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India all-rounder and first-inning centurion Nitish Kumar says that India need to go 'instinctively' on the fifth day of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The Boxing Day Test has one day left, and Australia lead by 330+ plus runs with their last wicket still standing.
“If you ask me, everyone is capable of playing on this pitch," said Nitish to reporters after the end of play on the fourth day (Sunday, Dec 29). He was India's last wicket to fall earlier in the morning after scoring 114 runs.
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“We'll come back strong, we'll rectify the mistakes we made in the first innings. We have to first take the last wicket and then bat accordingly,” he added.
“I feel like you need to get one or two good partnerships. From the first day, we knew the movement was there, the pitch is doing something.
“Later on, on the fourth day, it was doing a bit more. We don't need to put more pressure (on ourselves). We need to go instinctively, according to the situation,” further said India's first-inning centurion.
Bumrah brings India back in contest
India were brought back into the game by Jasprit Bumrah after the visitors were bowled out for 369 in the first innings - conceding a 104-run lead. Australia were sitting pretty at 80/2 in the second innings when Mohammed Siraj got Steve Smith to play a rash shot and get the game open.
Bumrah then delivered a breathtaking spell, taking three wickets in 18 balls as Australia went from 80/3 to 91/6 in no time. A 57-run partnership between Marnus Labuschagne (70) and Pat Cummins (41) took Australia's lead past 250. Siraj then trapped Labuschagne LBW to break the partnership.
A run-out and a good catch by Rohit Sharma in the slips brought Australia to nine wickets down before Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland added unbeaten 55 runs for the 10th wicket. Australia finished the day at 228/9 and a lead of 333 runs, with the final day promising to be a cracker.