Ashwin spins India to 75-run win in 2nd Test, series level

TIL Desk Sports/ Ravichandran Ashwin’s 25th five-wicket haul was the cornerstone of India’s remarkable turnaround as the hosts defeated Australia by 75 runs in the second cricket Test to level the four-match series 1-1 here. Defending a competitive target of 188 with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on line, Ashwin was unplayable on a tricky fourth-day surface with magnificent figures of 6 for 41. Australia ended up decimated for 112 in only 35.4 overs.

Just like Indian wickets fell like nine pins in Pune, Australia too crumbled like a house of cards and lost the last six for a mere 11 runs between overs 26th and 36th. With their backs firmly against the wall, it was a battle of attrition for Kohli and his boys after their humiliating loss in Pune. It turned out to be a collective effort in the end with KL Rahul (90 and 51), Cheteshwar Pujara (92) and Ajinkya Rahane (52) doing their bit with the bat. Not to forget an invaluable 20 runs from Wriddhiman Saha.

After a bad run in Pune, spin twins Ashwin (8 wickets) and Ravindra Jadeja (7 wickets) accounted for 15 out of the 20 wickets. This was the time when Ashwin, coming for his second spell, ran riot dismissing Marsh, Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc in quick succession. Once it was 103 for 7, the game was all over for Australia. The third Test will be played in Ranchi from March 16.