10:40 1st Test: India down Australia by 31 runs:
Chasing 323 for victory, Australia were bowled out for 291 in their second innings.
India take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
10:38 India need one wicket for win; Aus 32 runs away:
Ashwin’s impact has been minimal on the fifth day. Even lastman Hazlewood confidently defends against him as Ashwin tries to pitch on the rough but gets nothing out of it.
Bumrah comes back into the attack in place of Ishant. Lyon drives the second ball through the covers for a single and Hazlewood steers the next to thirdman for one as India’s frustration continues to grow.
Lyon then throws his bat at a wide as it goes through the vacant gully region for a single to thirdman.
Bumrah continues to bowl short and this time Hazlewood makes room and upper cuts it over the slips for a four.
He gets a thick outside edge off the next ball for a single to thirdman.
Bumrah has gone for eight in the over, with another 32 needed for victory.
10:31 India need one wicket for victory; Aus 40 runs away:
Lyon sweeps Ashwin to fine leg for a single to bring lastman Hazlewood on strike, with five deliveries left in the over.
But the tall left-hander manages to see out the over from the off-spinner without much of a problem.
Lyon continues to annoy the Indians. This time he pulls a short ball from Bumrah through midwicket for a four to race to 25 from 24 balls. He again pulls the next ball but this time for just a single to deep midwicket.
Hazlewood taps the third ball to point for one to get off strike before Lyon plays out the rest of the over.
Even lastman Hazlewood dealing Ashwin easily as he taps the off-spinner to point for one.
Lyon goes across a long way and attempts the sweep but is beaten and he is unable to connect with the sweep again as he gets hit on the body.
Ishant comes in from the other end, replacing Bumrah. Australia won’t give up yet as Hazlewood picks a single on the off-side before Lyon plays a nice drive through the covers but substitute Jadeja saves some runs with his diving stop.
Lyon again sweeps Ashwin for a single to fine leg before Hazlewood gets a thick edge as the ball bounces and turns sharply but it goes past the fielder at slip.
The Aussies are fighting right till the very end as the last wicket pairing of Hazlewood and Lyon keep the Indian bowlers at bay.
Hazlewood clips Ashwin through square leg for two runs before the off-spinner beats the left-hander with one that turns big.
He offers no shot as Ashwin bowls the carrom delivery which comes in sharply and passes close to the stumps.
Lyon clips a full delivery from Ishant off his stumps to deep square leg for one as the target is under the 50-run mark.
Hazlewood digs out a quick yorker on the leg side and steals a quick run to get off strike.
Lyon then flicks another full ball from Ishant through square leg for a couple. He tries the shot again off the very next delivery but this time is hit on the pads. Infact, India appeal for leg before wicket and it looks mighty close but this time Ishant has overstepped to give away a no-ball.
Lyon is living on the edge. This time he goes after a wide delivery from the pacer only to get a thick edge which flies past the slips for a four.
Australia need another 40 runs for victory.
The last wicket partnership is giving India lot to think about, as they have put on 24 runs so far.
09:57 Cummins falls for 28; Australia 9 down:
Cummins guides Bumrah to point for one before Lyon has a slash and is beaten.
The next ball is short and wide as Lyon cuts it past point for a four to race to 15 from 16 balls.
Lyon keeps strike with a single from the last ball as Australia go past the 250-run mark, in the 107th over.
A single each to Lyon and Cummins off Ashwin as the hosts take their score to 255 for eight in 108 overs, needing another 68 for victory.
Cummins holds the key and he continues to defy India. He turns Bumrah on the leg side for one before Lyon clips it through midwicket for three runs.
Bumrah makes the breakthrough with the key wicket of Cummins, who pokes at a wide one and is caught by Kohli at first slip after a good hand of 28 from 121 balls.
There is a huge appeal for leg before off the last ball against Josh Hazlewood but the umpire is not interested.
09:42 Starc falls for 28; Australia 8 down:
Cummins
gets an inside edge as he tries to defend Ashwin, who gets some sharp
turn and bounce, but KL Rahul at short leg is unable to hold on to a
tough sharp chance.
He takes a single before Lyon is beaten off the last ball as it goes past the outside edge.
In the next over, Lyon slaps Shami straight down the ground as it goes uppishly past the bowler for three runs.
Cummins drills the next ball through the covers for a boundary as Australia’s lower order continue to fight.
Lyon looking to be positive as he gets his front foot across and attempts so sweep Ashwin but gets hit on the grill of the helmet. He then taps the second ball on the off-side and takes a single to get off strike.
Jasprit Bumrah comes into the attack, replacing Shami. Lyon is beaten first ball as it bounces and moves away late before the right-hander gets a thick outside edge for three runs on the off-side.
Cummins then takes a single before Pant puts down a sharp catch, diving to his right, as Lyon gets the edge. Infact, the India wicketkeeper was moving to his left initially due to which he had to put in the dive but he failed to hold on.
In the next over, Lyon again gets across well outside off-stump and sweeps Ashwin behind square for a single and Cummins clips the fourth ball to midwicket for one.
Ashwin strays down the leg side as Lyon sweeps it fine for two runs as the spinner misses the radar with the carrom ball. He switches to round the wicket and beats Lyon with one that goes straight on.
09:31 Starc falls for 28; Australia 8 down:
Shami strikes with the wicket of Starc, who is caught behind for 28. The left-hander goes after a wide delivery looking to drive it through the off-side but this time he gets an edge and is caught behind by Pant.
That is the 11th catch in the match for wicketkeeper Pant, the most by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test match and the joint most overall, equalling the record held by England’s Jack Russell and South African AB de Villiers.
New batsman Nathan Lyon is welcomed by a quick bouncer as he takes his eyes off and is struck on the left shoulder before he defends the last ball.
09:19 Cummins, Starc frustrate India:
Ashwin bowls it right up as Cummins taps it on the off-side for a single and Starc turns the next ball on the leg side and gets an easy run with the fielder placed in the deep.
Starc goes hard at a wide delivery from Shami and gets a thick inside edge for two runs to midwicket. He ducks under a bouncer and the clips the third ball through the same region for a single.
The left-hander is making the Indians think, as he strokes his way to 28 from 40 balls, while Cummins has hung on bravely for 17 from 95 balls, with the duo putting on 41 runs so far for the eight wicket.
Ashwin not getting much turn in the last few overs as Cummins is able to easily deal with him.
Australia are 228 for seven in 100 overs, needing another 95 for victory.
09:06 Paine out for 41; Australia 7 down:
Starc in the lookout for runs as he clips Bumrah on the leg side for two runs. He then goes hard at a wide full delivery as he gets a thick outside edge which goes behind point for a four.
Cummins take most of the strike against Ashwin as he again plays out maiden over, again leaning well forward and defending with a straight bat by getting right to the pitch of the ball.
Change in the bowling as Mohammed Shami comes back into the attack. Starc picks a single from the first ball before Cummins gets the edge which stays low and goes along the ground past the slips for a four.
Starc not trying anything fancy against Ashwin as he is doing against the pacers. He carefully turns Ashwin on the leg side for one before Cummins again keeps out the off-spinner.
Starc swings Shami across the line through midwicket for three runs as the runs keep coming for the Aussies.
In the next over, Cummins loses his patience as he looks to drive Ashwin through the off-side but is beaten.
Starc then has a close shave as he attempts a rash shot against Shami and he is lucky to have got an inside edge, which saves him from the leg before appeal.
Starc not holding back here. A couple of bouncers from Shami, which he ducks under before he hammers a full delivery through the covers for a four.
Australia are 222 for seven in 97 overs, needing another 101 runs for victory.
08:42 Paine out for 41; Australia 7 down:
Ashwin to left-hander Mitchell Starc, who defends the first ball and then punches the next into the covers for a single.
Pat Cummins looking to get forward at every opportunity as he plays out Ashwin watchfully.
Bumrah bowling full and making Starc play as much as possible. The left-hander hits the third ball powerfully back to the bowler, who does well to stop it on the follow on through.
Bumrah then hits Starc on the helmet with a quick bouncer as he tries to evade it and he takes a bye to fine leg.
Bumrah also enquires with Starc if he is okay before the physio comes out to attend him and also checks out on the helmet.
The next ball is full as Starc goes for the drive but gets an edge which keeps low and goes past the slips for a four.
The mid-off is pushed back as Starc drives Ashwin to the fielder for one and Cummins continues to defy the spinner by getting outside the line and block everything. He turns the fifth ball on the leg side for a single.
Starc drives the half-volley from Bumrah straight down the ground for three runs and then hits the fifth ball through the covers for a couple to take Australia past the 200-run mark, in the 89th over.
Cummins confidently defends another over from Ashwin, who keeps getting good amount of turn from the rough.
08:24 Paine out for 41; Australia 7 down:
We are back after the lunch interval. Ravichandran Ashwin starts off with the ball for India and he will go from round the wicket.
Tim Paine blocks the first three balls before he drives the fourth through the covers for a single and Pat Cummins defends the last two balls.
Jasprit Bumrah from the other end. He strikes with his first ball of the session as Paine top edges the pull shot and is caught by his opposite number Pant for 41.
Once again it is the bouncer which does the trick for India as they claim their second wicket of the day via the short ball.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant takes his 10th catch of the match!
07:39 India chip away at the wickets; Aus 185-6 at lunch:
At lunch on the fifth and final day, Australia were struggling on 186 for six in 83 overs, still needing another 137 runs for victory.
Captain Tim Paine was holding forte on 40 from 68 balls, while Pat Cummins was unbeaten on five from 38 balls.
Shaun Marsh kept the Indian bowlers at bay in the morning session as he made 60 from 166 balls before he was caught behind off Jasprit Bumrah.
Ishant Sharma had earlier dismissed Travis Head (14) as the left-hander was caught in the gully trying to fend a quick rising bouncer.
There are still a minimum of 64 overs left in the remaining two sessions and India will feel confident of pushing for victory after the lunch break.
For Australia it is about survival, but they would also be mindful of the fact that they need another 137 runs from 64 overs. A big partnership could raise their hopes of an unlikely victory!
07:31 India chip away at the wickets; Australia 185-6 at lunch:
Just one over for Ishant in his previous spell as Shami is called back into the attack, with just two overs due for the second new ball.
Shami starts with a short ball which Paine pulls to deep square leg for one and Cummins clips a yorker to fine leg for a single.
Paine nudges the fifth ball on the leg side for two runs and then glances the last ball fine on the leg side for a four as the target is inside 150.
Ashwin gets Cummins driving with a full wide delivery which turns big and takes the inside edge as Pant is unable to take it cleanly.
Paine then rocks back and cuts a short ball from Ashwin behind point for three runs before Cummins is again beaten as he tries to block it.
India immediately take the second new ball after 80 overs, with Australia battling hard on 181 for six, needing another 143 for victory with 67 overs remaining in the day’s play.
Ishant Sharma comes back into the attack. Paine shuffles across and offers no shot to the first ball before he edges the next which goes the slips and gully fieder for two runs.
Paine shuffling across a long way, trying to get outside the line and get the LBW out of the equation.
Paine again walks across his stumps as Ishant gets it to come in sharply but the right-hander offers no shot and watches it go over the stumps.
He then turns the fifth ball on the leg side for one and Cummins keeps strike with one from the last ball.
Ashwin to bowl with the new ball from the other end. Cummins won’t try anything fancy as he blocks out the over from the off-spinner, he has grown in confidence with time spent at the crease.
Cummins survives a confident shout for leg before wicket off Ishant as Australia go into the lunch break on 186 for six in 83 overs, still needing another 137 runs for victory.
07:06
Ashwin comes back into the attack after a couple of overs from part-timer Vijay.
Paine clips the first ball on the leg side for one before Cummins comes forward to defend but is beaten by some sharp turn as the appeal for caught at short leg is turned down.
Ashwin then gets one to turn big as Cummins looks to drive but is beaten off the inside edge. India appeal for catch behind the wicket which is turned down before they take the DRS but there is no edge. Infact, Ashwin and Pant were not so keen on the appeal but Rahane somehow looked keen and convinced Kohli to take the review.
The next ball turns sharply and also bounces out from the rough as Cummins is beaten.
Ashwin gets his man off the last ball as he is caught at short leg off an inside edge but Cummins wants to review it.
He came forward to defend as Ashwin got it to turn and bounce but there is nothing on the Hotspot and Snicko which means the decision is overturned as Cummins survives.
Bumrah doing things with the old ball, getting some reverse as Paine is beaten by one which moves away late. He then gets a full toss which Paine drives straight but can’t beat mid-on before the Australia captain gets a thick outside edge for a four past the second slip fielder.
Lot of chatter from Pant behind the stumps with shouts of ‘not easy’ ‘good bowling Ash’ as Cummins looks to get forward and defend Ashwin before taking a single off the last ball.
Ishant comes back into the attack in place of Bumrah, who was in the midst of a good spell.
Cummins clips the first ball on the leg side before Paine steers the next ball past point for two runs and then takes a single off the fourth ball.
Paine is beaten by some turn from Ashwin but the leg before appeal is turned down before he takes a single off the fourth ball.
Cummins reaches out and drives a wide delivery from Ashwin wide of mid-off for one and Paine takes a single last ball to keep strike.
06:45 Marsh out for 60; Australia 6 down:
Paine looks to take on the bouncer from Shami which is down the leg side as he gets a glove which beats the dive from wicketkeeper Pant and goes for a four.
The next ball is again a bouncer as Paine goes for the pull which he miscues and it goes on the bounce to fine leg fielder for a single.
Shami then overpitches as Marsh drills the half-volley through midwicket for a four.
Ashwin bowling on a good line to right-hander Paine, in the rough outside the off-stump and gets some good turn. Paine defends the first four balls before he takes a single in the covers and Marsh picks one off the last ball, to bring up Australia’s 150, in the 68th over.
Following the drinks break, India replace Shami with Jasprit Bumrah. The first ball is on the pads as Marsh picks an easy single on the leg side. Paine is caught in two minds whether to defend Bumrah or offer no shot as he eventually ends up getting some bat on it. He then goes across and clips Bumrah’s incoming delivery through midwicket for a single.
Part-time spinner Vijay comes into the attack to replace Ashwin. He entices a foul shot from Paine, as the right-hander gets a thick inside edge which goes through the wicketkeeper’s legs for a single as he tries to drive it through the off-side.
Marsh drive the last ball, a half-volley outside the off-stump, to sweeper cover for a single.
No moving Marsh as the right-hander manages to solidly block out the over from Bumrah.
Part-timer Vijay continues as India look for another breakthrough in the session.
He starts with a short wide ball which turns sharply but Paine manages to tap it on the off-side for one and Marsh takes a single to mid-on.
Bumrah manages to make the breakthrough as he claims the key wicket of Marsh, who is caught behind after a good innings of 60 from 166 balls.
The full delivery moves away enough quite late as Marsh is committed to the defensive poke and gets a thin edge which is caught behind and he opts to walk without taking the review.
A big blow for Australia as they are reduced to 156 for six, with another 167 needed for victory.
With only the bowlers to come, India will be looking to chip away at the wickets and end the game as early as possible.
Pat Cummins plays a loose shot as he chases a wide delivery trying to drive but is beaten.
06:09 Marsh hits half-century to keep Australia afloat:
Mohammed Shami into the attack in place of Ishant, who bowled a wonderful spell first up on Day 5.
Marsh tries to turn the third ball on the leg side and misses but picks up a leg bye. Paine then drives the fifth ball on the off-side for a single.
In the next over, Paine is beaten in flight by a full delivery from Ashwin as it is caught by Rahane at slip after deflecting off Pant’s pads but the appeal for catch is turned down with the right-hander’s bat hitting the ground.
Ashwin then drops short as Paine cuts it off the backfoot past point for a couple.
Shami bowls a fast bouncer to Marsh, who unlike Head, is able to keep his bat down and sway out of the way.
The pacer then drifts down the leg side as Marsh flicks it through midwicket for two runs as Rohit Sharma does well to send the ball in quickly.
Ashwin targetting the rough outside Paine’s off-stump as the Australia captain tries to get forward and block everything. He tries to clip the last ball through the leg side as the ball falls just short of the fielder at short midwicket.
A slightly short ball from Shami as Marsh steers it past point off the backfoot for two runs. He pulls the next ball and despite a good effort from Rohit at deep midwicket, he manages to pick up the second and then takes a single from the fifth ball.
Marsh comes down the track to Ashwin but can’t beat the fielder in the covers before he pulls the next ball through midwicket for a four to bring up his fifty.
05:46 Ishant strikes; Australia lose 5th wicket:
Ashwin bowls a tidy over to Marsh, who continues to defend solidly against the off-spinner. He will be the key main for Australia, having defended well to score 36 from 120 balls so far.
Captain Tim Paine blocks the incoming delivery from Ishant down on the leg side before he tries to pull a leg side bouncer but misses.
He gets off the mark as he slashes a short wide delivery from Ishant past the gully fielder for a four.
Wicketkeeper Pant cheekily sledging the Australian batsmen. ‘No intent of winning the match,’ he chirps from behind the stumps.
It looks to have woken up Marsh, who clips Ashwin through midwicket for two runs and then pulls the next ball through the same region for three runs.
Australia are 124 for five in 60 overs, with the target under the 200-run mark now.
05:36 Ishant strikes; Australia lose 5th wicket:
Ashwin switches to round the wicket and immediately makes an impact. Marsh comes forward to defend as he gets a thick inside edge which falls safely on the leg side, where a fielder at short leg would have been.
Immediately after the ball, Ashwin switches the fielder from silly point to short leg.
India, despite having the upperhand, are on the defensive with just two men close in for the spinner. They still have another 213 runs to defend with Australia’s batsmen intent on survival at the moment.
Ishant keeps pegging in the channel just outside the off-stump. Marsh gets one on the pads as he nudges it on the leg side for a single.
Head again looking solid with his defence, not trying anything fancy as he did in the first innings to keep India’s bowlers at bay.
Ashwin drops slightly short as Marsh can go on the backfoot and punch it to sweeper cover for one. He gives one a bit of light and bowls it a lot slower, as Head goes for the cover driver and gets a thick outside edge past point for two runs and then takes a single on the off-side.
Ishant makes the early breakthrough on Day 5 with the wicket of Head. He bowls a virtually unplayable bouncer which rises steeply and Head, trying to defend, lobs a simple catch to Rahane at gully.
That was a very good delivery, a quick bouncer on the body, which forced Head to play at it or try to defend as he couldn’t get out of the way in time.
An important breakthrough for India as Head walks back for 14 with Australia reduced to 115 for five.
05:16 India eye early wickets on Day 5:
Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to open the bowling on the final day, with India needing six wickets for a win.
He starts with a short of good length delivery which Shaun Marsh defends watchfully as he does with the rest with the over as Ashwin begins with a maiden.
Ishant Sharma from the other end. Travis Head looks to turn the first ball on the leg side but fails to make connection as he takes a leg bye to get Australia off the mark.
Ishant then oversteps to give away a no-ball before Marsh also takes a leg bye before Head plays out the rest of the over.
Ashwin drops a bit short as Marsh plays late, clipping it to square leg for a single for his first runs on the final day. He will play a big role for play for the Aussies.
Ashwin from the over the wicket is not creating much, bowling on the leg and middle and stump line to the two left-handers.
Ishant bowls a beauty, extra bounce and movement, as Marsh is beaten trying to poke before he taps the next ball on the leg side for one.
Ishant from round the wicket bowls in a good channel outside the off-stump as Head can only defend.
05:07 India eye early wickets on Day 5:
Welcome to the coverage of the fifth and final day of the first Test between Australia and India in Adelaide on Monday.
India will be aiming for early wickets and finish off the Australians to win the match.
Shaun Marsh was 31 not out and Travis Head on 11, the pair fighting a desperate rearguard action to nudge Australia to 104 for four at stumps on day four, still 219 runs short of their victory target of 323.
Australia will need to defy history to chase down the total and survive the wiles of Ashwin on a fifth day pitch.
The highest successful run chase was in 1902, when the hosts scored 315 for six to beat England.
Since the second World War, no team has bettered West Indies’ 239 for five to defeat Australia by five wickets in 1982.
Having bowled India out for 307 after lunch, with spinner Nathan Lyon taking six wickets, Australia’s openers proceeded to 28 without loss before Ashwin broke through.
The spinner dismissed Aaron Finch in bizarre circumstances, the opener given out caught for 11 after a fuller delivery pitched, pinged off his pad and whistled by his glove.
Finch conferred with fellow opener Marcus Harris then declined to review the decision, trudging off as the technology showed no clear evidence that he had gloved the ball.
Opener Harris and number three Usman Khawaja were soon living dangerously.
Harris, on 14, flashed his bat at Shami’s fifth ball after tea and nicked behind to the slips where a diving Cheteshwar Pujara put a difficult chance down.
The debutant was eventually out for a second successive 26, edging through to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant with another aggressive swipe at Shami.
Pinned down by Ashwin, Khawaja tried to break the shackles with aggression but skied a catch to Rohit Sharma in the deep to fall for a scratchy eight from 42 balls.
Handscomb was given a life on 13, a half-chance put down by Lokesh Rahul in close after he smashed Ashwin hard into the fielder’s hands.
He squandered the reprieve, adding only one run before lobbing a miscued pull to Pujara at midwicket, with Shami making the breakthrough.
Source: Rediff