Perth, Nov 23: After a fast-moving opening day which saw 17 wickets fall in 76.4 overs, many expected Day Two of the first Test to follow the same route. But with the pitch flattening out, Yashasvi Jaiswal and K.L. Rahul led India’s stunning turnaround to extend their lead to 218-run at the end of the day at the Optus Stadium here on Saturday. 

With the heavy roller used before the start of the second two’s play and once after Australia’s first innings ended on 104 in 51.2 overs which gave India a handy 46-run lead, it meant the pitch eased out under baking sun in front of 32,368 spectators.

That made life easy for Jaiswal and Rahul, who are unbeaten on 90 and 62 respectively, as the duo have now put India into a potential winning position, with their second innings score standing at 172/0 in 57 overs. Both openers were in excellent control, absorbed the new-ball pressure by playing close to their bodies, choosing to employ their shots late and rotated the strike nicely, as India registered its first 100-run opening partnership in Tests in Australia since 2004.

Jaiswal, playing his first Test in Australia, came off a duck in the first innings but showed balanced composure and aggression to be in complete control of hitting seven fours and two sixes. His fifty came in 123 balls – the slowest half-century of his career so far, but it was the adjustments he showed in his innings that enthralled the fans.

Unlike the first innings, he was not pushing hard at the ball. Instead, he took to defending with soft hands, and with Rahul’s guidance from the other end, he grew in confidence and unleashed some powerful shots.

On the other hand, Rahul was calmness and solidity personified to hit four boundaries as he and Jaiswal batted two whole sessions unscathed for India to dominate play on Day Two, resulting in just three wickets falling in 81.2 overs.

In the morning, India had a fantastic start thanks to Jasprit Bumrah striking on his first ball of the day to complete his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests, as he got Alex Carey to nick behind to Rishabh Pant. Nathan Lyon was to fall, after being cramped for room by Harshit Rana, whose well-directed short ball took his glove edge to slip cordon. Bumrah could have got his sixth wicket in Josh Hazlewood if the wrong-footed Pant had made a dive in time to take a catch.

From there, Mitchell Starc was solid in his defence and resorted to strike rotation to fetch important runs for Australia, despite being hit once on the helmet by Rana. It also helped the last-wicket pair of Starc and Hazlewood that the seam movement of the ball went down after 40 overs, thus aiding them more in getting crucial runs.

The duo held their ground well to stitch a stand of 25 runs off 110 balls, the highest partnership in this innings for Australia. But just before lunch break, Rana had Starc miscuing a slog to Pant to dismiss him for 26 off 112 balls and secure a handy lead for India.

In the second innings, Jaiswal looked more sorted and compact from the word go, starting by glancing Starc and guiding Cummins for boundaries, before Rahul played a delightful straight drive off the latter for four by presenting the full face of the bat.

Australia, who were a little off in their length in the first 10 overs, tried bringing in a different result by getting Mitchell Marsh quickly. But Rahul welcomed him by pulling his harmless short ball over square-leg for four, followed by Jaiswal spectacularly ramping Cummins over third man for another boundary.

Rahul feasted on another short ball from Marsh, which he slapped over the backward point for four, while Jaiswal creamed Starc through mid-off and shuffled across to slog him over backward square leg. Australia’s last trick of the second session was bringing on Marnus Labuschagne to bowl medium-pace after summoning Nathan Lyon. However, that didn’t help them separate Jaiswal and Rahul as they stepped out for tea.

In the final session, Australia used some tactics –Cummins resorted to a brief short-ball ploy, while Starc and Hazlewood beat the bat relentlessly and bowled some unplayable deliveries. Some overs were given to Lyon, Travis Head, Marsh and Labuschagne, but none could separate Jaiswal and Rahul, who amassed 22 runs in the first 17 overs of the session.

There was luck on India’s side – on 51, Jaiswal hit a drive away from his body off Starc, but Usman Khawaja couldn't get low enough in time to take the chance at first slip. In the next over, Rahul was sent back by Jaiswal after coming halfway down the pitch, and was back to his crease in time, thus avoiding a run-out.

Amidst this, Jaiswal got to his ninth fifty with a drive to sweeper-cover off Lyon and then proceeded to hammer Marsh through point for four and flick Starc for a beautifully timed six. Rahul drove Starc’s half-volley through point for four, before raising his fifty in 124 balls. After scything Cummins through the gap between second and third slip for four, Jaiswal danced down the pitch to dispatch Lyon for a massive six over long-on, which became his 34th maximum hit in Tests in 2024, surpassing Brendon McCullum’s 33 sixes in 2014.

Post that, Jaiswal and Rahul ensured India ended the day in a commanding position, while Australia have their backs against a defiant duo and would need something special to make a comeback on Day Three.

Brief scores:

India 150 and 172 for no loss in 57 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 90 not out, KL Rahul 62 not out) lead Australia 104 all out in 51.2 overs (Mitchell Starc 26, Alex Carey 21; Jasprit Bumrah 5-30, Harshit Rana 3-48) by 218 runs

--IANS

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