Adelaide: Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav led India’s charge as the Virat Kohli-led unit, after bowling Australia out for 191, secured a 62-run lead at stumps on day two of the first Test in Adelaide on Friday (December 18).
India kept things tight with the ball after being all out for 244, denying Australia any chance to score easy runs. Bumrah then scalped two wickets, dismissing the Australian openers Matthew Wade and Joe Burns.
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While Marnus Labuschagne got a couple of reprieves at either side of the dinner break, Ashwin gave India a big breakthrough as he struck in his first over to get Steve Smith out for 1. The Indian off-spinner shortly picked his second wicket, completing an easy caught and bowled chance in the 35th over.
India got their third wicket of the session and fifth wicket of the match, courtesy a brilliant catch from Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper, manning the mid-wicket area, leapt towards his right to get Cameron Green caught for 11.
Labuschagne and Tim Paine then took Australia past the 100-run mark. But Yadav’s double-wicket maiden, where he trapped Labuschagne before the wickets and had Pat Cummins caught with a short ball, reduced Australia to 111/7.
Paine was joined by Mitchell Starc and the pair added 28 runs before Prithvi Shaw’s sharp throw from the deep caught Starc short of his crease.
The Australian skipper though continued to put up a fight and brought up his fifty and took his side past 160 along with Nathan Lyon. However, Ashwin broke the partnership, dismissing Lyon.
While Josh Hazlewood played a few shots, India bowled out Australia for 191 to secure a 53-run lead in the first innings. Meanwhile, Paine remained not out for 73.
Australia are all out for 191 🏏
— ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2020
Yadav dismisses Hazlewood for 8⃣ and Paine remains unbeaten on 73.
India lead by 53 runs at the halfway point 🙌#AUSvIND SCORECARD 👉 https://t.co/Q10dx0IFfv pic.twitter.com/3RHitnLflZ
India had to bat for six overs, before the close of play and while Prithvi Shaw was dismissed by Pat Cummins. Bumrah, came out to bat at no. 3 as nightwatchman and along with Mayank Agarwal took India to 9/1 at stumps.
Earlier, India, who resumed the day’s play at 233/6, lost the last four wickets for 11 runs as Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins shared the spoils to limit India to 244.
Ashwin got out in the first over as Tim Paine held on to an easy catch off Cummins’ bowling. In the next over, Starc then dismissed Wriddhiman Saha and Umesh Yadav before Cummins got Mohammad Shami out to end India’s first innings.
Brief Scores: India 244 all out & 9/1 (Mayank Agarwal 5*; Pat Cummins 1/6). Australia 191 all out (Tim Paine 73*, Marnus Labuschagne 47; R Ashwin 4/55) by 62 runs.
