Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma’s 120, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel’s unbeaten fifties put India in a commanding position against Australia on the second day of the first Test in Nagpur.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 10, 2023 17:03 IST
Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja added 61 runs for the 6th wicket on Day 2 in Nagpur (AFP Poto)
By Rajarshi Gupta: Rohit Sharma’s 9th hundred and gutsy fifties from Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel kept India ahead in a tense battle for supremacy in the first Test of a four-match series against Australia. India finished Day 2 with a lead of 144 runs over Australia at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Friday. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 66 and Axar unbeaten on 52 as India reached Stumps at 321 for 7.
After India captain Rohit Sharma fell for 120 to his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel stretched India’s lead beyond 100. Australia’s bowlers had started to tire in the face of a familiar lower-order fightback from India. There was plenty of talk in the Australian media on India’s ploy to make lives difficult for the Aussie left-handed batters on the Nagpur pitch but ultimately, two left-handed Indian batters showed great skills to deny Australia a sniff after their debutant Todd Murphy picked 5 wickets and outshone Nathan Lyon.
There was more disappointment for Australia at the end of the day’s play as Steve Smith dropped a simple chance to offer Jadeja a lifeline in the penultimate over on Friday.
India vs Australia, 1st Test, Day 2 Highlights
Rohit Sharma was playing his first Test against Australia at home and there was a lot riding on him as KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli failed to assert themselves either due to bad luck or poor shot selection. However, Rohit who had got off to a rapid start after India dismissed Australia for 177 on the first day, stuck in and played an innings for the ages.
R Ashwin had been sent in as nightwatchman but he justified his billing as one of the game’s top all-rounders with a polished 21. That partnership with Rohit Sharma took the Indian score beyond 100 and perhaps began to deflate Australia just a bit before debutant Todd Murphy struck in quick succession. He had already pocketed KL Rahul on the opening day and he continued his dream debut with the wickets of R Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and KS Bharat to become the second Australian spinner after Jason Krejza to pick a five-wicket haul against India on debut.
Suryakumar Yadav was the other debutant for India besides KS Bharat and both batters were dismissed for 8. And both batters started well, hitting boundaries early in their innings but they were done in by the off-spin duo of Australia before doing further damage.
But Ravindra Jadeja starred for the second successive day in the opening Test. Coming back into the India side after a long injury break, Jadeja had picked his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests on Thursday before returning to hit a half-century on Friday to pull India out of a bit of trouble. Jadeja was involved in a 61-run partnership with Rohit Sharma for 6th wicket and then saw from the other end as KS Bharat became Todd Murphy’s 5th victim of the innings.
Axar Patel had made his debut against England nearly two years ago because Ravindra Jadeja was nursing another injury. Despite a stunning maiden Test series, several questions were raised on whether Axar and Jadeja would actually play a Test together. They have now and on Friday, the two even shared a crucial stand as India extended their lead with every run worth its weight in gold on a pitch where batting would become increasingly difficult.
