Images from Day 2 of the Pink-ball first Test between Australia and India, in Adelaide, on Friday.
Ravichandran Ashwin produced one of his most memorable overseas performances as India’s bowlers collectively tormented Australia and bowled them out for 191 on the second day of the Day/Night first Test, in Adelaide, on Friday.
Thanks to the senior India off-spinner’s figures of 18-3-55-4, India successfully neutralized a sub-par first innings score of 244 despite a gutsy fightback by Australia skipper Tim Paine, who was unbeaten with 73 off 99 balls.
With a handy first innings lead of 53 runs, India found had opener Prithvi Shaw's defence breached again before ending the day on 9 for 1 -- an overall lead of 62 runs.
India’s bowling could be segregated into three phases.
In the early afternoon, Jasprit Bumrah (21-7-52-2) bowled the fuller length to make the early inroads. Ashwin then took charge late afternoon with his perfect length and made use of the additional bounce to blow away the Australian middle-order.
Then, under lights, Umesh Yadav (16.1-5-40-3) was brilliant with the old, pink kookaburra as he bowled back of the length to get rid of the dangerous Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins.
Mohammed Shami (17-4-41-0) was also immaculate with his length but he was let down by the fielders, as the only glitch in India’s second day performance was a poor catching.
Virat Kohli, however, wouldn't mind even four dropped chances as his bowlers forced the Australian batsman to go into a defensive shell in their 72.1 overs on the second day.
It was one of the most 'Un-Australian' batting by a team that prides itself on intent. Save Labuschagne (47 off 119 balls), who couldn't capitalise on three reprieves, and skipper Paine, no other batsman seemed to know how to bat on a surface, which picked pace on the second day.
After Bumrah removed the two openers in the first session, Ashwin did the star turn in the second session. He set up Smith with a few that were flighted with the angle and then bowled one that straightened and bounced a touch more. Smith, expecting turn, squared up and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip made no mistake.
Travis Head (7) wasn't reading Ashwin well and the left-hander got a flighted one that took the leading edge of his bat, which ended in a chest-high return catch for the bowler.
Debutant Cameron Green (11) would curse himself as his was a long hop asking to be pulled but the extra bounce got the top edge and captain Kohli pulled off a fabulous catch at mid-wicket, diving full-stretch to his right.
This was after Bumrah bowled a brilliant opening spell to send back the Australian opening pair of Joe Burns (8 off 41 balls) and Matthew Wade (8 off 51 balls) for identical scores.
The two were ready to stay put and wait but Bumrah angled a fuller one into Wade, which rapped him on the pads while he was trying to whip it to mid-wicket.
Burns, the man going through a bad patch, had changed his stance to a more open-chested one. He also did all the hard work but he was susceptible to being leg before.
Bumrah fired one fast and full into the block-hole and got the decision in his favour as 'Umpires Call' in the DRS went India's way.
Labuschagne was insanely lucky when Bumrah dropped a dolly at fine leg after the batsman had mistimed a pull shot off Shami.
Before that it was a diving Wriddhiman Saha, who missed a tough but gettable edge off Bumrah's bowling.
After the dinner break, Labuschagne on 21, was dropped by Shaw at square leg and that was also a mis-timed pull-shot.
Umesh was fantastic in the twilight as he trapped Labuschagne with a delivery that kept low and then a short ball saw Cummins awkwardly fending it to gully.
A run-out and the fourth wicket by Ashwin saw Paine waging a low battle to reduce first innings lead.
Session 1
Jasprit Bumrah bowled a brilliant opening spell to send back Australia's openers, leaving the hosts tottering at 35 for 2, after their pacers dismissed India for 244, in an eventful first session.
Joe Burns (8 off 41 balls) and Mathew Wade (8 off 51 balls) were prepared to play the tough waiting game till Bumrah (8-5-8-2) bowled fast and full to trap both of them leg before, as India ended on the right side of 'Umpires Call' on both occasions.
Umesh Yadav (6-4-6-0) and Mohammed Shami (9-0-19-0) also kept things tight although they were a little more on the shorter side during the session compared to Bumrah, who reaped dividends for bowling fuller deliveries.
Marnus Labuschagne (16 batting, 15 balls) lived a charmed life as Wriddhiman Saha, touted as the best wicketkeeper in world, missed a tough but gettable caught behind off Bumrah.
Labuschagne was insanely lucky as Bumrah then dropped a dolly at fine leg after the batsman mis-timed a pull shot off Shami.
He went into the break with Steve Smith (1 batting, 7 balls) for company.
The Australian openers were ready to stay put and wait, but Bumrah angled a fuller one into Wade, which rapped him on the pads as he tried to whip it to mid-wicket.
Burns, the man going through a bad patch, also did all the hard work before Bumrah fired one fast and full into the block-hole and got the decision in his favour.
At the start of the day, India's tail-enders contributed precious little as the first innings folded in just 93.1 overs.
Mitchell Starc (4/53 in 21 overs) and Pat Cummins (3/48 in 21.1 overs) dismissed the last four batsmen for the addition of only 11 runs to the overnight score.
India lost seven wickets for 56 runs, starting with skipper Virat Kohli's run-out, caused by a poor call from vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.
On Friday morning, Ravichandran Ashwin (15) got one to rear up from a length as Cummins got his second wicket and India's seventh in the first over of the day.
Saha (9) also did not trouble the scorers, getting out on his overnight tally while chasing a wide delivery from Starc.
Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah hit a boundary each but that was just tail-enders' bravado as the innings folded after just 25 balls on the second day.
If one goes by how the pink ball matches at Adelaide have panned out, India have scored at least 75 runs less than what should have been a fighting first innings total.
In the end, Kohli's dismissal might just cost them dearly.
Session 2
Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc with three quick wickets, including the prized scalp of Steve Smith, as India took control by reducing Australia to 92 for 5 at tea on Day 2 of the Day/Night first Test in Adelaide, on Friday.
Courtesy Ashwin's figures of 11-3-27-3, India successfully neutralised a poor first innings score of 244 as Australia literally got into a shell during the 48 overs they faced in the first two sessions.
After Jasprit Bumrah (14-7-21-2) removed the two openers in the first session, Ashwin did the star turn in the second session even as Marnus Labuschagne (46 batting, 103 balls) got multiple reprieves during his audacious knock.
Ashwin set up Smith with a few that were flighted with the angle and then bowled one that straightened and bounced a touch more. Smith, expecting turn, squared up and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip made no mistake.
Travis Head (7) wasn't reading Ashwin well and the left-hander got a flighted one which took the leading edge of his bat, which ended in a chest-high return catch for the bowler.
Debutant Cameron Green (11) would curse himself as his was a long hop asking to be pulled but the extra bounce got the top edge and captain Virat Kohli pulled off a fabulous catch at mid-wicket diving full-stretch to his right.
However, Ashwin can give a lot of credit to Bumrah, who bowled a brilliant opening spell to send back the Australian opening pair of Joe Burns (8 off 41 balls) and Matthew Wade (8 off 51 balls) for identical scores.
