India reduce Australia to 187/7 at lunch on final day

India inched closer to a superb win after reducing Australia to 187/7 in their chase of 323 at lunch on the final day of the opening Test at the Adelaide Oval here on Monday.

At the break, tailender Pat Cummins (5 not out) went back undefeated in the company of fellow quick Mitchell Starc, who was still to open his account.

Resuming the final day at 104/4, the hosts soon lost overnight batsman Travis Head (14) with the scoreboard ticking 115/5.

Head fell to a short pitched delivery from the experienced Ishant Sharma that resulted in a simple catch by Ajinkya Rahane at gully.

The hosts still had a ray of hope with the other overnight batter Shaun Marsh (60) and captain Tim Paine (41) raising 41 runs for the sixth wicket before Jasprit Bumrah packed back the former.

Bumrah jolted the Aussies once again just at the stroke of lunch by getting Paine caught behind, as the Aussies were left with the tailenders to survive for another two sessions.

Brief Scores: India 250, 307 (Cheteshwar Pujara 71, Ajinkya Rahane 70; Nathan Lyon 6/1 22) vs Australia 235 and 187/7 (Shaun Marsh 60, Tim Paine 41; Jasprit Bumrah 2/33, Mohammed Shami 2/40).

--IANS

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