[WATCH] Lucky Ajinkya Rahane survives after being adjudged lbw as Pat Cummins oversteps on Day 2 of WTC final
Team India batter Ajinkya Rahane had a lucky escape on Day 2 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval on Thursday. He was adjudged lbw to Pat Cummins on 17 but survived as the Australia captain had overstepped.
After Australia ended their first innings on an impressive total of 469 in 121.3 overs, India got off to a poor start, losing their first four wickets with only 71 runs on the board. They could have been five down for 87 in the 22nd over of the innings.
Cummins got one to nip back in sharply and beat Rahane’s defensive stroke. The umpire upheld Australia’s lbw appeal following which the Indian batter went for a review.
Replays confirmed that the delivery was a no-ball as the bowler had overstepped. If not for the no-ball, Rahane would have been on his way as ball-tracking showed umpire's call on impact.
Responding to Australia’s big first-innings total, India needed a solid start with the bat in the WTC final. Instead, Cummins trapped his opposite number Rohit Sharma lbw for 15 with one that nipped back and beat the batter’s leg-side clip.
Shubman Gill (13) and Cheteshwar Pujara (14) left deliveries that they should have defended and ended up getting clean bowled. Virat Kohli (14) then was the receiving end of a snorter from Mitchell Starc. The ball climbed awkwardly and all Kohli could manage was to lob a simple catch to Steve Smith at second slip.
India were 125/4 after 32 overs in the first innings, with Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease.
Steve Smith hits 31st Test ton on Day 2 of WTC final
Earlier in the day, Smith, who was batting on 95 overnight, went on to complete his 31st Test ton. At the other end, Travis Head, who was unbeaten on 146 at the close of play on Day 1 of the WTC final, also went past his 150.
The excellent fourth-wicket partnership of 285 ended when Head (163) fell to a good short ball from Mohammed Siraj, gloving the bouncer to the keeper. Cameron Green (6) nicked Mohammed Shami to second slip, while Smith’s fine knock ended on 121 when he dragged an innocuous delivery from Shardul Thakur back onto the stumps.
Substitute fielder Axar Patel ran out Mitchell Starc (5) with a brilliant direct hit, but a counter-attacking 48 from Alex Carey lifted Australia past the 450-run mark.