(ESPN Cricinfo) – After a frenetic start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India gained control of the first Test after openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul ground down a labouring Australia attack in improved batting conditions at Optus Stadium.
Jaiswal closed in on a brilliant century and finished 90 not out, while a resolute Rahul was unbeaten on 62 as India reached stumps on 172 for 0 with a lead of 218 runs. A remarkable 17 wickets fell on a madcap opening day, but there were long periods of attrition on the second day, which yielded only three wickets. It was a return to somewhat normalcy as a crowd of 32,368 at times resorted to Mexican waves and chants for entertainment.
India did not mind playing a sedate tempo. Jaiswal reached his half-century off 123 balls – his slowest 50 of his short Test career – and Rahul registered his in 124 deliveries. The unbroken partnership has exceeded the first innings totals of either team.
After an unlikely first innings lead of 46 runs, the fifth highest by any team making 150 or fewer while batting first, India’s position in the series-opener has been considerably strengthened as Jaiswal and Rahul batted through two sessions.
Having endured a tough initiation in his first Test innings in Australia, where he made a duck amid apparent jitters, Jaiswal looked much more assured from the start. He played from deep in the crease to blunt the new ball bowling of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who had combined for six wickets in India’s first innings of 150.
Jaiswal, 22, combined perfectly with Rahul as they ran well between the wickets, scurrying singles, to rattle an Australian team seemingly playing within themselves. Rahul continued to bat resolutely, following on from his gutsy innings early on day one, which ended after a controversial DRS decision. He unfurled a gorgeous on-drive against Pat Cummins that raced to the boundary despite a sluggish outfield, but was mostly content to play anchor.
Jaiswal left the ball well and looked compact in defence. He had learnt the lessons from the first innings and made sure he did not push at the ball hard. There was some trademark aggression, like when he uppercut Cummins over the slips and swatted Starc over deep square leg, but he mostly unfurled textbook strokes through the covers and down the ground. Late in the day, he skipped down at Nathan Lyon to send him into the stands over long-on.
Australia’s pace attack could not replicate their brilliant performance on the opening day. Perhaps feeling weary having to back up so quickly, Australia seemed helpless on a wicket that appeared to flatten amid sunny conditions. There was still some movement off the surface and occasional inconsistent bounce, but conditions were more benign.
Australia, though, were conservative at times with fielders in the deep underlining Jaiswal’s dominance, while seven bowlers were used with Marnus Labuschagne unsuccessfully unfurling his much-publicised short-ball strategy.
Like in India’s first innings, Cummins once again looked slightly underdone in his first red-ball match since the New Zealand Test tour in March. He closed with figures of 0 for 44 from 13 overs.
Australia did not take their chances, with Jaiswal having a let-off on 51 when he edged Starc, only for Usman Khawaja to drop a tough chance low down at first slip. There was a missed run-out opportunity on the next delivery when Rahul backed up too far, but the openers regrouped to continue India’s remarkable turnaround.
Earlier, Australia were bowled out by lunch for 104. It was their fourth lowest score against India in Tests and ninth lowest at home since 1900.
After producing an all-time performance late on day one, stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah finished with 5 for 30 from 18 overs. It was his 11th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and ninth while playing outside of Asia, the joint-most by an Indian alongside Kapil Dev.
When play started, there had been an outside chance that the match could end within two days. Bumrah continued to speed up proceedings with a wicket off his first delivery of the morning when he nicked off in-form Alex Carey for 21. Bumrah’s length and movement off the wicket were a constant menace, as he threatened on almost every delivery. But it was debutant Harshit Rana who was rewarded for his hostile spell as he dismissed Lyon with a sharp bouncer that caught the glove and ballooned to the slip cordon.
At 79 for 9, Australia were in danger of being dismissed for their lowest score against India and overtaking their infamous 83 in the MCG in 1981.
But Starc, who after play on day one had stated that the pitch wasn’t as difficult to bat on as the scoreboard suggested, dug in and found a willing ally in Hazlewood. They put on 26 – the highest partnership of the innings – in 18 overs for the last wicket.
Starc had to withstand a short-pitch barrage from Rana as the former Kolkata Knight Riders team-mates engaged in a war of words. There was mock applause from the terraces when Australia reached 100 – a landmark that seemed unlikely for much of their innings.
Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy and off-spinner Washington Sundar, who was surprisingly included over veterans R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, entered the attack and bowled steadily during the match’s first sedate period of play. They could not provide a breakthrough as a frustrated India appeared set to have to ponder their approach through the lunch break.
But just before the interval, Starc lost his running battle with Rana as he holed out in a tame way to end a fighting knock. He top scored with 26 off 112 balls – more than double the next most deliveries faced of 52 from Labuschagne.
