India are well and truly on their way to record a historic clean sweep against Australia as, chasing a total of 155, they reached 72 for one at tea on the third day of the fourth and final cricket Test, here today.
The hosts need another 83 runs to inflict the ignominy of a 4-0 defeat on the Australians -- a margin that will be the most facile in the 81-year history of Indian Test cricket.
The target of 155 might have looked a challenging one considering the nature of the strip but both Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli made batting look easy on a difficult track.
At the break, Pujara is batting on a well-made 40 off 39 balls while Kohli reached 16.
Starting the chase, Murali Vijay was bowled trying to play a needless reverse sweep off a Glenn Maxwell delivery.
However, Pujara playing with a swollen hand along with Kohli showed positive intent as they scored at a fast pace, averaging at six runs per over during the session.
Pujara, decided to show his stroke-making prowess as India reached their 50 in the ninth over.
The Saurashtra lad played the sweep shot to good effect but his two best shots were played of Mitchell Johnson. First, when he deliberately lobbed a Johnson bouncer over wicketkeeper Matthew Wade's head and then a fierce square cut on the rise. The third boundary of the over was hit through the covers which signalled the inevitable.
Earlier, in the pitch prepared by Venkat Sundaram resembling a minefield, Ravindra Jadeja (5/58) created terror in the minds of the Australian batsmen with vicious turn and bounce as they were all-out for 164 in their second innings.
Peter Siddle produced another gutsy performance with the willow as he took the Indian attack by the scruff of its neck scoring a 45-ball 50 with seven boundaries. His innings was a lesson for the Australian top-order about the technique needed to survive on treacherous track.
Incidentally, Siddle was the best Aussie batsman in both innings as his effort meant that the visitors put up a fight.
