Match Blog: Australia Lead India by 48 Runs at End of Day Two
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- Australia end day two of the second Test against India at 237/6 at Bengaluru.
- The visitors have attained a lead of 48 runs.
- Shaun Marsh was the top scorer for Australia with 66 runs.
- India’s Ravindra Jadeja picked up three wickets for 49 runs.
Australia Lead by 48 Runs at the End of Day's Play
India bowled their heart out on day two of the second Test against Australia at Bengaluru, but Australia still managed to attain a lead of 48 runs.
Matt Renshaw (60) and Shaun Marsh (66) capitalised on their starts and helped Australia to tick the scoreboard as wickets tumbled around them.
India will have to wrap up Australia’s innings as soon as possible on day three, if they want to stay in the game. At the moment, Australia have their noses in front.
First Wicket For Umesh Yadav After 21 Overs
Umesh Yadav finally manages to get a wicket! Shaun Marsh tries to flick a delivery on the leg-side but presents a simple catch for Karun Nair and gets out for a well-made 66 runs.
Two balls, later, Yadav finds Starc’s edge, but Saha puts down a difficult chance.
It’s all happening here.
Australia: 221/6 after 101 overs.
Australia Gain Lead!
The Australians have got their noses in front as far as the scores are concerned. They have managed to gain lead in 91.2 overs with five wickets in hand.
Shaun Marsh is going strong at 52 runs and Matthew Wade has faced 31 balls without much trouble.
Australia: 192/5 after 92 overs.
Marsh's Sixth Test Fifty
Shaun Marsh brings up his sixth Test fifty in 183 balls. It has been a fantastic innings by the Australian batsman. He has been on point from ball one and has not looked trouble against spin or pace at all.
As wickets have tumbled around him, he dug in and kept batting positively. Australia trail India’s score by just two runs now.
Australia: 187/5 after 90 overs.
Shaun Marsh Survives Due to DRS
Umesh Yadav bowled a beautiful delivery and crashed the ball into Shaun Marsh’s pads. As the Indians went up with an appeal, the umpire raised his finger. It would have been the perfect time for India to get a wicket but Marsh asked for a review.
The replays showed that the ball would have hit the stumps but the ball was pitched outside the line of impact.
Australia: 175/5 after 85 overs.
Ishant Strikes at the Stroke of Tea
Ishant Sharma strikes at the stroke of tea as Mitchell Marsh walks back to the pavilion for a duck. The Indian fast bowler has been getting good bounce and carry throughout the day and finally was rewarded for his excellent bowling.
India have managed to stay in the game with three wickets in the session, but Australia are trailing by just 26 runs.
The match has reached its croassroad. Either Australia moves ahead with more runs or India pull things back with some quick wickets.
Ashwin's Fantastic Catch
Ravichandran Ashwin takes a fantastic diving catch to dismiss Peter Handscomb for 16 runs. The Australian batsman clipped Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery on the leg-side and Ashwin managed to get a hold of it.
But, the ball slipped out of his hand and he juggled the ball for a while before catching it firmly again.
Australia: 160/4 after 77 overs.
Jadeja Strikes Twice
Matt Renshaw smashed Ravindra Jadeja for a six in the first ball of the 66th over and then in the third ball, he came down the track again, but this time, the off-spinner cheekily fired it wide on the leg-side and Saha broke the stumps on time.
India has to capitalise on the situation and pick a few more wickets.
Australia: 134/3 after 67 overs.
Renshaw Notches a Fifty; Marsh Gets a Life!
Matt Renshaw brings up his second fifty of the series in 183 balls. He has worked very hard for his runs and applied himself brilliantly. The Indian bowlers have tried everything but Renshaw has kept chipping away.
Australia has reduced the deficit to 74 runs now. India desperately need a wicket.
They could have got one in the 57th over when Umesh Yadav managed to get the ball to brush Shaun Marsh’s gloves. The Indians appealed and the umpire turned them down.
The home side decided not to go for a review but the replays showed that the ball had brushed the glove on route to Saha behind the stumps.
Australia: 115/2 after 60 overs.
Renshaw and Marsh Take Australia Past 100
In the second session, the Indians should have come out and put more pressure on the Australians because the pitch at Bengaluru is deteriorating at quick rate. But Shaun Marsh (10) and Matt Renshaw (42) are looking pretty comfortable at the crease.
Marsh found Australia’s first boundary in 37 overs when he swept Ashwin to the fence in the 54th over.
Australia: 101/2 after 54 overs.
Australia Take Lunch at 87/2
The Indian bowlers have come out to play with a lot of intent this morning. They were on the opposition’s face throughout the first session and also picked up two important wickets – David Warner and Steve Smith.
But, Matt Renshaw is playing a classic Test match innings. He has scored 40 runs off 144 balls so far.
In the next two sessions, the ball is certainly going to turn even more, therefore Ashwin and Jadeja will be lethal if they bowl in the right areas.
Jadeja Gets The Big Fish!
Steve Smith toiled and toiled but finally cracked to a delivery by Ravindra Jadeja. The Australian captain nicks the ball onto his pads and then it loops up for Saha to take a diving catch.
Smith goes for 8 runs off 52 balls.
Australia: 83/2 after 42 overs.
Steve Smith Survives a Review
Australia’s skipper Steve Smith goes for a pull shot for a delivery which is not short enough and the ball hits his pads. The Indians go up for an appeal and the umpire calls not out.
The Indian team go for a review and the replays show that the ball would have just clipped the leg stump and therefore the decision stands (umpire’s call).
Things are getting heated up in the middle. Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are having talks like two boxers would have before a bout. And even Ishant Sharma chipped in with a few words for Matt Renshaw.
Australia: 61/1 after 30 overs.
Ashwin's 'Beauty' Delivery
And Ravichandran Ashwin is in action already! The off-spinner bowls a classic off-spinner and hits the top of off-stump to bowl out David Warner for 33 runs.
Australia lose their first wicket. India have to keep picking up wickets if they want to stay in the game.
India: 52/1 after 21.1 overs.
India vs Australia, Bengaluru, Day 2
Good morning!
Welcome to the coverage of day two of the second Test between India and Australia from Bengaluru. Australia had a fantastic day on Saturday. They bundled India out for just 189 runs and then David Warner and Matt Renshaw made sure they didn’t lose their wickets at the close of play.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be the key bowlers for India today. They will have to find a way to get into their rhythm quickly and apply constant pressure on the Australians like their opposite numbers Steve O'Keefe and Nathan Lyon.
Here’s what our cricket expert Nishant Arora had to say after the day’s pay on Saturday.