AGENCY
BENGALURU: Australian batsmen showed commendable application to claim the upper-hand against India with a vital 48-run first innings lead after reaching 237 for six on an engaging second day of the second cricket Test here. Young opener Matt Renshaw (60) and experienced Shaun Marsh (66) battled hard against the Indian spinners.
Their fighting half-centuries consolidated Australia’s position in the match but Virat Kohli’s captaincy left a lot to be desired.
On a pitch aiding spinners, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (3/49), the home team’s top wicket-taker, got to bowl only 17 overs compared to Ravichandran Ashwin (1/75 in 41 overs) While Ashwin bowled a tight line and beat the bat on occasions, it was Jadeja, who looked like the most lethal among Indian bowlers. To their credit, the Australians gave a better account of themselves on a two-paced pitch.
Jadeja was using the rough created on both sides of the stumps more effectively but Kohli’s decision was baffling as he even gave Karun Nair an over in the end.
score board
India 1st Innings
Lokesh Rahul c Renshaw b Lyon 90
Abhinav Mukund lbw b Starc 00
Cheteshwar Pujara c Handscomb b Lyon 17
Virat Kohli (c) lbw b Lyon 12
Ajinkya Rahane st Wade b Lyon 17
Karun Nair st Wade b O’Keefe 26
Ravichandran Ashwin c Warner b Lyon 07
Wriddhiman Saha (wk) c Steven Smith b Lyon 01
Ravindra Jadeja c Steven Smith b Lyon 03
Umesh Yadav not out 00
Ishant Sharma c Handscomb b Lyon 00
Extras 16
Total 189/10
Australia 1st Innings
David Warner b Ashwin 33
Matt Renshaw st Saha b Ravindra Jadeja 60
Steven Smith (c) c Saha b Ravindra Jadeja 08
Shaun Marsh c Nair b Umesh 66
Peter Handscomb c Ashwin b Ravindra Jadeja 16
Mitchell Marsh lbw b Ishant 00
Matthew Wade (wk) batting 25
Mitchell Starc batting 14
Extras 15
Total 237/6
