What happened on Day 2 of the 1st India vs Australia BGT 2024-25 Test in Perth?
Team India completely dominated Day 2 of the first 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday, November 23. After bowling out Australia for 104 to gain a crucial 46-run first-innings lead, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (90*) and KL Rahul (62*) then added an unbroken 172 in 57 overs as India's lead swelled to 218 by stumps on Day 2.
India's start in the second innings was in complete contrast to their first essay as the Perth surface eased out. After India claimed Australia's remaining three wickets in the first session, Rahul and Jaiswal batted with resolve in the second session, adding 84 runs in 26 overs. The openers were content rotating the strike, but also found boundaries at regular intervals to frustrate Australia.
As expected, Jaiswal was the more aggressive of the two, if only slightly. In the 15th over, he ramped Pat Cummins over the keeper for four. A few overs later, he slapped Mitchell Starc past the deep backward square boundary. At tea on Day 2 in Perth, Jaiswal was batting on 42 and Rahul on 34.
The Indian openers batted through the entire last session of play as well. Jaiswal reached a well-deserved fifty with a single through deep cover off Nathan Lyon's bowling. He started the 47th over of the innings by flicking Starc for a six to deep backward square leg. At the other end, Rahul reached a patient fifty by dabbing Mitchell Marsh to deep third man for a single.
Having settled in nicely, Jaiswal danced down the track to Lyon and launched the off-spinner for a 100-metre six. The opening duo batted sensibly after that to ensure that India went to stumps on Day 2 without losing any wickets.
Jasprit Bumrah completes 5-fer on Day 2 of IND vs AUS 2024-25 1st Test
At the start of the day in Perth, Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah dismissed overnight batter Alex Carey (21) to complete a well-deserved five-wicket haul. Australia resumed their innings on 67-7 and Carey (19* overnight) was the first wicket to go. Bumrah induced a nick of a short of a length delivery from around the wicket, which was grabbed by the keeper.
Harshit Rana picked up his second wicket in his debut Test when Lyon (5) fended a well-directed short ball to gully. Starc (26) and Josh Hazlewood (7*) frustrated the visitors, adding a valuable 25 runs for the last wicket. The stand ended when Starc skied a lofted hit off Rana and was caught by the keeper.