Smith and Burns hustle India in the dark

Prior to the Indian team's departure to Australia, assistant coach Sanjay Bangar had boldly said that the current crop of bowlers comprised of India's best bowling line-up in years. More than a month later, the former India allrounder sat in the dressing-room and watched the same attack getting hammered all over the Sydney Cricket Ground by Australia - as has been the trend throughout the series - an assessment which went completely awry.

In their second innings, Australia, 38/1 at tea, hastened their scoring rate in the final session to end day four on 251/6, stretching their overall lead to 348. The intentions were clear: to get as many runs as possible, and give themselves enough time to bowl India out of the Test. The top six batsmen did exactly that as Australia scored at over six runs an over in the final session. Umesh Yadav conceded 45 in his three overs and only R Ashwin looked like taking wickets. The first and the last sessions of the day witnessed a contrast with Australia scoring 213 runs in comparison to India's 65 before lunch.

An overnight declaration cannot be ruled out with one day left and a thunderstorm on the horizon. India will have to bat out of their skins to salvage a draw on the fifth and final day, or push for victory like their failed attempt at Adelaide. There were several unplayable deliveries during the Australian innings, but one couldn't tell so from the way the scorecard read. India were smashed all around by Steven Smith, Joe Burns (66) and Chris Rogers (56), and their most economical bowler was the part-timer Suresh Raina.

Rogers began the onslaught, making the most of the wayward Indian seam bowlers, collecting his sixth consecutive half-century and even though David Warner and Shane Watson fell early, Rogers ensured that Australia surged after tea. Ashwin and Raina tightened things up, but Virat Kohli's decision to replace Raina with Bhuvneshwar Kumar allowed Rogers and Smith to score freely.

Rogers perished in the deep in a bid to lift the tempo giving Bhuvneshwar his first wicket of the match, but Smith continued his charge. He ended the final innings of the series with a bang - a 67-ball 71 - and by the time he was done, Australia's lead had passed 250. With 769 runs, Smith overtook Don Bradman to become the highest run-getter in a series against India, and had the most runs in a four-Test series.

Queensland's Burns took over from Smith, chipping down the ground to clear the infield and negate the turn, and along with Brad Haddin added 86 from 55 balls, making the Indian attack look pedestrian. Burns bettered his previous-best from the first innings with his second fifty, and his 39-ball 66 effectively shut India out of the match when play was called off for the day with an over remaining.

Australia had taken 18 overs to pick up the last three Indian wickets after lunch. Mitchell Starc took 3 for 106 as India ended their innings on 475, thanks to healthy contributions from the lower order led by Ashwin's fourth half-century and Bhuvneshwar's 30. Having added just 65 runs in the first session, the pair looked in control against the Australian attack. Starc, Ryan Harris and Josh Hazlewood got little assistance and the Indian tail resisted admirably.

Ashwin continued his love affair with Sydney - scoring his second half-century at the venue, while Bhuvneshwar cracked five boundaries in his 89-ball innings, which included copybook cuts and cover drives. The offspinner then fell to Starc, who by then was getting the ball to reverse swing appreciably, and after completing his fifty with a single, Mohammed Shami couldn't put bat to the ball swinging away. Ashwin, however, nicked the next ball he faced and India were down to 456/9, but Shami swung his bat to take Lyon for 14 off the next over, and the score swelled to 475 before Umesh was the last man out to Harris.

Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha were key to India's chances of making further progress in the match when play resumed on day four, but Australia struck early to remove Kohli. But the significant partnerships down the order allowed India to avoid the follow-on. Ashwin added 31 runs with Saha and followed it with another 96 with Bhuvneshwar for the eighth wicket.

Kohli was the first to go in the fifth over of the day for 147, his flick finding the short-midwicket fielder off Harris. Saha, the other overnight batsman, was peppered with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries but the wicketkeeper-batsman was up to the task showing great reflexes at leaving the ball, and grew in confidence as the deficit came down.

The ball had started to reverse but Saha showed exemplary footwork to play Starc on the up and against the spin off Nathan Lyon. A day after he was penalised for giving Murali Vijay a send-off in the first innings, Starc continued his bit of chattering but it did little to hassle Saha, who, with three runs tucked in front of square, ensured that Australia would have to bat for a second time in the match. And bat they did.

Brief Scores: Australia 572/7 decl and 251/6 (Steven Smith 71, Joe Burns 66; R Ashwin 4/105) lead India 475 (Virat Kohli 147; Mitchell Starc 3/106) by 348 runs.