Published: Jan 07, 2015, 12:13 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 08, 2015, 05:19 AM (IST)
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
Jan 7, 2015
India ended Day Two of the second Test in Sydney at 71 for one, up against Australia‘s 572 for seven declared. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul were the unbeaten batsmen at the end of day’s play. India had lost the early wicket of Murali Vijay, who chased a wide one from Mitchell Starc and got the edge through to Brad Haddin. With all those changes in the Indian team, Rohit walked out at No. 3 to partner Rahul. The duo weathered the storm early on and eased as the innings progressed.
Rahul looked more composed than he did during the last Test in Melbourne. Though he had poked at a few deliveries, he was lucky to have not edged any of them. Rohit’s innings was mixed in the sense that he kept playing at deliveries outside off and also left a few very well. Perhaps the biggest highlights of the evening session were the two sixes Rohit carted down the ground off Nathan Lyon. Using his feet, he reached the pitch of the ball and sent them into the stands.
India would be happy that this pair batted for over an hour to remain unbeaten at close of play. It has not been an easy day for them in the field and they can only hope to turn the tide with a good batting performance on Day Three.
On the other hand, It was a day to remember for Steven Smith, the Australian captain. With Australia starting the day on a formidable 348 for two, Smith resumed from where he left off the previous day. He moved along to his hundred easily. It was his fourth of the series and eighth overall. He also became the second batsman after Jacques Kallis to hit a century in each game of a four-match Test series.
Meanwhile, Watson was also moving along solidly and worked his way into the 80s. However, that fifth Test hundred remained ever so elusive as he pulled Mohammed Shami over mid-wicket and was taken in the deep. Smith did not last long after that as he poked at one outside the off-stump from Umesh Yadav. Watson and Smith had put up 196 runs in tandem.
The misery did not end there for the Indians as Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns constructed another solid partnership. Marsh was dropped early in his innings when an edge off Ravichandran Ashwin was dropped by Murali Vijay at second slip. Marsh was fluent thereafter and worked his way to 73 as Australia went past 500. Burns had a slow start and went on to get his maiden Test fifty. Towards the end, Ryan Harris smashed an entertaining 25 as Australia declared at 572 for seven. Shami was the pick of the bowlers for the day with a five-wicket haul. He made up for a bit of expensive bowling early on with wickets towards the end.
Brief scores:
Australia 572 for 7 decl. (Chris Rogers 95, David Warner 101, Steven Smith 117, Shane Watson 81; Shaun Marsh 73, Joe Burns 58; Mohammed Shami 5 for 112) lead India 71 for 1 (KL Rahul 31*, Rohit Sharma 40*; Mitchell Starc 1 for 17) by 501 runs.
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(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)
