Match report: Ind vs Aus – 2nd Test, Day 1
First Published : 02 Mar 2013, 16:59
Last Modified : 02 Mar 2013, 16:59
India were trailing by 232 runs with all wickets in hand against Australia at the end of first day’s play in the second Test, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, after Australia declared their innings towards the end of day’s play. While India dominated the first and last sessions of the match thanks to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja, Australian skipper Michael Clarke and wicketkeeper Mathew Wade kept the visitors in the game with a crucial partnership in the second session without losing a wicket.
After Michael Clarke opted to bat first, India dealt early blows to leave Australia reeling on 63 for four. After impressive debuts in the shorter formats of the game, Bhuvneshwar Kumar went wicketless in his first appearance in the five-day game, but made amends in his second Test match by claiming David Warner, Ed Cowan and the Shane Watson to leave Australia floundering on three for 57 in the morning. The young Indian pacer uprooted Warner’s leg-stump to claim his first Test scalp and followed it up by trapping Ed Cowan leg-before. With both the openers back in the pavilion for just 15 runs, Australia were on the back foot. A while later, just as Phillip Hughes and Shane Watson started getting settled in, Kumar struck to end their partnership. The young pacer sent back Watson who looked in good nick during his 23. And six runs later, MS Dhoni took a good catch on the second attempt while diving to his left off Ravichandran Ashwin to remove Phillip Hughes.
Australia were in a sticky situation and it was once again left to their captain to do the repair work in which he was ably assisted by Wade. The duo bided their time at the crease and took the visitors to lunch on 83 for four.
In the second session, the home team conceded the early advantage and was unable to create further dents in the opposition line-up as Clarke with the diligent Wade at the one end kept Australia going. Keeping their wickets intact, the duo added 104 runs in the post-lunch session to take the team to 187 for four at tea.
The duo watchfully negotiated the Indian attack and posted timely half-centuries as their partnership blossomed to 124 at the end of the session. Cheteshwar Pujara, at short-leg, dropped the Australian skipper off Ashwin soon after he had reached his fifty. With the game hanging in balance when the last session resumed, Clarke and Wade added 21 runs to the total until the latter was dismissed. An excellent diving catch by Bhuvneshwar Kumar at square-leg off Harbhajan Singh halted the partnership for 145. Ravindra Jadeja followed up by dismantling the stumps of Moises Henriques. A while later he ended debutant Glenn Maxwell’s stay at the crease for 13 runs. Harbhajan Singh then chipped in with the wicket of Peter Siddle, and Jadeja castled Clarke for 91 to put India back in the driver’s seat. 10 balls and a run later, Australia declared their innings on 237 for nine in hopes of getting a couple of early breakthroughs towards the end of the day.
Coming out to bat for three overs, Virender Sehwag made four runs, while Murali Vijay was yet to open his account as India ended the day at 5/0.
Changes in teams: Glenn Maxwell and Xavier Doherty replaced Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in the Australian team. No change in the Indian team.
Debut: Glenn Maxwell for Australia
Brief scores:
At the end of Day 1: Australia 1st innings 237/9 decl in 85 overs (M Clarke 95, M Wade 67, R Jadeja 3/33, B Kumar 3/53); India 1st innings 5/0 in 3 overs (M Vijay 0*, V Sehwag 4*)
