Had India batted for another 14 overs, the hosts' tactics would have been sliced up; too conservative in batting into the final day. But Australia's plans were about laying off risk on the other half of the equation, all but eliminating India's chance of a win at the cost of reducing their own.
In the end, this time, it worked, when Nathan Lyon took the 10th wicket just before 5.30pm; Australia bowling India out for 155 and winning the fourth Test by 184 runs to lead 2-1 before the series ends in Sydney.
It was a close-run thing, a reminder that you are often only vindicated in the sporting business if you happen to guess right. Lyon's 10th-wicket partnership with Scott Boland in the third innings ended up being 61, adding only six of those after resuming on the fifth morning and costing Australia four overs to do it.
That final extension might not have worked out, but the previous evening's runs made a major psychological difference, taking India's target from a high-200s score to 340.
Denne historien er fra December 31, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra December 31, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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