India scored a good 144 runs on Day two despite losing 5 wickets to Australian debutant Todd Murphy.
177 runs from Australia is not that competitive as Rohit Sharma’s century on the second day in Nagpur helped all the lower order batsmen.
Australia only had its debutant player Todd Murphy who alone claimed India’s 5 wickets but India did not lose hope. The Indian Captain Rohit Sharma scored his first century as the test captain, making him score 100 in all the three formats as batter as well as a leader. Ravindra Jadega added a half-century to his success in bowling while it was the second test fifty for left-arm spinner Axar Patel.
It was an amazing performance by Rohit Sharma who had faced 212 balls for nearly six hours with a faultless display on the crease. He kept the bowlers trying for his wicket.
The tempo of his batting changed on the second day compared to the first day evening. In today’s first session he scored 29 runs from 33 balls. Perhaps due to his tired footwork Rohit Sharma was taken by a superb delivery from Cummin. But, India still managed to be in the lead as Jadeja and Axar added an unbroken 81 for the eighth wicket against Australian attack that started to show some weariness.
It will take a huge effort from Australian players to beat the score but Murphy’s contribution is a highlight for their team as it was just his eighth first-class match and proved why he is overrated.
KL Rahul was the first one to be sent back to the pavilion after R Ashwin was LBW with the aid of DRS. Cheteshwar Pujara also paid the price for a rear sweep top-edging from well outside leg to short fine.
It was a bright opening for Australia after lunch as the first delivery brought the wicket of Virat Kohli with the thin edge being well held at the second attempt by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
India was 168/5 when Suryakumar Yadav’s debutant innings ended by a sweep dive of Nathan Lyon but at that time India was behind the score of Australia. The lower middle order batsmen played a crucial role in the recovery.
Rohit’s frustration was evident at the teammates dismissal but he managed his composure and slowly swept through a three-digit score with a classy lofted drive wide of mid-off. This proved to be his huge innings in context of the match as well as the series and called for the celebration.
Jadeja proved himself to be a partner he could trust upon in the match, though he too faced hard moments.On 22 he faced Scott Boland past Smith at a wide slip and the ball went under the right hand on the full while on 33 he was the beneficiary of an excruciatingly tight umpire’s call for an lbw shout from Murphy.
Cummin was the one who uprooted the much awaited Rohit Sharma’s wicket. The ball after Smith had missed a clear-cut chance at second slip – Murphy pushed one into the pads of fellow debutant KS Bharat and this time the DRS went in Australia’s favour.