Jadeja fifty gives India narrow lead in Dharamsala

DHARAMSALA:  Ravindra Jadeja combined patience with aggression to hit his second successive fifty and help India eke out a 32-run first innings lead on the third morning of the series-deciding fourth and final test against Australia on Monday.

The spin bowling all-rounder made 63 and featured in a 96-run partnership with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha before dragging a Pat Cummins delivery onto his stumps at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

India were finally dismissed for 332 in response to Australia's first innings total of 300 when lunch was taken.

Jadeja's morning turned out to be an eventful one after India resumed day three still 52 runs adrift and with four wickets in hand.

The left-hander was given out caught behind off the first ball of the day from Cummins and Jadeja, then on 16, immediately reviewed it to prolong his innings when replays suggested no bat was involved.

The 28-year-old duly brought up his fifty and celebrated it with his trademark twirl of the bat held like a sword.

He was also hit on the helmet after deflecting a ball from Cummins, who peppered the batsman with short deliveries.

Jadeja connected on one of them to slog his fourth six before Cummins dismissed him in his next over.

Steve O'Keefe then sent back Bhuvneswar Kumar in the next over and Cummins (3-94) got rid of Saha, who made 31, with another short delivery that had skipper Steve Smith taking a fine jumping catch in the slips.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon (5-92) dismissed debutant Kuldeep Yadav for seven to wrap up the India innings and complete his second five-wicket haul of the series.

The four-test series is tied at 1-1.