India’s famed batting line-up failed for the second time in the ongoing third Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Thursday (March 2).

The hosts were bowled out for 109 in the first innings and then conceded an 88-run lead to Australia. They were expected to put up a better show in the second essay but failed to step up to the plate.

Veteran Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon bagged eight wickets as India’s second innings folded for 163 and they only managed to set a 76-run target for the Steve Smith-led side.

After the second day’s play, India pacer Umesh Yadav addressed a press conference, where he acknowledged that his team has not put enough runs on the board but it still has an outside chance.

“In cricket anything can happen. We will try our best and bowl tight lines. It is not an easy wicket, whether it is our batters or theirs. It is not easy to step out and hit.

“The ball is keeping low as well, so you can’t be sure about stepping out.

“The runs are less but we will stick to tight lines and push as much as we can,” Umesh told reporters.

Umesh gave the hosts a crucial breakthrough on the second day as he removed Cameron Green on 21. However, the right-arm pacer grabbed the headlines with a couple of stunning deliveries to knock over Mitchell Starc and Todd Murphy.

“My plan on this surface was to bowl straight and push for a wicket or two. As a fast bowler, I have to hit the deck hard and bowl in the right areas. I have played most of my cricket in India, my mindset is always to get a wicket.”

On the scrambled seam, he added, “There was seam movement that is why I tried the scrambled seam. If it was not swinging, it was seaming. Whatever length I bowled there was seam movement and skidding after pitching.”

With the bat, Umesh couldn’t make vital contributions for the team as he perished while going for a big hit.

The pacer feels on such pitches, it makes more sense for a tail-ender to attack than defend.

“We didn’t get any message (to attack) when I went in to bat. My job was to score runs on this tough wicket. It is difficult to get runs here. I feel, rather than defending and getting out eventually, it is better to go for shots on a wicket like this. Even I would have scored 10-20 runs, that would have pushed the lead to 90. That is more important for me,” he remarked.

(With PTI Inputs)