India Left to Lament Lapses in Brisbane as Australia Tighten Grip on Series

The second Test between Australia and India looked evenly poised going into the fourth day. By the end of it, the match was over.

The tourists had reached stumps on Friday in Brisbane on 71-1 in their second innings, leaving them trailing by 26 runs but with plenty of wickets in hand. It seemed they could yet set Australia a tricky final-innings target.

By lunch, however, any hopes they might have harboured of becoming the first touring team to win a Test at the Gabba since 1988 had quickly collapsed, just like their batting lineup.

Things had actually started to unravel for India even before a ball had been bowled on Saturday.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan had been due to resume on 26 not out, but a hand injury suffered during morning practice had left him unable to bat at the start of play.

India blamed the blow suffered by their opener on a poor practice pitch—they issued a statement, per their official website, to say they had requested a fresh strip but were instructed to use a worn one instead.

In his post-match interview, visiting captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, per Sidharth Monga at ESPN Cricinfo, admitted the situation had "created a bit of unrest in the dressing room" before proceedings got underway. There was unrest when play began, too, as players hastily had to prepare to bat due to the carnage going on in the middle.

They slipped to 157-7 by lunch; opener Dhawan did not get much time to rest his hurting hand, going back out to bat at the fall of the sixth wicket.

The left-hander went on to make a top score of 81, but India's final total of 224 left Australia needing just 128 to double their lead in the four-Test series.

Steve Smith's side managed to reach their target, albeit for the loss of six wickets as India fought hard to the end. It is a shame their batsmen did not show the same kind of fighting qualities earlier in the day.

The bowlers, though, are not completely blameless in the aftermath of a fifth straight Test loss overseas.

Having made 408 after opting to bat first, India had their opponents 232-5 in reply before letting them off the hook. A potential handy first-innings lead disappeared, as home skipper Smith and Australia's lower order lifted their final score to 505.

The 97-run advantage proved crucial in the final reckoning.

Australia's last four wickets added 258 runs, Mitchell Johnson smashing 88 of them to get his tail up having been a peripheral figure in the series until then. He took 4-61 in the second innings, including removing the pivotal Virat Kohli, pushed in to bat earlier than expected due to Dhawan's injury, for a single.

The honourable defeat in Adelaide in the first Test, when all three results were possible going into the final session, and the first three days in Brisbane have shown India can compete on their travels.

But a Test, as we know, lasts for a full five days. It is no good working hard to stay afloat for the majority of them if one bad session suddenly sinks your hopes of success.

India must cut out the collapses with the bat and the lapses with the ball if they are to break their losing streak abroad in Melbourne and keep the series alive.