India versus Australia: Mohammed Shami got India past Australia by 263 runs before Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul could bat. This gave the hosts a good start.
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, a spin duo. Perfectly complemented Mohammed Shami’s cunning variations with the semi-new and old ball as India held Australia to 263 runs on Friday, the first day of the second Test here.
Opening batsman Usman Khawaja’s attractive score of 81 from 125 balls on Friday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium made up for his poor first-Test performance in Nagpur.
The visitors were all out in 78.4 overs thanks to Peter Handscomb’s tenacity-driven play (72 not out, 142 balls).
Shami struck with the new, semi-new, and old ball, and Ashwin (21-4-57-3) and Jadeja (21-2-68-3) scored breakthroughs just as the opposition appeared to gain ground. Helping India win the first day of play. Shami’s (14.4-4-60-4) variety of deliveries was on full display.
Friday’s highlight was KL Rahul’s brilliant catch at point off a powerful reverse sweep by Khawaja. That athletic effort ended Australia’s charge and the 59-run sixth-wicket partnership of Khawaja and Handscomb.
Despite the pitch’s slower turn and better carry than the Nagpur wicket. Khawaja was able to hit through the line during his innings, which included 12 fours and a six.
Shami’s bowling during the first session when Rohit Sharma pressed him from the other end merits praise.
Mohammed Siraj deserves credit for making David Warner feel better. During their 50-run partnership, even though he didn’t get a wicket.
Two short balls, one of which flushed against his helmet and one of which hit the opener on the elbow, did indeed frighten the opener.
Then, Shami shot wide of the crease when he angled one at Warner. Warner could only jab at the flawless line because it had a longer length.
Ashwin then got involved as Australia lost Steve Smith (0 and Marnus Labuschagne (18) in two deliveries from a comfortable 94/1.
While Labuschagne got an off-break that turned a lot and put him squarely in front. Smith lost one to Kona Bharat, whose amazing reflexes and skill paid off handsomely.
In the afternoon session, Shami bowled another hard-hitting over, defeating Travis Head. Who took Matt Renshaw’s place in the second Test?
Rahul took a nice catch wide of the second slip as Shami got closer to the stumps and bowled a ball that was not driveable as Head’s thick outside edge flew to him.
After Ashwin discovered Alex Carey’s body, Khawaja and Handscomb collaborated effectively. The duo successfully navigated the Indian spinners between lunch and tea on a pitch that was easy to bat on.
In point of fact, Handscomb exuded confidence with his wide front-foot strides to counteract the slow turn and occasional back-foot punches to spinners on the opposite side.
Out of the three Australian innings that have been completed thus far in this series. He probably played his best, scoring nine boundaries.
Australia’s hopes of a big stand were dashed when Rahul pulled off a one-handed stun against Khawaja’s ambitious reverse sweep of Jadeja.
Skipper Pat Cummins (33) made the decision to play a counter-attacking game as Handscomb scored runs on the other end.
With a score of 227 out of 6, it seemed like Australia would get a score of 300 or higher for the first essay. Which would have been a respectable result by any standard.
However, in response to the track’s sluggishness, Jadeja got to work and increased the speed of his deliveries.
Cummins and Todd Murphy took two quick wickets each before Shami used the traditional reverse swing to clean up the tail.
Nathan Lyon was cleaned up by a leg stump that tailed in on the side of the shine while debutant Matt Kuhnemann had his leg stump pegged back.