Australia v India: Australia wins second Test at the Gabba by four wickets on day four, scoring 6 for 130 after dismissing India for 224

Updated

Australia has taken an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a four-wicket win over India in the second Test at the Gabba.

The Australians had 128 runs to make in the run-chase after India was dismissed for 224 in the second innings, and the tourists were left to regret their inability to give Australia more of a target.

India gave the home side an early scare, taking the wickets of Warner (6) and Watson (0) to leave Australia 2 for 25 at tea.

Warner had been hit on the thumb by a ball from Umesh Yadav before he got off the mark, and the opener required attention from the physio before continuing.

He played on for a short time but looked extremely uncomfortable, taking his hand off the bat on a number of deliveries before Ishant Sharma squared up the left-hander, producing an edge to the keeper to make it 1 for 18.

Soon afterwards, Sharma landed a perfect bouncer to get Watson, who top-edged a hook to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni to be out for an eight-ball duck.

But the tourists missed a golden opportunity with the score on 63, when Virat Kohli dropped a regulation catch at second slip off Varun Aaron to give Steve Smith a life on 9.

Instead of Warner it was Chris Rogers who played the aggressor in the Australian run-chase, hitting 10 boundaries to make a vital 50 before falling for 55 with the score on 85.

Smith and Shaun Marsh looked set to achieve the target before Marsh fell, caught behind off Yadav to make it 4 for 114.

Australia was just six runs from victory when Smith was sent back to the pavilion, courtesy of a controversial run-out where Aaron appeared to impede the captain on his way back for a second run.

That made it 5 for 122, and it was 6 for 122 soon after when wicketkeeper Brad Haddin added to his terrible run of form, edging a Yadav bouncer to Kohli to depart for 1.

It was left to the Mitchells, Marsh and Johnson, to finally claim victory and it was Marsh who struck Yadav through the covers for the winning boundary.

Sharma finished with 3 for 38, while Yadav took 2 for 46.

Steve Smith was named man of the match for his first innings century.

India's challenge cruelled in first-hour collapse

The day started out in dramatic fashion, with opener Shikhar Dhawan forced to retire hurt before a ball was bowled, after he was hit on the wrist while warming up in the nets.

Kohli - who had also been hit in the nets - came in, but he was soon to depart for 1 after chopping on to a Mitchell Johnson delivery in the fourth over of the day to make the score 2 for 76.

This started a nightmare half-hour for the tourists, who lost a further 3 for 1 in 3.1 overs to slump to 5 for 87, still requiring another 10 runs to make Australia bat again.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin took the Indians into the lead, but Mitchell Starc had Ashwin caught behind for 19, as the tourists reached 6 for 117.

With the game slipping away, Dhawan returned to the crease and became the focal point of the Indian innings.

Josh Hazlewood dismissed Pujara for 43 before lunch, to leave the Indians seven down and the match apparently headed for a very early finish.

Dhawan and Yadav kept the interest in proceedings with a 60-run partnership for the eighth wicket, before Dhawan tried to sweep Nathan Lyon and was trapped lbw for 81.

Lyon followed up with the wicket of Aaron (3) before Mitchell Johnson had Yadav caught behind for 30 to end the Indian innings on 224, leaving them 40 or 50 runs short of a challenging total.

Johnson led the bowling with 4 for 61, while Hazelwood (2 for 74), Mitchell Starc (2 for 27) and Lyon (2 for 33) also contributed.

The win means Australia cannot lose the series, with Tests at the MCG and SCG to come.

India must win the remaining two Tests to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Topics: sport, cricket, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, india

First posted