New Delhi: A magnificent century-stand between Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin for eighth wicket denied Australia a big lead as the visitors were 61/1 at close of Day 2 of second Test of Border-Gavaskar series at Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Saturday.
Australia were leading India by 62 runs after bowling out India for 262 in reply to their first innings total of 263. At stumps, makeshift opener Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne were on 39 and 16.
It has been another day full of excitement as India slipped from 46 for no loss to 66 for 4 and then from 125 for 4 to 139 for 7. But, Axar and Ashwin shipped them out of the troubled waters.
The duo added 114 runs for the 8th wicket to leave India just a run short of Australia’s total. India then struck early by dismissing Usman Khawaja for 6, but Head made free-flowing unbeaten 39, ably supported by Labuschagne at the other end.
Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja did not look as penetrative as Nathan Lyon and other Aussie spinners looked in the last hour of play.
Are these signs of the pitch getting better? Or were the Indians average with the ball? Anyway, the Test match hangs in balance and is set up for another engrossing day for tomorrow, which could indicate which way the match is going.
KL Rahul (17) and Rohit Sharma (32) started on a confident note, before Lyon got the Karnataka lad trapped LBW.
This opened the gates as the tricky Aussie off spinner found his rhythm and wreaked havoc on Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara (0), who succumbed to him. He then forced Shreyas Iyer to poke one to short-leg, where Peter Handscomb took a stunning reflex catch.
Virat Kohli (44) and Jadeja (26) launched a fightback. The former captain, in particular, was looking good but was given out LBW to Mathew Kuhnemann, a decision which was discussed in length by commentators and cricket experts.
Srikar Bharat (6) was also out cheaply, giving Lyon his five-wicket haul, but Ashwin (31) and Axar (74) staged a fightback. The partnership was finally broken by Cummins with the new ball, and the rest of the tail folded quickly.
Brief scores: Australia 263 (Usman Khawaja 81, Peter Handscomb 72*; Mohammed Shami 4-60) and 61/1 in second innings (Travis Head 39*; Ravindra Jadeja 1/23) lead India 262 (Axar Patel 74; Virat Kohli 44; Nathan Lyon 5/67; Mathew Kuhnemann 2/72; Todd Murphy (2/53; Pat Cummins 1/41) by 62 runs.
