Irfan Pathan reckoned that the pitch in Nagpur is more than decent for batters after Axar Patel scored a half-century on the second day at the VCA Stadium.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 10, 2023 19:32 IST
Irfan Pathan reacts after No.9 Axar Patel hits gutsy fifty in 1st Test vs Australia. Courtesy: AP
By India Today Web Desk: Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan reckoned that the pitch in Nagpur doesn’t have many demons as was presumed before the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia.
Pathan cited Axar Patel’s knock on Day 2 to show that the track is more than decent for batting. Axar stayed unbeaten on 52 runs off 102 balls with the help of eight fours. Axar got to his second half-century in Test cricket off 94 balls.
Since a batter at No.9 managed to score a half-century, Pathan said that the pitch in Nagpur is good enough for the batters.
Irfan took to Twitter and wrote, “No 9 batter getting a half century on day 2. Good pitch isn’t it??”
When Axar came to the middle, India had already taken a substantial lead of 64 runs in the first innings. From there on, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar put on an unbeaten partnership of 81 runs for the eighth wicket.
Jadeja, who picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, scored a half-century. Jadeja put his head down to stay not out on 66 runs off 170 balls with nine fours.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma scored his maiden Test hundred against Australia and laid the platform for India. The Indian skipper scored 120 runs off 212 balls with 15 fours and two sixes before a peach of a delivery from Pat Cummins led to his downfall.
KL Rahul and Ravi Ashwin got starts, but failed to convert. Todd Murphy was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with figures of 36-9-82-5. India have already taken a lead of 144 runs with three wickets left in their first innings.
