At stumps on day one of many second Test towards India on the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, Travis Head, who had simply been promoted to opening, was undefeated on 39 and had led Australia to 61/1 in 12 overs. As India was bowled out for 262 of their first innings, Australia seized a one-run lead and Head attacked to assist the guests get some early runs. At the age of 16, Marnus Labuschagne is protecting him firm.
Travis Head’s counter-attack provides Australia the momentum at stumps _#WTC23 | #INDvAUS | _: https://t.co/HS93GIyEwS pic.twitter.com/xBk322Sdtf
— ICC (@ICC) February 18, 2023
With 13 overs left within the day, Australia opted to ship Head as an opener in absence of a concussed David Warner alongside Usman Khawaja. Head made an immediate impression, pulling and driving off Mohammed Shami for boundaries, and bought a thick periphery off Ravichandran Ashwin for his third 4 in 5 overs.
After being heaved over deep mid-wicket by Khawaja, Jadeja struck on the very subsequent ball, because the left-handed batter swept straight to a pointy quick leg transferring to his left. Labuschagne took on Jadeja, sweeping twice and punching off backfoot to take three boundaries within the eighth over. Head took the rive towards Jadeja after which danced down the pitch to hit Ashwin over long-on for six, earlier than stumps have been known as on a riveting day.
For India, Left-arm spin all-rounder Axar Patel top-scored along with his second consecutive fifty within the collection because the hosts’ have been bowled out for 262 of their first innings. At one level, it seemed like Australia can have an enormous lead, as India have been 139/7 in 50.5 overs.
But Axar slammed 74 off 115 balls and shared an essential 114-run partnership off 177 balls with Ravichandran Ashwin, who made 37 off 71 balls, for the eighth wicket to carry India on the edge of taking a lead.
Despite the stand, they missed out on the lead by a solitary run as Australia wrapped up the Indian first innings inside 3.3 overs of taking the second new ball. For Australia, premier off-spinner Nathan Lyon starred with 5/60, together with taking 4 wickets within the morning session.
The remaining session started with Lyon and Todd Murphy sharing bowling duties and countering them have been Axar and Ashwin with defence, strike rotation and a few fortunate byes. As India reached 200, the group bought its voice again and have been cheering loudly for Axar and Ashwin.
Steve Smith at slip could not make a splash for a low catch when Axar was batting, whereas Matthew Renshaw did not seize an opportunity of taking Ashwin’s catch at leg slip, giving the batters boundaries. Axar bought his fifty in 94 balls when he lofted Matthew Kuhnemann over extensive long-on for six, with the group massively entertained by his blitzkrieg.
Pat Cummins introduced himself to search out some reverse swing, but Axar hit him for a luxurious drive between cowl and mid-off for 4, adopted by a smashing reduce by way of the off-side for one more boundary. Lyon additionally got here below the assault, with Axar chopping by way of backward level and an out of doors edge flying off Ashwin’s bat previous slip to make it two fours within the over.
With the second new ball obtainable, Australia took it and bought success instantly as Ashwin chipped to a diving sq. leg off Cummins, falling for 37. Axar then created room towards Murphy to hit him over additional cowl for six.
But on the very subsequent ball, Axar tried to go over mid-on, but Cummins dived to his left and took a one-handed screamer of a catch over his head. Kuhnemann ended the Indian innings by castling Mohammed Shami for 2.
Earlier, Lyon ran by way of the Indian top order within the morning session, taking out KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer to go away India at 88/4. Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja joined forces for a 59-run stand off 129 balls for the fifth wicket.
While Kohli was affected person, confirmed strong footwork and rotated the strike nicely, Jadeja was strong in defence and drove off Murphy whereas clipped off Lyon for boundaries. But Murphy trapped Jadeja plumb in entrance with an off-break supply coming in with the arm. Jadeja took the evaluate, but replays confirmed ball hitting center stump.
Kohli then turned Kuhnemann’s maiden Test wicket when he was rapped in entrance of middle-stump. With his bat and pad so near assembly the ball on the identical time, TV umpire Richard Illingworth concluded ball hit pad first and retained the on-field name as ball monitoring confirmed umpire’s name, leading to Kohli falling six runs wanting his fifty.
KS Bharat started with a reverse-sweep off Lyon. But three balls later, the off-spinner had the final chuckle by having Bharat go for the sweep early and lobbed off the glove to slide working backwards, giving Lyon his five-fer. From there, Ashwin and Axar combined warning with aggression to bail India out of hassle, although Australia took a one-run lead.
Brief scores: Australia 263 and 61/1 in 12 overs (Travis Head 39; Ravindra Jadeja 1/23) lead India 262 all out in 83.3 overs (Axar Patel 74, Virat Kohli 44; Nathan Lyon 5/67, Todd Murphy 2/53) by 62 run
