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Australia 326 (Harris 70, Head 58, Finch 50, Ishant 4-41) and 4 for 132 (Khawaja 41*, Shami 2-23) lead India 283 (Kohli 123, Rahane 51, Lyon 5-67) by 175 runs
Perth: Nathan Lyon's five-wicket haul and Usman Khawaja's resistance with the bat ensured Australia stayed on top in the second Test in Perth despite a century by Virat Kohli.
At stumps, Australia were 132 for 4 with a lead of 175. Khawaja was unbeaten on 41 with Tim Paine (8) for company. India were earlier bowled out for 283, with Kohli top-scoring with 123 and Lyon returning 5 for 67.
Aussies openers, Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris, stitched a 33-run partnership before Finch retired hurt. The right-hand batsman was struck with a painful blow off a Mohammed Shami delivery in the 13th over of their innings. Afterward, he was taken off the field for an x-ray on a possible right index finger fracture.
The departure of Finch was a big blow for the hosts, but nevertheless, Usman Khawaja resumed the innings along with Harris. Both the batsman added 26 runs to their team's total before the fall of Harris. Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah bowled a good length delivery from round the wicket which clipped off Harris' stumps.
Soon, another top-order batsman Shaun Marsh (5) returned back to the pavilion when pacer Mohammed Shami bowled a short ball which was angled across outside off. Marsh went for a pull but only managed a thin bottom edge which went straight keeper Rishabh Pant.
Australia had managed just 20 runs to their total when another Indian pacer Ishant Sharma came with another blow for the hosts. A full and straight delivery from Sharma trapped Peter Handscomb (21) in front of the wickets and umpire signaled it lbw out.
Following batsman Travis Head, along with Khawaja, did a good job providing some support to the sinking Australian ship. The effort did not last long as Shami struck again with his short and wide delivery.
Head was caught at third slip at the score of 19. Before the umpires called it a day, Australia had already lost four wickets with Khawaja (41) and Tim Paine (8) holding the crease for their side.
For India, pacer Shami picked two wickets while Sharma and Bumrah scalped one wicket each for their side.
Earlier, Virat Kohli’s 25th Test hundred had kept India inching towards Australia’s first innings total of 326, but his dismissal – in controversial circumstances, through a contentious catch – resulted in a dire collapse.
Nathan Lyon waded into the Indian lower order with figures of 5/67, as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just 32 runs to be bowled out for 283.
Buoyed by a potentially crucial 43-run first-innings lead, the hosts reached 59 for the loss of no wicket, before India’s pace attack pulled things back with four strikes in the final session. Australia also lost opener Aaron Finch to injury with a suspected broken finger.
