India rally with five wickets, but Australia’s tail take them to 369 at Lunch
India had the upper hand in the morning session of Day 2, as they wrapped up the Australian lower-order. The visitors would rue the Australian tail adding 57 for the final four wickets, but would be happy to see the total not get close to 400.
Australia couldn’t capitalize on their solid start, as Tim Paine and Cameron Green were dismissed in quick succession. The welcome runs in the end could act as a big boost later in the game. It will be interesting to see how the Australian bowlers approach their bowling.
Brief scores Australia 369 all out after 115.2 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 108, Tim Paine 50; T Natarajan 3/78 Washington Sundar 3/94)
Australia came out with a clear intent in mind, as they attacked India’s bowlers. Cameron Green got going straight away, dispatching T Natarajan for a couple of boundaries in the first over.
But after being wayward with their lines and lengths for the first few overs, Mohammed Siraj and Natarajan tightened things up. However, Tim Paine and Cameron Green looked comfortable in the middle.
Another chance went begging for India soon after, as Rishabh Pant failed to hang onto a difficult catch after Green had edged one off Washington Sundar. The signs looked ominous for the visitors, as Paine brought up his ninth Test fifty.
Shardul Thakur masterclass brings India back in the game
Just like Day 1, India picked up wickets in quick succession to pin the Australian batsmen back. Tim Paine was the first to go, as he went chasing after a teasing Shardul Thakur delivery. The Australian skipper ended up getting a thick edge, and Rohit Sharma completed another catch at slip.
Paine’s dismissal was a sign of things to come, as India picked up three wickets in three overs. Washington Sundar once again proved his prowess as a spinner, with his cracking delivery beating a set Cameron Green all ends up. The all-rounder played for the turn that never came, and saw the delivery castle the stumps.
Shardul Thakur was at it again in the next over, as he sent Pat Cummins back. His attempted yorker hit Cummins straight on the pads, and even the DRS couldn’t save him as Hawk-Eye showed three reds.
Australia’s tail frustrates India again
With the tail exposed as the scoreboard read 317/8 after Cummins’ departure, many would have backed India to wrap things up quickly.
However, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc had other ideas. The duo came out swinging, and Starc smashed Sundar for a huge six right in the next over. Lyon hit Thakur for back-to-back boundaries next, as Australia scored 35 in the next five overs.
Nathan Lyon relied heavily on the sweep to counter Washington Sundar’s turn. But his handy innings came to an end in the same way, as he missed one completely, and Sundar got his third Test wicket.
As has been the case in recent years, the Indian bowlers overdid the short-pitched deliveries which led to runs. Josh Hazlewood was the next Australian to frustrate the visitors, as he hung around for a while. India could have ended the hosts' innings after he top-edged a Mohammed Siraj bumper, but the ball just fell short of Mayank Agarwal’s desperate running attempt.
Fans had called for T Natarajan to come in and clean the tail, and that’s precisely what the debutant did. The left-arm pacer needed just two balls to dismiss Hazlewood, as the teams went into Lunch.
India would look to bat confidently when they come out. The target would be to take a first innings lead and bat for a considerable period, to allow their inexperienced bowling attack to recover.
Australian pacers have historically been a menace at the Gabba. The pace trio and Nathan Lyon would be motivated by what they saw on the first two days, as they look to take a first innings lead in the series decider.