IND vs AUS: Sudden Fall Of Wickets Put IND In Trouble On Day 2

IND vs AUS: The Melbourne Test between India and Australia witnessed a dramatic turn of events on the second day as Australia made a brilliant comeback late in the final session, leaving India under pressure. With both teams going back and forth, it seemed like India was gaining momentum, only to see a flurry of wickets fall in quick succession. Despite a strong alliance between Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal, India lost five wickets and was in a tight spot at the end of the day.

Australia’s Dominant First Innings: 474 Runs on the Board in IND vs AUS

 

Having scored a mammoth total of 474 runs in their first innings, Australia had already laid a good foundation in IND vs AUS 4th Test, courtesy of a brilliant knock from Steve Smith and contributions from the lower middle order. At one point, India had been in the hunt as well, when Australia’s score was 237/2. However, the game swung in favor of Australia when they added 237 more runs, with Smith playing a key role in taking the team to a massive total.

The Indian bowlers were not able to restrict Australia from running away with the game despite some breakthroughs. Jasprit Bumrah, India’s best fast bowler, was the only bright spot in the bowling department, taking four wickets. However, his bowling cost him 99 runs, and Mohammad Siraj was also expensive, conceding 122 runs in his 23 overs. Significantly, it was only the second time since the Sydney Test in 2015 that an Indian fast bowler had conceded more than 100 runs in their first 20 overs in a Test match.

India’s Top Order Collapses: Kohli and Jaiswal’s Partnership Ruffled

 

India’s reply started with a blow as Rohit Sharma was dismissed early. However, the partnership between Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave India hope, as they formed a solid century partnership. It seemed as though India was gradually recovering, with both batsmen looking well-set and scoring fluently.

But the tide shifted dramatically with a run-out of Jaiswal just 16-17 minutes before the close of play. After Jaiswal’s dismissal, Kohli, who had been batting patiently and had faced 82 balls, was dismissed in a freakish manner. Trying to play a shot on the off-side, he was caught behind off a ball from the seventh or eighth stump. This dismissal caused a shock in the Indian camp as two set batsmen were back in the pavilion in quick succession.

India’s Middle Order Falls: Akashdeep Departs Early

 

It did not end there. Akashdeep, who had been the hero for India in the previous match, providing a crucial stand to avoid the follow-on, was dismissed soon after, further compounding India’s troubles. At this point, India had lost three key wickets in a short span, leaving the team in a vulnerable position. Though it seemed at different points that India might have comeback chances, the day ultimately proved to be with the momentum of the hosts as sunset approached.

By the time the day ended, India was reeling at 164/5 with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja still at the crease. Even though both are capable of turning things around, India will need big innings from them to wriggle out of this tricky situation and stage a comeback.

Steve Smith’s Century: A Record-Breaking Knock

 

One of the biggest highlights of the day occurred in early play when Steve Smith completed his century. This was his 10th century in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, thus making him the batsman to achieve the most number of centuries in the history of this high-profile series, surpassing previous records. His hundred helped propel Australia into a dominating position.

The partnership between Smith and Pat Cummins was notable wherein they added 142 runs in the first session on Day 2, in which Smith continued his stronghold over the crease. A composed and calculated knock really helped Australia to move further and he seemed to have batted India out of this game.

Challenges for India’s Bowlers: Expensive Overs and Lost Chances

 

Indian bowlers did get their moments during Australia’s innings but failed to build constant pressure. The silver lining was Jasprit Bumrah’s four-wicket haul but the two costliest overs were from Siraj and Shardul Thakur, who went for more than 100 runs as well. India’s fast bowling will have to gather their wits and pick up wickets at a more accelerated rate to prevent Australia from running away with the match in the days to come.

Moving Forward: Will India be able to bounce back?

 

At the close of play, India still has five wickets to fall. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have the capability of playing long, impactful innings and will therefore be India’s savior going into tomorrow. A lot of pressure will be upon these two batsmen in order for India not to lose any more ground. If India is going to have any chance of keeping the game going, this is going to be because of their capability to establish partnerships and get a solid innings.

The pressure mounts on India as its middle-order batting has come under an unprecedented amount of scrutiny. Both Pant must bat extensively and bring India to a situation where it is going to be difficult for Australia to retain control.

A Test of Character for India

The second day of the IND vs AUS Melbourne Test saw Australia wrest control of the match after a strong performance in their first innings. Though India’s top order showed some resistance at the beginning, losing key wickets, especially Kohli and Jaiswal, put the visitors under pressure. With Pant and Jadeja still in, India will need to put up a stiff fightback on Day 3 to come back into the game.

The road ahead is challenging, but if the two remaining batsmen can capitalize on their opportunities, India might just be able to stage a comeback and make the contest more competitive.

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