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Images from Day 1 of the second Test between Australia and India, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Saturday.
India’s bowlers turned in a brilliant show to shoot out Australia for a meagre 195 on the opening day of the second Test, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Saturday.
The Ajinkya Rahane-led side then lost an out-of-form Mayank Agarwal (0) to Mitchell Starc before debutant Shubman Gill (28 batting) survived a hostile spell to enable India end the day end on 36 for 1 in 11 overs.
Giving him company was the seasoned Cheteshwar Pujara (7 batting).
As much as the day belonged to the Indian bowling unit, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, new captain Rahane deserves equal credit for marshalling his resources to perfection during the 72.3 overs that Australia batted.
Bumrah (4/56 in 16 overs) and Ashwin (3/35 in 24 overs) were the stars but debutant Mohammed Siraj (2/40 in 15 overs) also did his bit, repaying the faith shown in him with wickets of Marnus Labuschagne (48) and Cameron Green (12) with the old ball.
Gill showed what the Indian cricket can expect of him in the new decade. He displayed positive intent and some dazzling strokes that would certainly leave fans yearning for more in the coming days.
An off-drive off Pat Cummins, a punch through covers and a flick off Starc were exhilarating. The cover drive off Nathan Lyon had class written all over it.
India trail 0-1 in the series after going down by eight wickets in the opening day-night Test in Adelaide. The visitors were dismissed for their lowest Test score of 36 during that game.
Session 1:
Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin's double strike helped India reduce Australia to 65 for 3 after the opening session.
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane made some impressive captaincy moves which enabled India gain the upper hand on a track that offered turn and bounce in the first session.
Jasprit Bumrah (1-7 in 8 overs) struck for the visitors in the fifth over, removing Joe Burns for a duck, as the batsman nicked a delivery that moved a bit after hitting the seam to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
Introduced into the attack in the 11th over, Ashwin struck in his second over as Matthew Wade (30 off 39) went for a glory shot over square-leg, only to get a top-edge which was caught by Ravindra Jadeja despite a collision with onrushing debutant Shubman Gill.
An over later, Ashwin (2-17 in 9 overs) was again on the money, this time accounting for Steve Smith (0), who got one that was tossed up. The former Australia skipper tried to glance to glanc, only to find new vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara pouch it at leg gully.
At the break, Marnus Labuschagne was batting on 28 in the company of Travis Head (4 not out).
Labuschagne did hit some good shots but also looked a bit edgy in between. He survived a leg before decision when Ashwin trapped him with flight but the Umpires’ review showed that the ball was missing the stumps.
Session 2:
India’s bowlers, led by the menacing Jasprit Bumrah and crafty Ravichandran Ashwin, shot out Australia for a meagre 195 on a memorable opening day of the second Test, in Melbourne, on Saturday.
New captain Ajinkya Rahane had a great day in office as he marshalled his resources impressively, with debutant Mohammed Siraj (2-40 in 15 overs) repaying the faith shown in him with the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne (48) and Cameron Green (12) with the old ball.
The Test series though is increasingly looking like Ashwin's (3-35 in 24 overs) paradise. He once again made Steve Smith (0), Australia’s best batsman, look ordinary, exploiting the turn and bounce that the first day of the MCG track offered.
Bumrah (4-56 in 16 overs) was bowling as if it was business as usual, beating the bat and getting those breakthroughs just when it mattered on a pitch that had retained moisture.
As it turned out, Rahane would be happy that he lost the toss. The Indian team looked way more galvanised despite being without regular skipper Vurat Kohli, who is on paternity leave. Some great catches were taken and the intent was way more visible.
Rahane's first punt was introducing Ashwin inside the first hour of play after Bumrah had forced Joe Burns (0) to nick one to Rishabh Pant. The senior spinner, who varied the pace of his deliveries, cleverly got some turn and bounce straightaway as he drew Matthew Wade into coming down the track and skying one for India's best fielder Ravindra Jadeja to take a well-judged catch running backwards.
After one that jumped and turned beating Smith and Pant, Ashwin kept the next a tad straighter and the former Australian skipper's glance was pouched by Cheteshwar Pujara at leg gully. All this while, Bumrah was beating the bat at the other hand. Interestingly, Rahane did not give the debutant a single over before lunch break as he knew that Siraj's strength was generating pace and movement with semi-new and old ball.
Siraj, initially bowled a bit short at Labuschagne and Travis Head (38 off 92 balls) as they added 86 runs for the fourth wicket.
It was Bumrah, who provided the post-lunch breakthrough with a delivery that held its line and the left-hander's thick edge was taken by Rahane at gully. Siraj's maiden wicket was a lucky one as the ball was drifting down the leg-side which Labuschagne tried to whip but Shubman Gill, stationed at backward square leg, snapped it inches off the ground.
However, the Hyderabad pacer's second wicket was a much fuller ball with a hint of inward movement that caught Green plumb in-front. Skipper Tim Paine (13) couldn't script a rescue act like Adelaide as a classical off-break saw him guide one straight into the hands of Hanuma Vihari at backward square leg.
Bumrah did not take much time after that as he and Ravindra Jadeja (1-15) polished off the tail in a jiffy.