Photo Credit: ESPNcricinfo

Australia all out for 300 in the first innings of the Sydney Test and trailing 322 runs, India enforces follow-on. Kuldeep Yadav is the pick of the bowler for India as he picks up 5 for 99. Batting second Australia was 0/6 when play was interrupted due to bad light.

The first session of the 4^th day was completed washed out and proceedings were delayed in Sydney due to the rain of the test match between India and Australia. The play started around 1.45 PM local time, with two sessions (Session 2 – 1:50-3:50pm and Session 3 – 4:10-6:00pm) and 58.3 overs for the 4th day of the Sydney Test. Australia is aiming to register their 1000th win in International Cricket by leveling the series.

Mohamed Shami bowls the 85th over with the new ball. The 3rd ball of Mohamed Shami keeps low and breaks through Pat Cummins’s defense though he tries desperately to bring the bat down quickly enough in front of off stump. Pat Cummins goes for 25 and India finds the breakthrough in the second over of the fourth day’s play, Australia is 7/236, adding a run to their overnight score.

Throw movement and unique techniques from Jaspreet Bumrah, bowled Peter Handscomb, inside edge on the pads and then drags it onto the stumps, Jaspreet Bumrah picks up his 49^th wicket of his career and screams with joy.

Kuldeep Yadav to Lyon, OUT, traps him! It’s a full toss. Lyon plays all around it. The sweep shot doesn’t connect and Lyon knows he’s plumb. This is the orthodox leg break. It lands flush on the big toe. In such cases, the umpires project a straight line from the point of impact to the stumps. Will this ball hit it? Yes, says Ian Gould. Lyon didn’t review though Australia had two reviews left in their pocket, could have been difficult for the TV umpire if reviewed straight away.

It looked like India is wrapping up the tail quickly on day 4 but a dropped catch by Hanuma Vihari of Kuldeep Yadav denied the 5^th wicket of the innings for the Chapman. Tossed-up delivery from Kuldeep Yadav and Josh Hazlewood ends up top-edging the sweep, Hanuma Vihari moves to his left from mid-on but fails to grab. It cost India runs and time as the last pair of Australian side went on to add 42 runs from 14 overs. Finally, Kuldeep Yadav provides the breakthrough in the 105^th over (note that the catch was dropped at 92.4 overs) trapping Josh Hazlewood in front of the wicket, length ball pitching outside off spinning back to beat Hazlewood’s defense, he is done with the wrong turn. Hazlewood reviews it straight away, hawk-eye says the impact is in the line, no bat involved and just clipping the top of leg stump, umpires call and the decision stays. Australia loses the 10^th wicket and India is leading with 322 runs in the first innings and Kohli enforces follow-own.

Kuldeep Yadav completes 5 for 99. Superior performance.

Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja start the second innings for Australia, but the play was called off after the 4^th over due to bad light and it was an early tea taken.

Harsha Bhogle reported from the ground, that the light improved in Sydney though it’s cloudy it was brighter than earlier and the forecast is similar for tomorrow. Going off the field when it’s not raining, is tough to see. There are a lot of people who have come here, many are watching from all over the world, every possible opportunity we should be playing. It is difficult to spot the red ball under the lights unlike the white ball, player’s safety is important over everything. So the umpires are sticking to the law.

Thinking out of the box, we have high-quality ground and lights, then why do we stop the game if the light fades, play with the pink ball if the pink ball is better to spot than a red ball, or always use the pink ball in all conditions.

It’s a dream to come here and pick up 5 wickets though you are not the first choice. Kuldeep Yadav makes the dream come true after a tough series in England where he is not very effective.