Aussies show fight as India flex

Khawaja, Handscomb 50s prop up Aussies as Shami, spinners shine

Even if KL Rahul doesn’t come good with the bat, although it would do his confidence some good, the team probably won’t mind it much for he took a catch which sucked the gravity out of the Arun Jaitley stadium, and changed the course of Australia’s innings.

Stationed at point, Rahul’s betrayed his normally languid persona and threw himself full length, slightly backward too, to his right to complete a one-handed stunner. It was hard enough a catch to take normally, but to take it off of a reverse-sweep from the left-handed Usman Khawaja, only made it all the more impressive.

Also, it meant the end of Khawaja’s exceptional stay at the crease for 81. Thus, changing the texture of the fight on the opening day of the second Test here.

Read | India at 21/0 at end of day 1; trail Australia by 242 runs

Australia, who would have entertained hopes of a 300-run first innings tally having chosen to bat, were kept down to 263 on a pitch which turned out to be as pleasant as the weather here this time of year. Peter Handscomb’s unbeaten 72 is a testament to that.

India’s openers ate into the deficit only just with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul remaining unbeaten en route a team tally of 21 for no loss at stumps, trailing Australia by 242 runs.

It must be stated at this point that the surface, though scary looking from afar, held up really well through the day. As cliched as it sounds, it offered a little bit of everything, and those with skill were able to exploit these conditions.

For instance, Mohammed Shami (4/60) and Mohammed Siraj got plenty of bounce and movement with the new ball. R Ashwin (3/57), Ravindra Jadeja (3/68) and Axar Patel got significant turn and bounce when they needed it. And, the Australian batters weren’t particularly perturbed by the pitch either as it didn’t play slow or low.

The characteristics of this pitch are bound to change, what with the bowlers’ footmarks and general deterioration, but for an opening day, neither team could have asked for a more balanced surface.

All things considered, the vociferous crowd and India’s eager bowlers and despite frequently losing wickets at the other end, Khawaja’s knock was one to behold.

He was apprehensive with his movement at the start and even got away with a close leg before wicket shout, but once he settled in, that typical left-hander’s elegance shone through. He was atypical too when he needed to be, employing the reverse sweep to good effect despite the volume.

But just as his 59-run alliance with Handscomb raised hopes, Rahul’s aerial mastery cut short dreams of a longer stay. Luckily for Australia, Handscomb’s stuck around to stitch a 59-run alliance with Cummins (33) for the seventh-wicket.

Frankly, given how proficient the Indian bowlers were on the day, Australia’s tally is not a bad one.

Shami was the most effective of the lot, and he would be fairly disappointed that he ended with only four wickets when he just as well could have had a couple more. Yet again, he beat the bat on numerous occasions but was just unlucky.

Siraj, although he has no wickets to show for, was brilliant with the short-pitched stuff, especially to David Warner.

But it was the Ashwin-Jadeja combo that did it all over again for six wickets between them.

The pitch didn’t offer Jadeja as much as it did Ashwin, but left-arm spinner made do with his consistency en route the 250-wicket milestone. Ashwin, meanwhile, was as good as Ashwin always is.

Now, onto the batters to see how they fare against Australia's three-prong spin attack.