A gritty partnership from Indian batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane yesterday brought India back into the second Test after their top order collapsed.
When India fell to 2-8 on a surface which at that stage was assisting the bowlers they were left with a power of work to do to haul in Australia’s first innings total of 326.
But Kohli (82*) teamed first with Cheteshwar Pujara (24 from 103 balls) and then Ajinkya Rahane (51*) to stall Australia’s momentum. Kohli was forced to work harder for his runs than he would be used to and showed admirable restraint to weather several spells of fine bowling.
By stumps he and Rahane were beginning to make the Australian bowlers toil on a Perth Stadium pitch which had settled down markedly after playing all sorts of tricks on Day 1. Yet Australia will know that a single wicket will bring to the crease rookie batsman Hanuma Vihari, followed by wildcard keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and then an extremely weak Indian tail.
While Starc was not at his best with the new ball, Australia would have been delighted to get both Indian openers inside the first six overs. Murali Vijay continued his struggles against the Aussie left-armer, who has dismissed him in all three innings this series. Vijay has long had problems with getting opened up by Starc’s angle. It happened once more yesterday as the Indian went for an off drive only for an in swinger to pierce the big gap between bat and pad to rattle his stumps.
His opening partner, KL Rahul, was less culpable in his own dismissal. Josh Hazlewood bowled a searing yorker which swung late and away from Rahul to crash into middle and off stumps. That dismissal prompted an absorbing battle between the Australian attack and Indian stars Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Kohli struck four early boundaries to charge to 18 from ten balls. Then seamer Pat Cummins and off spinner Nathan Lyon turned the screws on Kohli and Pujara. Cummins conceded just two runs from his first 22 balls against the Indian skipper, probing away on a fifth stump line.
He and Lyon also kept in check Pujara, who never quite found a rhythm to his innings. In the end it was Starc, not one of this pair, who benefited from this pressure. A loose Starc offering down leg was tickled by Pujara to keeper Tim Paine.
Earlier, Paine and talented lower-order batsman Pat Cummins batted with nous and patience to frustrate the Indians in the opening hour. The Aussie pair grafted for 15 overs in adding 33 crucial runs in that time. While the Indians produced plenty of quality deliveries in this period, overall they were too short.
(Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)
This was particularly so against Paine, who India buffeted with short balls throughout his knock of 38 from 89 balls. Although he was not always at ease against these rising deliveries, it was the fuller offerings which looked more likely to dislodge the Aussie captain.
So it was when Jasprit Bumrah pinned Paine LBW with a lovely off cutter. Only two balls prior it had been Umesh Yadav who prospered by pitching up when he castled Pat Cummins. While the home side will feel they should have made more than 350 considering the wickets they gifted India, it was still a fine total on what, during their innings at least, was a tricky batting surface.
The pitch continues to be the major unknown in this Test. It has gone from fairly placid to a minefield and then back to the former in the space of two days. Just how it will play in the third and fourth innings of this Test is anyone’s guess. India will be determined to earn themselves a tidy first-innings lead so they need not bat for too long on Day 4 or 5. Achieving that aim looks likely to rest largely with the two veterans currently at the crease.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Marsh used to be a very effective 5th bowler but his bowling has become dramatically less effective in Tests over the past two years or so. Stoinis has comprehensively outbowled him in the Shield this year and obviously Stoinis is nothing special as a seamer.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The pitch is probably as quick, if not quicker now than it has been for the whole match. The ball is 24 overs old and it is absolutely flying through off the pitch.
Phillip
Guest
As I feared the quicks once more blew it as the Aussies had to rely on a spinner in WA of all places. Picking replacement bowlers is a simple task just look at the top 4 pacemen in the Shield and pick from that. The top bowlers in the Shield you know are fully match fit, in sparkling form and have plenty of red ball cricket already this summer, The Three Gods of express bowling on the other hand...
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
If there was any doubt who the best Test batsman is in the world that should now be put to rest. Kohli simply picks up where he left off in South Africa and England. Only problem is both those times in a losing cause. He is not well supported by the rest of his batting line up
Is Don Is Good
Guest
No, you really should name the bowlers you think are better than these 4. I for one would be fascinated.
Is Don Is Good
Guest
Dumcarnt.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Marsh has been bowling very mediocre for a long time. If these three quicks aren’t taking the wickets then I highly doubt Marsh would. I’d rather a specialist bat and then rely on the 4 bowlers+Head or even Maxwell if Handscomb is dropped.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Really? They bowled India out on a fairly placid day 1 pitch in Adelaide for 250. If our batsmen had of come in and made 300 we win, and everyone’s saying the match was set up by our bowlers day 1 by dismissing the Indians in virtually the day, after losing a critical toss.
peter chrisp
Guest
And with one of the best Indian batsman in the crease now can India build a lead? And if we lose the test depending if Kholi can get over a 100 and more the chances are good? And not our inexperienced batters? & how well have they performed? If it wasn't up to our tail end bowlers almost making more runs than some of our top order batsmen would our score been a little more embarrassing?
Nudge
Roar Rookie
The first 11 overs today before the new ball is going to be critical. If we can get one of these guys out, it’s going to be very difficult for a bloke in his second test and also Pant and the tail to come in and get started with a new rock. Will also be interesting to see what bowlers Paine uses first up knowing that he doesn’t want to tire the quicks before the new ball. I’d like to see him start with Lyon and Cummins. Cummins troubled Kohli a lot yesterday, and looked the most likely to get him out. Perhaps Cummins bowls 3 to 4 overs and then Head for an over or 2 to save Cummins to be first change with the new ball. If we get a wicket before the new ball Cummins bowls all the way through. This first session could really tell us which way this series is heading
Phillip
Guest
The 4th innings of the Test will shape who wins the series, mainly because no one questioned Australia's bowlers. The Aussies went in with 4 experienced bowlers but my question is: Are they our best bowling group. My own answer currently is no from what I've seen this summer so far. No point picking out who'd I would've picked as CA are just too stubborn and lack common sense half the time so naming players is pointless. However if we lose this Test its thanks to this so-called ultimate threesome of bowlers and not our inexperienced batters.
Spencer Kassimir
Roar Pro
This has been an interesting series on the pitch but off the pitch too. It would be interesting to know how Kohli going vegan around six months ago has been a factor in his cricketing. The cases I know of in contemporary sports athletes switching to plant protein are with a quarter of the Tennessee Titans in the NFL and Leeds Rhinos prop Anthony Mullally in Super League have all been in contact sports though the overarching theme has been decreased recovery time amongst other factors.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
It's times like this you wish you had an allrounder in the team to offer another option and break a partnership. I'm sure M.Marsh could actually do a solid enough job in Australian conditions especially at Perth it's just overseas he has been poor.
Matt H
Roar Guru
The heavy roller in the change of innings certainly appeared to have an effect.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
I have never seen a pitch like this Jekyll and Hyde pitch, go from good to bad to good in two days, and now who knows what it will do.
ND
Guest
If Kohli gets to his hundred, he will have converted 25 of his 44 fifties into hundreds. That is an insane conversion rate. India's hopes rest largely on his shoulders and a big hundred from him would make this match extremely interesting. Also, I would not write Vihari off - he's a rookie at the international level but he can grind if needed. Did a decent job in England on his debut.