India vs Australia: Josh Hazlewood Sends Hosts Into Another Tailspin With Career-Best 6/67
The medium-pacer took care of Abhinav Mukund, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and the tail as India collapsed for the second time in the match.
Highlights
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Josh Hazlewood picked up six wickets in the Bengaluru Test
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His 6/67 are his best career figures
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India have set Australia a target 188 runs
Josh Hazlewood was the new bugbear for the Indian batting as his career-best Test haul of 6/67 left Australia very much in the fight, coming when India were threatening to run away with the match. The fast bowler's effort induced ye another free-fall for India, as the last six wickets went down for just 36 runs as the hosts were reduced from a commanding position of 238 for four at one stage to 274 all out, leaving Australia a chase of 188 instead of a possible target of well over 200.
This was the second time that the much-vaunted Indian batting collapsed in the match, with the hosts never getting off the ground in the first innings, when they found Nathan Lyon's off-spin too hot to handle.
The battle, when the series began, was supposed to be between the Indian batting, rated to be the best in the world, and the Australian bowling. So far, the Australians are winning that one hands down.
Hazlewood did the basics well - he kept the new ball up to the batsmen and used the bounce and movement judiciously - as the Indian batsmen found another bugbear in the Australia attack, after their disasters against Steve O'Keefe in Pune and Lyon in the first innings here.
Josh Hazlewood finishes with 6-67 off 24 overs and we've got a cracking run chase coming up this arvo: https://t.co/iGxoJAaz64 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/e6zCODMngZ
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 7, 2017
This is the 26-year-old New South Welshman's third six-wicket career haul. The first came against New Zealand in November, 2015, at Adelaide (6/70), followed by 6/89 against South Africa at Hobart in November 2016.
The Australian fast bowlers did a sensational job with the new ball, especially given the fact that with the overnight batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane threatening to pile up a big total, the instinct to defend must have been overpowering.
GAME ON! Watch the Aussie quicks trigger a stump-shattering collapse: https://t.co/rDxZbVntIT #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/ri19rWpRBD
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 7, 2017
But Starc began the fight back, removing Rahane and Karun Nair off consecutive deliveries and then Hazlewood took over, removing Pujara and the lower order, having already taken care of Abhinav Mukund and Virat Kohli on Monday.