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A ruthless India tightened the screws on fragile Australia in the first Test in Perth on Monday with victory in sight, taking two wickets before lunch to leave the hosts fighting for survival.
At the break on the fourth day, Australia were 104-5 with a defiant Travis Head not out 63 and Mitchell Marsh on five as they chased down an almost insurmountable 534 to win.
Mohammed Siraj has 3-34 and Jasprit Bumrah 2-26.
The visitors declared at 487-6 at the end of the third day after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s superb 161 and an unbeaten 100 from superstar Virat Kohli – then shook Australia with three wickets.
Rookie Nathan McSweeney was out for a duck, nightwatchman Pat Cummins fell for two and Marnus Labuschagne, out of range, departed for three.
Facing a mountain to climb, Australia resumed at 12-3 with Usman Khawaja on three and Steve Smith yet to score.
Khawaja added just one when he mistimed a Siraj shot and got a big advantage.
He was caught by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who on Sunday became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League at the lucrative Twenty20 tournament auction.
Head survived a big bodyweight cry for seven, but an examination revealed he was missing leg stump and he continued to fight on, hitting seven boundaries for his 17th Test half-century.
At the other end, Smith was felled by a Harshit Rana bouncer who slammed into his stomach, needing a spell lying on the ground to recover.
He was able to get up and continue playing, and like Head, he underwent an lbw exam on the 12th.
But the 62-run partnership was ended by Siraj, with Pant taking another fine catch after Smith bowled a delivery on which he had to bowl 17.
MP/Fox
