Josh Hazlewood: 'We can still improve on today'

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood feels that the quicker bowlers could have bowled a better line.

Australian players celebrate as Virat Kohli’s referral goes against him.

At tea, India was effectively 35 for four. It had managed to erase Australia's 87-run first innings lead, but had lost the important wickets of K. L. Rahul — who was constructive during his 51-run knock — and skipper Virat Kohli. Australia was clearly in the ascendancy.

Match Report: Match nicely poised

However, a wicketless final session, in which Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane put on 91 runs at nearly three an over, ensured that Australia wouldn't run away with the match.

“It feels pretty level at the moment,” Josh Hazlewood said. “They fought back really well in that last session. Credit to the two guys. They fought hard and scratched away for quite a bit of runs.”

With the pitch slowing down, Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe couldn't get the ball to turn and bounce as quickly as they did in the first innings. In that scenario, Hazlewood felt that the quicker bowlers could have bowled a better line.

“The quicks were a little too wide. In Australia you bowl in that channel outside the off stump, looking for nicks. Obviously it bounces a lot better and there’s a little bit of swing. Here it’s not the case.”

“With the odd ball shooting through with that up and down bounce, we could be more straighter. There’s not much swing, and not much reverse swing either. You’ve got to bowl stump to stump. I think the Indian quicks bowled really well for a majority of Sunday. We can still improve on today.”