Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul cracked up a stunning unbeaten partnership after captain Jasprit Bumrah's heroics with the ball as India dominate proceedings on day two of first Test Saturday.
After bowling out Australia for just 104 in the first session, India bounced back with an unbeaten 172-run opening stand between Jaiswal and Rahul.
At stumps India lead by 218 runs with Jaiswal unbeaten on 90 and Rahul not out 62 on the crease.
Seventeen wickets fell yesterday, and three more this morning as Australia's lower order added 37 to their overnight score of 67 for 7. No one could have foretold at that point that no more wickets would fall all day, over 57 overs.
Australia's bowlers, back in the field so much sooner than they would have hoped for after bowling India out yesterday, were perhaps a little off their best. But how well did India's openers bat?
Even yesterday, KL Rahul had moved into beautiful positions and played with beautifully soft hands while showing impeccable judgment outside off. Today he got the score that batting of that quality deserves.
And how about Yashasvi Jaiswal? A loose shot got him out yesterday, against a style of bowling he's racked up a few dismissals against, and questions over his ability to score runs in these conditions amplified in volume. Today he showed he has the game to score runs in any conditions where run-scoring is a reasonable expectation: the defence, yes, and also the utter confidence of a born run-scorer, which allows him to back himself to take jaw-dropping risks at times, like that slog off Starc, or that uppercut, or that flicked six, or that monster hit off Lyon. He's batting on 90 now, and we already know he loves to go really really big when he does go big.
India are in the kind of position they wouldn't have dared dream of before this tour began, never mind after they'd been bowled out for 150 yesterday. But they'll want to keep going for as long as they can, and stretch this lead as far as it can go. Perth has witnessed nine fourth-innings scores of 300 or more, and yes, all of them - including South Africa's successful chase of 414 in 2008 - have come at the WACA and not this ground, but the soil that makes up this pitch, and weather conditions, are the same. We don't know yet how much the surface will crack up, and how much those cracks will widen.
This match isn't done yet, but India for the moment are far, far in front. It's goodbye from me for now, but we'll have a lot more content up soon, reflecting on this magnificent day of cricket.
A little while ago, Jaiswal stepped out and clobbered Lyon for a massive six over long-on.
KL Rahul has batted beautifully in both innings of this Test match, and he's brought up a well-deserved fifty now.
Earlier, Australia were bowled out for 104 on Saturday after fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah picked up his 11th five-wicket haul to help India to a 46-run lead at lunch on day two of the first test in Perth.
Stand-in skipper Bumrah (5-30) set the tone with his first ball of the morning, which pitched back-of-a-length and seamed away from left-hander Alex Carey (21) to keeper Rishabh Pant.
On a mayhem-filled 17-wicket first day, India were bowled out for 150 in two sessions, but Bumrah inspired a magnificent comeback to have Australia reeling at 67-7 by stumps.
Debutant Harshit Rana (3-48) claimed the second wicket of day two, bowling short and fast to tail-ender Nathan Lyon (five) who could only slice the ball as far as KL Rahul at gully.
Overnight batsman Mitchell Starc, who went on to make 26, deprived Bumrah of a career-best haul when he edged between Pant and first slip, then threw caution to the wind slapping Rana to the midwicket fence.
Starc copped blows to the helmet and shoulder in a 112-ball stay, persevering and showing resilient intent that was missing from the recognised batsmen.
The 34-year-old combined for 25 runs with a cautious Josh Hazlewood (seven not out), farming the strike when necessary.
But Rana brought the resistance to an end, rushing top-scorer Starc into a shot that was skied to Pant.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ