MOHALI: Fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus grabbed three key wickets in the final session to boost Australia's hopes of winning the opening Test against India on Monday.
India, needing 216 to win in their second innings, were wobbling at 55-4 at stumps on the penultimate day, with Hilfenhaus finishing with 3-22 off seven sharp overs.
With middle-order batsman VVS Laxman suffering from a stiff back, India's hopes largely depended on Sachin Tendulkar who was unbeaten with 10. Nightwatchman Zaheer Khan was batting on five.
Opener Gautam Gambhir was unlucky to be given out leg-before in Hilfenhaus' opening over as TV replays suggested he had inside-edged the delivery on to his pads.
Rahul Dravid (13) was caught behind off paceman Doug Bollinger, while Virender Sehwag (17) and Suresh Raina (0) fell to short rising deliveries from Hilfenhaus.
Sehwag was caught by Michael Hussey at gully, while Raina was caught by Marcus North in the slips.
Indian paceman Ishant Sharma earlier grabbed three big wickets in two sensational overs as Australia were bowled out for 192 in their second innings.
He removed Shane Watson (56), skipper Ricky Ponting (four) and Michael Clarke (four) in the opening two overs of his second spell in the morning.
There was no hint of a collapse when Australia reached 87 without loss following an attractive half-century from Watson, but Sharma jolted the tourists with three wickets for just eight runs.
Spinners Harbhajan Singh (2-40) and Pragyan Ojha (2-59) kept pressure on the middle order on a wearing track, before left-arm paceman Zaheer (3-43) ended the innings with the last three wickets.
Off-spinner Harbhajan trapped Hussey (28) leg-before and then had North (10) caught by close-in substitute fielder Cheteshwar Pujara.
Left-arm spinner Ojha had Simon Katich caught behind after the opener had batted patiently for his 37 runs. Both Katich and Hussey completed 4,000 Test runs during their knocks.
Australia's batting problems began when Watson dragged a Sharma delivery on to his stumps after hitting one six and seven fours in his 59-ball knock.
Three balls later, Sharma removed Ponting who pulled straight to Raina at backward square-leg.
The Indian paceman nearly got a third wicket in his opening over of the second spell when he had Clarke caught by Sehwag at short mid-wicket.
But it was declared a no-ball after on-field umpire Billy Bowden of New Zealand consulted TV umpire Sanjay Hazare.
Sharma did not have to wait long for his next success as he had Clarke caught behind for four runs in his next over.
Watson batted aggressively in the morning, punishing both seamers and spinners.
With Sharma looking unimpressive in his opening two-over spell, India introduced spin after five overs but failed to put pressure on the Australian openers.
Watson greeted Ojha with a four and then a six over long-on in the same over. He completed his 10th Test half-century off just 51 balls, flicking Harbhajan for two runs.
India were bowled out for 405 in their first innings on Sunday in reply to Australia's 428.
TOI
India, needing 216 to win in their second innings, were wobbling at 55-4 at stumps on the penultimate day, with Hilfenhaus finishing with 3-22 off seven sharp overs.
With middle-order batsman VVS Laxman suffering from a stiff back, India's hopes largely depended on Sachin Tendulkar who was unbeaten with 10. Nightwatchman Zaheer Khan was batting on five.
Opener Gautam Gambhir was unlucky to be given out leg-before in Hilfenhaus' opening over as TV replays suggested he had inside-edged the delivery on to his pads.
Rahul Dravid (13) was caught behind off paceman Doug Bollinger, while Virender Sehwag (17) and Suresh Raina (0) fell to short rising deliveries from Hilfenhaus.
Sehwag was caught by Michael Hussey at gully, while Raina was caught by Marcus North in the slips.
Indian paceman Ishant Sharma earlier grabbed three big wickets in two sensational overs as Australia were bowled out for 192 in their second innings.
He removed Shane Watson (56), skipper Ricky Ponting (four) and Michael Clarke (four) in the opening two overs of his second spell in the morning.
There was no hint of a collapse when Australia reached 87 without loss following an attractive half-century from Watson, but Sharma jolted the tourists with three wickets for just eight runs.
Spinners Harbhajan Singh (2-40) and Pragyan Ojha (2-59) kept pressure on the middle order on a wearing track, before left-arm paceman Zaheer (3-43) ended the innings with the last three wickets.
Off-spinner Harbhajan trapped Hussey (28) leg-before and then had North (10) caught by close-in substitute fielder Cheteshwar Pujara.
Left-arm spinner Ojha had Simon Katich caught behind after the opener had batted patiently for his 37 runs. Both Katich and Hussey completed 4,000 Test runs during their knocks.
Australia's batting problems began when Watson dragged a Sharma delivery on to his stumps after hitting one six and seven fours in his 59-ball knock.
Three balls later, Sharma removed Ponting who pulled straight to Raina at backward square-leg.
The Indian paceman nearly got a third wicket in his opening over of the second spell when he had Clarke caught by Sehwag at short mid-wicket.
But it was declared a no-ball after on-field umpire Billy Bowden of New Zealand consulted TV umpire Sanjay Hazare.
Sharma did not have to wait long for his next success as he had Clarke caught behind for four runs in his next over.
Watson batted aggressively in the morning, punishing both seamers and spinners.
With Sharma looking unimpressive in his opening two-over spell, India introduced spin after five overs but failed to put pressure on the Australian openers.
Watson greeted Ojha with a four and then a six over long-on in the same over. He completed his 10th Test half-century off just 51 balls, flicking Harbhajan for two runs.
India were bowled out for 405 in their first innings on Sunday in reply to Australia's 428.
TOI
