PERTH: India reached 84 without loss at tea on day two of the first test in Perth, extending their lead on Saturday to 130 runs as Australia’s pacemen failed to replicate their earlier success.
The hosts bowled India out for 150 on day one in conditions conducive to seam bowling, before being skittled for 104 themselves in the first session courtesy of a five-wicket haul from Jasprit Bumrah.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul skilfully negotiated the new ball, defending and working singles with an ease which suggested the pitch had lost some of its demons.
The shot of the day came in the 13th over when Rahul executed a gloriously timed straight drive past bowler Pat Cummins to the boundary.
Not to be outdone, Jaiswal punished the Australia captain for bowling too short, floating an upper-cut over the wicket-keeper that the crowd would be more accustomed to seeing from the Perth Scorchers in a Twenty20.
India fight back against Australia as 17 wickets tumble on opening day
Mitchell Starc, who had top-scored for the hosts with 26, bowled with good pace but struggled to threaten the India openers, as a period of calm washed over the game after 17 wickets tumbled on the first day.
To deliver the penultimate over of the second session, Cummins turned to Marnus Labuschagne who ambitiously opted for a medium-pace bumper barrage instead of his usual leg-spin.
Jaiswal and Rahul safely reached the break unbeaten on 42 and 34 respectively.
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