India lose early wickets in improbable run chase

Adelaide: India reached 92 for two at tea after Australia declared at 167 for five to leave the tourists chasing an improbable 500 runs for victory on the fourth day of the fourth test at a sweltering Adelaide Oval on Friday.

Scorecard

Stand-in captain Virender Sehwag hit a bright 53-ball 62 before falling to a soft dismissal to bring Sachin Tendulkar (seven not out) to the crease alongside Rahul Dravid, who was unbeaten on 19 with four full sessions remaining in the test.

Nothing the Indians have done so far in the series would suggest they can overhaul their target, especially given the test record for a successful fourth innings run chase is the 418 West Indies scored against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

The impression that a 4-0 series sweep for Australia was inevitable was compounded when a brilliant diving catch from Brad Haddin off the bowling of Ryan Harris triggered Gautam Gambhir's departure for three with just 14 runs on the picturesque ground's famous old scoreboard.

Sehwag, replacing the banned Mahendra Singh Dhoni as skipper for this test, made deeper inroads into the target with some lovely stroke-making before holing out to Ricky Ponting at cover off a Nathan Lyon full toss.

Ponting had been at the crease on 60 not out with Brad Haddin (11 not out) when captain Michael Clarke decided a lead of 499 was enough and waved the batsmen in just three overs after lunch.

Resuming in the morning on 50-3 after losing their top order on Thursday, Clarke and Ponting, who both contributed double centuries to Australia's first innings 604 for seven declared, combined for 71 runs before being separated.

Clarke, who has averaged 125.20 over the four tests, survived a scare on 30 when spinner Ravi Ashwin could have had him caught and bowled before Umesh Yadav brought an end to his series as a batsman for 37.

The young quick beat Clarke for pace and there was enough of a noise to convince umpire Kumar Dharmasena that the Australian had got a nick before the ball went through to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.

Ponting also gave the Indians a chance when he was on 45 with a miscued pull shot off a Yadav bouncer that Rahul Dravid, running at full stretch, could not quite hold.

The 37-year-old Tasmanian reached his 61st test half century soon afterwards with a single to the covers to continue his renaissance in this series after two years of poor form.

Mike Hussey made 15 in 42 minutes before angrily following his captain back to the dressing room when he was adjudged lbw off an Ishant Sharma delivery.

India, who topped the world rankings last year, were bowled out for 272 in their first innings on Thursday and will need a much stronger performance from their world class batsmen to avoid an eighth successive defeat in overseas tests.