New Delhi: India's woeful catching left a gaping hole in their attempt at winning the third Test at the Kotla as the hosts helped Australia on to 577 in their first innings before losing two early wickets to be 43-2 at stumps on day four here, with an overall lead of 79 runs.
Virender Sehwag, who led India's bowling attack with a maiden five-wicket haul, failed to replicate his stellar effort with the bat as Brett Lee had him inside-edging onto his stumps for 16, before night-watchman Ishant Sharma was sent back in the next over by Stuart Clark, leaving Rahul Dravid (5) and Gautam Gambhir (21) to negotiate the remaining overs.
India, who had been pushing for a win to wrap up the series at the Kotla itself, now have to be content with shoring the game with the wicket not having deteriorated as much. With only a 36-run lead to boot, repeating their pyrotechnics of Mohali does not look like a possibility.
Michael Clarke took full advantage of India's misses with his eighth Test century, setting up an admirable fightback for Australia to compile a composed 112, marshalling their lower order which included a 106-run eighth wicket stand with Cameron White (44).
Clarke, along with Cameron White – whose primary role that of a leg-spinner has been under scrutiny – took Australia out of harm's way, before Sehwag – each of his wickets have broken a prospering partnership – had Cameron White out for 44 for his maiden five-for.
Sehwag finished with career-best figures of 5-104 after sending down 40 overs on a wicket which started taking prodigious turn from day three, while Anil Kumble, who was criticised for his wicketless showing in Bangalore, had 3-112 against his name.
The Indian captain, who returned to the field with 11 stitches on his left hand, finished off the proceedings by leading the way, scampering back to hold on to a catch to remove Mitchell Johnson off his own bowling on a day that saw the hosts drop catch after catch.
Clarke's century, which backed up Australia's top order all of whom got runs here, was benefited from an early chance spilled by Ishant Sharma in the fourth over of the day when he was on 21, before he was helped on to his century by sitters grassed by VVS Laxman and Amit Mishra.
Virender Sehwag expressed his desire to get a five-for at the Kotla, but his team-mates were making it increasingly tough for him. Michael Clarke's attempted slog sweep on 91 had VVS Laxman scampering back, and even though he got underneath the skier, he never steadied himself as he grassed the opportunity on his 34th birthday.
Amit Mishra dropped a sitter at square leg the following over when the batsman was on 94. Sehwag couldn't pull his hair out on this one, but compensated when another of his tweakers castled Cameron White, who frustrated the Indians for a session.
By the time Clarke fell – caught by Zaheer Khan off Mishra after a mammoth six-hour effort – Australia had more or less made a successful comeback in a Test that was dominated by India for the first two days.
Resuming their innings on 338-4, Clarke and Shane Watson motored along at a healthy rate as the duo put on 57 runs inside the first hour of play, taking a boundary almost every over.
But just as day three, where Sehwag's wickets would have made Harbhajan Singh proud, the part-time spinner produced another beauty when Watson came forward but the ball, pitching outside, broke sharply off the surface and clipped leg-stump.
Kumble, who had failed to capture a wicket in the series so far and injured himself on the third day, made an immediate impact by having Brad Haddin stumped for 17.
After two days of suffering on the field largely due to double centurions Gambhir and Laxman, and a batting order that had thus far disappointed, Australia have made a triumphant return to the series, living to fight another day.
Indian
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