IND vs AUS, 2nd Test, Day 2: Batter Axar Patel saves India's sinking ship following Nathan Lyon's magic
Axar Patel keeps India afloat with terrific 74 on day 2 of Delhi Test vs AUS
India’s bowling all-rounder Axar Patel produced a stunning 74 on a fighting track and helped India stay afloatin the match on day two of the second Test in Delhi. While the first two sessions largely belonged toNathan Lyon – who spun his web around the Indian batters picking up a five-for, Axar and Ravi Ashwin’s 114-run stand for the eighth wicket made the headlines for all right reason. For the second straight Test, Axar played a masterful knock lower down the order bailing his team out of trouble. Lately been known for his power hitting, Axar scored nine fours and three sixes in his yet game-changing knock for India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series.
India started the day with ten wickets in hand and with both openers looking determined to deliver with the bat. This thought didn’t age well as Nathan Lyon first removed struggling KL Rahul, and then picked captain Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara in quick succession.
Making a comeback into the team after recovering from the back injury, Shreyas Iyer also didn’t fare well with the bat, getting out on four off 15 balls. Former skipper Virat held one end and with Ravindra Jadeja on the other, both started building a partnership.
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Post lunch, first-match hero for the Aussies, Todd Murphy got rid of Jadeja while Kuhnemann picked the prized wicket of Kohli on 44. It was about time before the newcomer KS Bharat also returned for yet another poor score of six, off Lyon again.
Come in Axar and Ashwin, the duo who weathered the spin storm coming their way. Deploying a smart yet attacking approach, both took on the bowling attack and unleashed some good-looking shots. In no time, they closed in the gap with the Aussies' first innings totaland put India’s nose ahead, at least in thelast session. It couldn’t last for long eitherLyon completed his five-wicket haul and Australia wrapped up India’s innings on 262 – just one run shy ofAustralia’s 263.
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Meanwhile, Australia’s second innings didn’t start as bad as it did previously. In absence of David Warner – who got subbed off for concussion and got replaced by Matt Renshaw for the remainder of the Test, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja opened the innings. The pair looked comfortable before Jadeja broke the partnership by removing Khawaja on six.
Labuschagne and Head then pressed the fifth gear and began targeting spinners, hitting them for odd boundaries every over. Australia ended day two with 61 for one in 12 overs.
