off 10) were dismissed by Ashwin.
Lyon was the last man to return to the pavillion for Australia when he was caught and bowled by Ashwin. However, Peter Handscomb guarded the one end before perishing on 24 off 67 balls.
Steve O’Keefe was cleaned up by left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja on 2 off 10 balls.
Mitchell Marsh was caught by Karun Nair on 13 off 16 balls. Wade was caught brilliantly by Saha on nought off five balls on the bowling of Ashwin.
Skipper Smith (28 off 48 balls) was the top scorer for Australia before being adjudged lbw when a low ball of Umesh Yadav struck his pad which further made India skipper Virat Kohli angry after Smith had a stare at the dressing room in a bid to think about a review.
Ashwin came from the round of the wicket to trap David Warner (17 off 25 balls) in front of the wickets.
India drew the first blood when Matt Renshaw (5 off 12 balls) was caught by Wriddhiman Saha on the bowling of Ishant Sharma.
Earlier, Australian fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood bowled superbly to restrict India on 274 in 97.1 overs in their second innings as they got the lead of 187 runs which were that easy on a wearing pitch.
The visitors ruled the first session after taking the second new ball which extracted the results in their favour.
Starc dismissed Ajinkya Rahane (51) to put an end to crucial 118-run fifth wicket partnership alongside Chesteshwar Pujara and Karun Nair was also cleaned up on nought by a peach of a delivery from Starc.
Hazlewood who bagged six wickets claimed Pujara on 92 off 221 balls when he was caught by Mitchell Marsh. He then bowled Ashwin on 4 off 3 balls and went on to remove Umesh Yadav on one.
Ishant Sharma was dismissed by Steve O’Keefe when he was batting on 6 off 28 balls. However, Wriddhiman Saha remained unbeaten on 20.
Pujara and Rahane’s brilliant 118-run partnership, which frustrated the Australians in the final session on Day 3, was the highlight of the Indian innings.
On day four, the hosts added 61 runs to their overnight score of 213 for four before losing remaining six wickets.
Brief Scores: 2nd Test, Day Four Bengaluru
India won by 75 runs
India 1st Innings:189 all out
Australia 1st Innings: 276 all out
India 2nd Innings: 274 all out
Australia 2nd Innings: 112 all out