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After a 17-wicket flurry on day one – the highest number of wickets to fall on the first day of a Test in Australia since 1952 – the familiar rhythms of Test cricket returned on day two, with bat reasserting itself over ball.
Australia resumed at 7 for 67 and promptly lost Alex Carey to the first ball of the second over giving stand-in India captain Jasprit Bumrah his fifth wicket. Nathan Lyon followed soon after leaving Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to put on a stoic 25-run partnership, hanging on until lunch to get Australia to a total of 104, 46 runs in arrears.
With 20 wickets having fallen in four sessions, India’s opening pair were expected to face a blitzkrieg from the Australian pace bowling cartel of Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood. Instead, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul cruised to tea intact, then crunched their way to stumps to be unbeaten on 0 for 172 – the highest opening stand by an Indian pair in Australia.
It gives India a commanding lead of 218 runs with all ten wickets in hand. Today Jaiswal resumes on 90 looking to score his maiden Test century in Australia. His partner Rahul has 62 and Australia are officially on the ropes. Will day three spring yet more surprises? Batten ’em down and buckle ’em up. We’re about to find out…
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