Australia will look to make a come back into the Border-Gavaskar series when they take on India in the second Test at Hyderabad this afternoon. We’ll have live scores and updates from 3.00pm AEDT.
The good news for Australia going into this second Test is that the Hyderabad track can be expected to play a lot better for them than the one at Chennai.
Already signs of it being a better-paced track are present and as a result Australia may not bring in the second spinner most thought was a foregone conclusion for this game.
Now for the bad news. Last time a Test match was played here was in August last year Ravi Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha combined to scalp 18 New Zealand wickets for 175 runs. That’s a measly bowling average of 9.7.
Ashwin was the wrecker-in-chief at Chennai too and going by his form, he will be the bowler to watch out for. Whether or not Ojha plays this game – after being inexplicably dropped for the previous Test – remains to be seen but he has a strong case.
There were batting concerns for both teams at different levels in the first Test. Phil Hughes looked like fish out of water at Chennai, Ed Cowan failed to make a big one after getting a start in both and Shane Watson did not set the ground on fire either.
It was all down to the captain Michael Clarke and debutant Moises Henriques to resurrect the innings both times.
Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell wait in the ranks but the big question is whether the selectors will make that gutsy call.
India were equally reliant on their captain when it came to putting the runs on the board, seeing its openers fail again.
Murali Vijay’s comeback lasted all of 27 deliveries. Virender Sehwag was at the crease for an over longer but neither looked comfortable facing to the Australian attack.
Going by MS Dhoni’s words in the press conference, it won’t be too far-fetched to conclude that India will look to continue with the same pair.
The other possible change is to do with Ojha. While Australia did show ineptitude playing spin, Hyderabad may not be the best surface to play four spinners, which means Ojha can either come in for Harbhajan Singh or Ravindra Jadeja.
Jadeja’s exclusion could hamper the Indian batting, while Harbhajan seemed to be showing signs of returning to form in the second innings. With the number of left-handers in the Australian team, it could make more sense to play an off-spinner over a left-armer.
The weather at Hyderabad will be very hot but not as humid as in Chennai.
Live coverage of the game begins from 3.00pm AEDT this afternoon, so add your opinion in the comments section below.
JGK
Roar Guru
Just reminding everyone of my prediction 12 minutes into this match... JGK said | 3:12pm | Report comment Is it too early to predict an innings victory for India?
chris b
Guest
Hang on. How does that look good? Fair call about Cowan, but Hughes and a non-bowling Watson are hardly threatening ATM
Nihar
Guest
Thanks Suneer
Anon
Guest
the test team with Watson, Maxwell, Warner, Hughes makes a very good T20 or ODI team, doesn't it. Shame about the demands of test cricket!!
Anon
Guest
Yes, one partnership of 145 removed from that batting card and the remaining 8-92 looks remarkably thin.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Hah...yep, he could join Rob Quiney in that list.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It has been a day which India will relish. Australia won the toss on a decent pitch which was expected to take turn as the game progressed but lost three wickets for close to nothing to a medium-pacer. Bhuvneshwar Kumar broke the Aussie top-order resistance and R Ashwin got the wicket Phil Hughes before the resistance came from...who else but Michael Clarke. It was Matthew Wade who supported Clarke in a 145-run stand for the fifth wicket that threatened to take the game away from the Indians and after tea the tourists were 4/208. Post-tea sessions in India can sometime lead to a heap of wickets and that's what happened with Wade smashing to the point fielder. Wickets fell regularly after that and the side collapsed to 9/236 thanks to Jadeja and Harbhajan running through the innings. Clarke declared at 9/237 to give his bowlers an early crack at the Indian openers but they negotiated it safely, ending at 0/5 in 3 overs. Still four days to go but I get the feeling that Australia have erred in playing an extra batsman in Maxwell. This reminds me of a mistake they had made in the 2008 Test series in India, where they went in with Cameron White as their all-round option. That was the first and last Test series he played. A very defensive option in my opinion. In a post-match interview Wade thinks that their score of 237 is enough if they bowled well. We will see how that goes tomorrow. That's it from me, will be back tomorrow with the second day's play! Have a very good Saturday night ahead and if you are looking to spend it at home, do watch the El Classico - Real Madrid play Barcelona in a La Liga clash tonight. Cannot get more mouth-watering than that!
Renegade
Guest
I'm starting to think Varun changed his name to Nihar....unbelievable SMH
Red Kev
Guest
I imagine Watson is going home after this test
Wilson Flatley
Roar Rookie
the best 13 ever made by an australian batsman
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So that's that then, end of the day's play with India surviving the three overs without loss. Five on the board in reply to Australia's 237.
Harry
Guest
the Indian openers look a little bit wary of the pace attack
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Last over of the day and beats Vijay outside the off. He's doing his best to let everything go and try and survive the day here. 0/5 in 2.2
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four for Sehwag but not a shot that will inspire too much confidence in the batsmen or the team. He is known to flash at them but there are times when he can allow the bowlers to get away with bowling a few dots, not fiddle at widish deliveries. Outside the off and flashed in the air through backward point for a four. 0/5 in 2.
Rob Barrow
Guest
Spot n Suneer
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Peter Siddle to Sehwag for the second over and he starts off with one down the leg-side. Not as bad a wide as the Pattinson one, but not the best of starts.
Nihar
Guest
Yes Cowan should be dropped, Watson, Warner, Hughes, Clarke, Khawaja looks good
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
End of the first over and Vijay has survived without scoring a run. 0/1 in 1
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's one of the poorest balls you would see first up. Remember Stephen Harmison. Ashes 2006-07? Something like that!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Sehwag and Vijay are walking out now and will be facing three overs. James Pattinson to take the new ball.