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Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane guide India to 311/4 against Australia on Day 1 of 1st Test at Brisbane

Josh Hazlewood impressed on debut, taking two big wickets.

Murali Vijay scored his third consecutive half-century © Getty Images
Murali Vijay scored his fifth Test century and fourth against Australia © Getty Images

By Shiamak Unwalla

Dec 17, 2014

Murali Vijay scored his fifth Test match hundred — and fourth against Australia — on Day One of the second Test between India and Australia at The Gabba, Brisbane to guide India to 311 for four at stumps. Ajinkya Rahane was unbeaten on 75 with Rohit Sharma for company on 26 as India became only the second visiting team in history to score over 300 runs at The Gabba on Day One of a Test.

India would have been under a little pressure going into tea after Josh Hazlewood dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli in the post-lunch session before Vijay put on a century stand with Rahane for the fourth wicket. The unbeaten pair of Vijay and Rahane ensured that Australia wilted in the final session. Vijay got to three figures with two boundaries off Shane Watson, and upped his tempo after that. He dominated pace and spin alike, though he also got his share of luck after being dropped twice during the course of his innings, the second drop coming after he reached his 100.

Vijay also went past 2,000 Test runs during his innings. He was finally dismissed for a sublime 144 — the joint highest score at The Gabba by an Indian along with Sourav Ganguly — after his aggression got the better of him. He was stumped by Brad Haddin off Nathan Lyon. Vijay stepped out looking for a big hit but missed a ball that drifted away after pitching as Haddin whipped off the bails.

At the other end, Rahane resumed positively after tea having started on a very shaky note. He grew in confidence and soon unleashed his trademark flicks, cuts, and drives as he scored his sixth Test half-century. At the other end, Vijay’s wicket brought in Rohit Sharma, who looked completely out of sorts in the second innings of the first Test. Here, he looked in excellent touch, scoring at a run-a-ball for a good part of his innings.

Earlier, India resumed well after lunch, with both Vijay and Pujara looking to play themselves in before DRS reared its head once again. Hazlewood, on debut, bounced Pujara with a delivery that shot up just short of good length. Pujara was clearly surprised, but managed to drop his bat enough. The ball struck his helmet on the way to Haddin, and Australia went up in appeal. Pujara’s look when the umpire raised his finger showed the anguish that most Indian fans would have been feeling at the moment as well.

Pujara’s wicket brought Kohli out to the middle, and he continued from where he left off in the last match. He straight drove a delivery from Mitchell Starc for four early on in his innings, and continued to look good in company with Vijay. However, Hazlewood had other ideas as he induced a false shot from Kohli, getting the batsman to flash at one outside the off stump through to ‘keeper Haddin.

Rahane came in at No. 5 and was immediately in trouble. He was beaten straight way as the ball came in to him and struck him on the pads, though the height of the Gabba wicket saved him. A couple of deliveries later he got a leading edge which fell just short of the diving Hazlewood on his follow-through. He settled down to remain unbeaten at Tea, with Vijay looking assured as ever at the other end.

Mitchell Marsh captured his maiden Test wicket when he got Shikhar Dhawan to edge behind to Haddin for 24. Dhawan looked shaky at the start, and though he managed to get another start he was dismissed playing a loose shot outside the off stump. Vijay looked assured in the middle, and was joined by Pujara, batting at his usual No.3 spot.

Earlier, both sides made some changes to the teams that played the first Test at Adelaide. Regular skipper MS Dhoni, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, and pacer Umesh Yadav came in to the Indian side to replace Wriddhiman Saha, Karn Sharma, and Mohammed Shami. Meanwhile for  Australia Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood replaced Michael Clarke, Peter Siddle, and Ryan Harris.

Brief scores:

India 311 for 4 (Murali Vijay 144, Ajinkya Rahane 75*; Josh Hazlewood 2 for 44, Mitchell Marsh 1 for 14) vs Australia.

Full Scorecard

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(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek and cricket fanatic. You can follow him on Twitter @ShiamakUnwalla)

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