India wobble to Australia's new-ball pace

Lunch India 70 for 3 (Rahul 47*, Rahane 6*) trail Australia 260 (Renshaw 68, Starc 61, Umesh 4-32, Ashwin 3-63) by 190 runs
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Mitchell Starc struck two important breakthroughs © AFP

Australia might have considered playing three spinners in this Test, but it was the pace and bounce of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood that caused trouble for India on the second morning in Pune. Starc was unable to build significantly on his overnight half-century as Australia were bowled out for 260 in the first over of the day, but it did not take him long to have an impact with the ball, snaring Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli in India’s 15th over.

Already Hazlewood had removed Murali Vijay, and it meant India were in the uncomfortable position of 44 for 3; Australia, by comparison, had not lost their first wicket until the 28th over of their innings. However, a significant threat remained for Steven Smith’s men: opener KL Rahul was in sublime form and struck seven fours and one six, and at the lunch break he was on 47. By that stage, India had moved along to 70 for 3, with Ajinkya Rahane on 6.

Rahul was strong driving along the ground but also used his feet to loft a six down the ground off Steve O’Keefe, who had opened the bowling with Starc. Both O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon found some turn, but the major dangers for India came when facing up to Starc and Hazlewood. Vijay was drawn into pushing outside off in Hazlewood’s first over, and edged an inswinger behind for 10.

Both Hazlewood and Starc found early swing, but Starc’s first breakthrough came instead via a well-directed short ball that surprised Pujara, who could do little but glove behind while trying to fend the ball away. He was gone for 6, and two balls later Starc also had the prize wicket of Kohli for a second-ball duck. Perhaps trying to impose himself on the match as early in his innings as possible, Kohli drove expansively at a wide ball and edged to first slip.

It was a long way from the opening Test of the 2013 series, when Kohli had struck 107 and helped set up the Indian dominance that would remain throughout the campaign. However, Rahul was well-placed to cause the Australians more problems after lunch, while the in-form Wriddhiman Saha was next in.

The day had started with Australia on 256 for 9 and hoping that their last pair, Starc and Hazlewood, might find a way to push the total up towards 300. Starc signalled his intent by slogging R Ashwin for a boundary from the second ball of the day, but he did not survive until the end of the over. Fifth ball, Starc slog-swept to deep midwicket and was caught for 61, ending Australia’s innings at 260.

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Source: ESPN Crickinfo