Aussie captain Smith defies India with third unbeaten knock

Australia 505 (Smith 133, Johnson 88) and 6 for 130 (Rogers 55) beat India 408 (Vijay 144, Rahane 81) and 224 (Dhawan 81, Johnson 4-61) by four wickets

Picture @bbc.co.uk

Brisbane (Australia) – Steve Smith again proved the elusive wicket for India as the new captain fashioned an Australian fightback on day two of the second Test on Thursday.

Hazlewood's recovery from full-body cramps to prise out India on the second morning set-up the match, and the combined efforts of the new captain Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Chris Rogers, Starc and Nathan Lyon ultimately allowed the hosts to overwhelm India by a greater margin than the first Test in Adelaide. For Smith it was a significant triumph, emerging victorious after a first day he described among the toughest he had ever endured, as either player or captain.

Left with 128 to chase down in a little more than a day and a session, Australia endured an early hiccup when David Warner was struck a sharp blow on the thumb in Umesh Yadav's first over. Warner struggled visibly to bat thereafter until he edged Ishant Sharma behind, though closer inspection in the dressing room suggested no fracture had been sustained. Nonetheless it demonstrated how difficult batting had become, and another 50 runs may have been enough for India.

Shane Watson skied an attempted hook at Ishant to be out for a duck, but an uncertain 2 for 25 at tea was added to quickly on resumption by a busy and businesslike Rogers, who knew from years of opening that such fourth-innings chases are best treated with decisive strokes to quickly tip the scoreboard in favour of the pursuers. A rattling 55 left Smith in the shade during their stand of 63, and when Rogers sliced Ishant into the cordon the target was in sight.

"The Indian team has been asking for the fresh net practice wickets several times for last two days which have not been provided," it said.

"Instead of that they have (been) asked to practice on worn out wickets which have uneven bounce.

"Because of that two of our batsmen got injured today."

But the practice wickets were not a problem for the Australians. Skipper Steve Smith said: "No, they were fine."

Ground curator Kev Mitchell said he had never had a complaint from a touring team in the past about net wickets.

"They mirror the exact state of the Test pitch in the middle," he said.