A 4-0 whitewash around the corner

India face humiliation in final Test against Australia.

ADELAIDE: India were lurching towards defeat and a 4-0 series humiliation against Australia after another batting collapse in the fourth Test in Adelaide left them tottering at 166 for six.

The beleaguered tourists, chasing a record 500 runs for an unlikely win, took the Test into a fifth day for the first time on their ill-fated tour but only after losing their top batsmen, including Sachin Tendulkar.

VVS Laxman and first-innings century-maker Virat Kohli stalled Australia’s charge for almost 90 minutes before Laxman fell to a poor shot two overs from stumps.

In the day’s penultimate over Kohli was run out on a chancy single for 22 to leave the tourists in tatters. Nathan Lyon took three for 57.

“We’re disappointed but there is no need for the word ‘embarrassment’,” said India spinner Ravi Ashwin. “It’s a sport and we have all competed hard at the ground, it’s not like we’ve chucked it away. We’ve given it everything we had.”

Lyon happy to dismiss  Tendulkar

The spinner got the prized scalp of the India batsman who missed a chance to get to his 100th international hundred once again. “It’s been an absolute privilege to get him out,” said Lyon. “Having said that, the job’s not done, we’ve got another four wickets to get.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2012.