IND vs AUS: 2nd Test, Day 2 – Talking Points
After concluding Day 1 with a score of 21 for the loss of zero wickets, Team India got off to a dismal start on Day 2. The side swiftly lost wickets courtesy of Nathan Lyon’s masterclass with the ball as the veteran spinner scalped a record-breaking five-wicket haul. Notably, the Aussies began the day with a replacement as the side announced Matt Renshaw substituting David Warner due to a concussion endured by the latter.
Lyon took the onus of denting the rival’s batting line-up as he got the important wickets of skipper Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, and Srikar Bharat. Just when the home side seemed to be struggling, in came all-rounder Axar Patel who carved out a magnificent knock and stitched a vital partnership of 114 runs with veteran offie Ravichandran Ashwin. Axar during his stay at the crease, scored 74 runs to keep India’s fight alive in the contest.
However, after his dismissal, the rest of the batting unit toppled as the side fell shy of a run and scored 262 runs in their second innings. Meanwhile, apart from the fifer by Lyon (5/67), Matthew Kuhnemann and spin sensation Todd Murphy got two wickets each. Australia started off with the second innings and Usman Khawaja was sent packing for six runs. The visitors concluded Day 2 at 61/1 with a lead of 62 runs.
Here are the talking points from Day 2:
1. Nathan Lyon’s five-wicket haul
The veteran spinner was at his best as he got the vital breakthroughs for the side. He dismissed the Indian top order effortlessly. Lyon’s spin rattled Rohit, KL Rahul, and Pujara as the three were sent back to the dugout. He further cut short Shreyas Iyer and Srikar Bharat’s stay at the crease as he sent them packing for scores of four and six runs respectively.
2. Virat Kohli’s controversial dismissal
One of the much-talked aspects in the contest on Day 2 was the ‘controversial’ dismissal of flamboyant batter Virat Kohli. It was the TV umpires’ call that garnered attention for all the wrong reasons. Matthew Kuhnemann’s arm ball to Kohli saw the ball brushing off the pad. He was given ‘out’ by the umpire immediately. However, dissatisfied with the decision, Kohli straightaway took the review. After multiple reviews, the third umpire decided to call it LBW despite the ball appearing to have edged the bat. Fans and a few cricketers including the likes of Wasim Jaffer called out on the decision as he did not believe Kohli was ‘out’.
3. India’s resurgence courtesy of Axar Patel’s fifty
After losing Kohli and Jadeja, Axar carried India close to the total set by the Aussies. His impressive 115-ball 74 and a 114-run partnership with Ashwin helped India fight hard and revive their game. His knock included three maximums and nine boundaries.
