4th Test: India absolutely ruthless with the bat in Sydney, says Darren Lehmann

India vs Australia: Former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann pointed out that the Australian bowlers were tired even before the start of the Sydney Test and the India batsmen made the fatigued bowlers work even harder on Friday at the SCG. 

Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann has said India are well ahead of their opponents after some "ruthless" batting display on Day 2 of the ongoing fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Lehmann also pointed out that Australia need to bat well, especially in the first innings if they are to avoid a defeat in the series finale of the ongoing four-match rubber.

India have already sealed an unassailable 2-1 lead and have retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and are well-placed to make it 3-1 in Sydney as they posted a huge first innings total of 622 for 7 declared. Australia reached stumps on Day 2 at 24 for 0 after Usman Khawaja was handed a reprieve by Rishabh Pant, who made a cracking 159* earlier in the day.

Pant and Ravindra Jadeja broke the record for the highest seventh-wicket stand by a visiting pair in Australia as they stitched a 204-run partnership to add salt to Australia's wounds. Jadeja smashed a 114-ball 81 before which Cheteshwar Pujara had hurt the hosts, adding 63 runs to his overnight score of 130.

"Ruthless, absolutely ruthless [with the bat]. They were fantastic. Pujara just doesn't get out, does he? He has faced over a 1000 balls. The way he went about it today, it was brilliant. In the backend, when you had Rishabh Pant and Jadeja take the game forward so quickly and score over 600 runs, they are well ahead in the game," Lehmann told Sony Six on Friday.

Courtesy : India Today