R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav led India’s charge as the Virat Kohli-led unit, after bowling Australia out for 191, secured a 62-run lead at stumps on Day 2 of the first Test in Adelaide on Friday.
India kept the things tight with the ball after being all out for 244, denying Australia any chance to score easy runs. Jasprit Bumrah then scalped two wickets, dismissing the Australian openers Matthew Wade and Joe Burns.
While Marnus Labuschagne got a couple of reprieves at the either side of the dinner break, R Ashwin gave India a big breakthrough as he struck in his first over to get Steve Smith out for 1.
The Indian off-spinner shortly picked his second wicket, completing an easy caught and bowled chance in the 35th over.
India got their third wicket of the session and fifth wicket of the match, courtesy a brilliant catch from Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper, manning the mid-wicket area, leapt towards his right to get Cameron Green caught for 11.
Labuschagne and Tim Paine then took Australia past the 100-run mark. But Umesh Yadav’s double-wicket maiden, where he trapped Labuschagne before the wickets and had Pat Cummins caught with a short ball, reduced Australia to 111/7.
Paine was joined by Mitchell Starc and the pair added 28 runs before Prithvi Shaw’s sharp throw from the deep caught Starc short of his crease.
The Australian skipper though continued to put up a fight and brought up his fifty and took his side past 160 along with Nathan Lyon. However, Ashwin broke the partnership, dismissing Lyon.
While Josh Hazlewood played a few shots, India bowled out Australia for 191 to secure a 53-run lead in the first innings. Meanwhile, Paine remained not out for 73.
India had to bat for 6 overs before the close of play and while Prithvi Shaw was dismissed by Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah, who came out to bat at number three as a nightwatchman, and Mayank Agarwal took India to 9/1 before stumps.
Earlier, India, who resumed the day’s play at 233/6, lost the last four wickets for 11 runs as Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins shared the spoils to limit India to 244.
R Ashwin got out in the first over as Tim Paine held on to an easy catch off Cummins’ bowling. In the next over, Strac then dismissed Wriddhiman Saha and Umesh Yadav before Cummins got Mohammad Shami out to end India’s first innings.
Brief Scores: India 244 all out & 9/1 (Mayank Agarwal 5*; Pat Cummins 1/6) lead Australia 191 all out (Tim Paine 73*, Marnus Labuschagne 47; R Ashwin 4/55) by 62 runs
