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regular-article-logo Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Indian bowlers take grip on ‘unlike’ Aussies

After Bumrah removed the two openers in the first session, Ashwin did the star turn in the second session

Our Bureau, Agencies Published 19.12.20, 01:37 AM
Ashwin set up Smith with a few that were flighted with the angle and then bowled one that straightened and bounced a touch more. Smith, expecting turn, squared up and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip made no mistake.

Ashwin set up Smith with a few that were flighted with the angle and then bowled one that straightened and bounced a touch more. Smith, expecting turn, squared up and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip made no mistake. Twitter/@ESPNcricinfo

Like a pack of wolves who hunt as a team, the India pacers and lone spinner Ravichandran Ashwin complemented each other to terrorise Australia into submission, bowling them out for 191 on the second day of the Day-Night pink-ball Test in Adelaide on Friday.

With a handy first-innings lead of 53 runs, India successfully managed to neutralise a sub-par score of 244 that they managed in their first essay.

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However, opener Prithvi Shaw’s defence was once again breached pretty early as the visitors ended the day at 9/1, with an overall lead of 62 runs. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah played the nightwatchman’s role to perfection to stay unbeaten along with Mayank Agarwal when the stumps were drawn.

But that was after Bumrah and his colleagues — Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami — had an impressive outing with the ball, though it was Ashwin who was the best Indian bowler of the day.

Courtesy Ashwin’s 18-3-55-4, Bumrah’s 21-7-52-2 and Umesh’s 16.1-5-40-3, India definitely enjoy the upper hand in the opening Test of the four-match series. Shami (17-4-41-0) did not get wickets, but he played his part well.

India’s magnificent bowling effort during the day could be segregated into three phases.

In the early afternoon, Bumrah bowled the fuller length to make the first inroads. Ashwin then took charge of the late afternoon with his perfect length and made use of the additional bounce to blow away the middle-order. And then under lights, Umesh was brilliant with the old pink kookaburra as he bowled back of the length to get rid of the dangerous Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins.

The only glitch in India’s second day performance was their poor catching. But Virat Kohli wouldn’t mind even four dropped chances as his bowlers forced the Australian batsman to go into a defensive shell.

It was one of the most un-Australian displays by an Australian team that prides itself on intent. Save for Labuschagne (47 off 119 balls), who couldn’t capitalise on three reprieves, and skipper Paine (73 not out), no other batsman seemed to know how to bat on a surface which became quicker on the second day.

After Bumrah removed the two openers in the first session, Ashwin did the star turn in the second session.

The spinner set up Smith with a few that were flighted with the angle and then bowled one that straightened and bounced a touch more. Smith, expecting turn, squared up and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip made no mistake.

Travis Head (7) wasn’t reading Ashwin well and the left-hander got a flighted one that took the leading edge of his bat, which ended in a chest-high return catch for the bowler.

Debutant Cameron Green (11) would curse himself as his was a long hop asking to be pulled but the extra bounce got the top edge and captain Kohli pulled off a fabulous catch at mid-wicket, diving full-stretch to his right.

Umesh was fantastic in the twilight as he trapped Labuschagne with a delivery that kept low and then a short ball saw Cummins awkwardly fending it to gully.

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