A gritty Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane completed his century on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, pushing the lead over the 70-run mark. India had earlier shot out Australia for 195 on Day 1. Rahane, who played a captain’s knock, brought up his century with a crisp cut shot through point off Pat Cummins.
At the time the second new ball was taken, India led by 37 runs with Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane holding fort. In the first over with the second new ball, Rahane was handed a life as Steve Smith failed to hold on to a sharp chance in the slips.
In the 83rd over, with Rahane and Jadeja starting to up the scoring rate with quick running, the southpaw stole a quick single to mid-on to take India’s lead to 50 runs.
Earlier in the morning, Pat Cummins and his skipper Tim Paine collaborated to pick the wickets of India’s two overnight batsmen, in the first 65 minutes of play.
Shubman Gill was the first to fall with Paine taking an easy catch. The young opener, playing his debut game, was out on 45.
India were down to 61/2 with Ajinkya Rahane joining Cheteshwar Pujara.
However, the partnership could not add much to the score with Cummins claiming the wicket of Pujara next. The catch by Paine was a class act with the keeper needing to fully stretch on his right to land the ball in his gloves.
Pujara out on 17 after adding 10 runs to his overnight score.
The score read 64/3 when Hanuma Vihari walked out to bat to join his skipper Ajinkya Rahane.
The two batters then steadied the innings, adding another 26 runs before the end of the first session of the day. India went to Lunch at 90/3.
Rahane and Vihari had added 52 runs before Nathan Lyon picked his first wicket of the match, Vihari out on 21, caught by Steve Smith.
Next up was Rishabh Pant who is playing the match in place of Wriddhiman Saha and he partnered his skipper for a quickfire 57, that came off just 87 balls.
Pant was batting on 29 when he became Mitchell Starc’s 250th Test wicket with Tim Paine taking the catch behind the wicket.
The visitors had started on the overnight score of 36/1, trailing Australia’s first innings score of 195 by 159 runs.
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