The partnership of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin did not last long on Day 2 as both lost their wickets in the first two overs. The Australian bowlers cleaned up the Indian lower order with ease. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were the prominent wicket takers, claiming 4 and 3 wickets respectively.
India were hopeful that their bowlers would put up a fight as 244 in the 1st innings was not a competitive score. Constant pressure built by the Indian pacers with a barrage of dot balls on the Australian openers finally paid off as Jasprit Bumrah got both Matthew Wade and Joe Burns out in the 15th and 17th over respectively.
Just as things looked on the up for India, Marnus Labuschagne was dropped twice by Jasprit Bumrah and Prithvi Shaw. Ravi Ashwin got the crucial wicket of Australia’s talisman Steve Smith. After a couple of dropped catches that may have had an effect on the team’s morale, a big wicket of this nature gave India the required boost.
Ashwin also got Travis Head out on 7 while skipper Virat Kohli’s brilliant catch sent Cameron Green back to the pavilion. Australian captain Tim Paine and Marnus Labuschagne showed signs of a good partnership before Umesh Yadav broke the deadlock as the pacer got Labuschagne LBW on 47.
Scoring his 8th half century for Australia in Tests, Tim Paine stayed not out till the end, leading Australia to 191. India had a minor scare at the end when Paine built small partnerships with Starc and Nathan Lyon that could have possibly ruined the brilliant start the Indian bowlers had. Australia finished their 1st innings 191 all out.
Ashwin stood out amongst the Indian bowlers with 4 wickets while Umesh Yadav and Bumrah got 3 and 2 scalps respectively.
The Indian openers walked out to bat with not much time left for stumps. Prithvi Shaw got out cheap for the second innings in the row on 4 whilst Mayank Agarwal and night watchman Jasprit Bumrah saw off the rest of the overs. India are 9/1 at stumps.
