Despite India’s mammoth first innings in the fourth test, Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has pointed to recent results at Adelaide as inspiration for an unlikely Australian win.
India’s tail took the visitors from the reasonable position of 7/359 to 526 all out. Phil Jaques and Matthew Hayden survived until stumps on day two, rubbing off 62 of those Indian runs, with a long slog ahead if Australia is to threaten.
“It’s almost a spitting image of the game from four years ago and the game last year, thus far,” Gilchrist said.
“Fortunately the team that batted second in both those games won.”
Last season saw England make 6/551 declared, before a Shane Warne inspired fifth day collapse enabled Australia to snatch victory, while in 2003 it was Australia that cracked 500 in the first innings, only for the Indians to rip through the home side in the third innings, sneaking home by four wickets.
Also a common theme of those matches is the fact the team batting second has also passed 500 in its first innings.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Gilchrist said. “We’ve got a nice foundation to work from. We can take a lot from the Indian innings as encouragement.”
Gilchrist enjoyed a far happier day than yesterday, by collecting a world record 414th test dismissal. When Anil Kumble was caught behind off Mitchell Johnson for 87 to close the visitors’ innings, Gilchrist looked more sheepish than excited. Yesterday’s embarrassing spilled chance against VVS Laxman still at the forefront of his mind.
“(I’m) thrilled to be a world record holder. It’s (pause), yeah, a really satisfying achievement. Might have got there a bit closer if I gloved a couple more a little more cleanly,” Gilchrist said.
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