[s ]Australia have raced to a 348-run lead at stumps on day four of the fourth Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia have raced to a 348-run lead at stumps on day four of the fourth Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Steve Smith Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The captain, Steve Smith, wanting quick runs on a slow pitch that had started to turn, calmly peeled off 71 from 70 balls to spark what had been a tepid contest.
In doing so, Smith pushed his side to a total of 251 for six off 40 overs and lifted his own series tally to 769 runs.
Don Bradman, Mark Taylor and Neil Harvey are the only Australians to have enjoyed a more productive Test series with the bat.
Smith struck a sweetly-timed six off Ravichandran Ashwin, belittling the offspinner who had been a handful from the moment he was handed the new ball and dismissed David Warner.
The 25-year-old passed 50 after 44 balls when he boldly opted to reverse sweep Ashwin, who also removed Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns.
Smith was denied a fifth century in the series by Mohammed Shami, but Burns and Brad Haddin teed off in style - their 86-run partnership coming at 9.92 runs an over.
The Indian captain, Virat Kohli, was out for 147 in the morning session, extending a run of form almost as formidable as Smith's.
India's tail then showed immense character to amass a total of 475, reducing Australia's first-innings lead to 97 runs.
