Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja grabbed three wickets in 10 balls to polish off the Australian tail as India bowled out the visitors for 276 on the third day of the second cricket Test here today.
Jadeja removed wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (40), Nathan Lyon (0) and Josh Hazlewood (1) in quick succession after off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Mitchell Starc as the first wicket of the third morning session.Australia took a crucial first innings lead of 87 runs on an unpredictable pitch.
Batting again for the second time, India reduced the Australian lead to 49 runs by reaching 38 for no loss in 10 overs at lunch. Lokesh Rahul and Abhinav Mukund were batting on 20 (off 29 balls) and 16 (off 31 balls) respectively at the break, getting runs at a good pace.
Australia took to the field today with a desire to consolidate on their overnight score of 237 for six, but could add only 39 runs in 16.4 overs while
losing four wickets.After the departure of Starc, Australia lost their remaining three wickets for just seven runs in 4.4 overs with Jadeja claiming all of them.
At one stage, Jadeja was on a hat-trick after he removed Wade and Lyon in consecutive deliveries of his fourth over of the day. But Hazlewood denied him the feat as the Australian took a single with a defensive push.
Jadeja though had the last laugh as he removed Hazlewood in his next over as the batsman attempted a big swipe, only to end up skying it to long-on for Lokesh Rahul to take the catch.
Jadeja ended with innings figures of 6 for 63 in 21.4 overs.
Before Jadeja ran through the Australian tail, Ashwin picked up the first wicket of the day by sending back Mitchell Starc for 26. Starc was holed out in the deep with Jadeja taking the catch.Ashwin ended with innings figures of 2 for 84 from 49 overs.