IND vs AUS: Team India dominates once again as they take 2-0 lead in the series

Another three day Test and once again Australia losing with an embarrassing performance. Australia elected to bat first to start the Test, and Usman Khawaja came in to bat after the first Test’s failure. While Smith and Labuschagne experienced a rare failure, he was supported by Handscomb. In the opening innings, Mo Shami had four picks, while Ashwin and Jadeja each had three. India’s response was shaky as KL Rahul’s rough patch persisted and the majority of their top-order had trouble scoring runs. At 139/7, they were in trouble, but Axar and Ashwin provided the rearguard, cutting the lead to just one run.

Australia lost nine wickets for 52 runs in another embarrassing collapse, effectively ending any hopes of a rare victory in India. In only 31.1 overs, Australia was all out for 113 as left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja recorded career-best figures of 7-42.

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At the beginning of day three, Australia was 61-1 and optimistic about carrying on its batting counterattack from the previous evening. The visitors only lasted 19.1 overs on day three’s morning as Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed all ten wickets, but it was the Indian spinners who went berserk. India was 14-1 at lunch, needing to win by 115 runs, with Cheteshwar Pujara (1 not out) and Rohit Sharma at the crease.

Travis Head gave Australia a strong start in the second inning, and by the time play ended yesterday, they were ahead. Today, though, seemed like a collective “brain-fade” for the team as Ashwin cracked the top order and Jadeja ought to have finished them off with easy straight balls. As Australia crumbled for a paltry score of 113, he finished with figures that were career highs of 7/42. India struggled during the chase as Rohit ran himself out and Rahul was dismissed cheaply.

KS Bharat added the finishing touches with his unbeaten cameo of 23, but Pujara held the line from one end despite Kohli and Iyer losing.