Australia remain on top despite Axar half-century

It was another absorbing day of cricket on day two of the second Test between India and Australia in Delhi. Nathan Lyon starred for the visitors with the ball, picking up five wickets to skittle India to 139 for seven before Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin stitched together a match-saving 114-run partnership to take India to first-innings parity with a total of 262. The hosts also dismissed Usman Khawaja to start the third innings, but Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne’s late counterattack gave Australia the edge heading into stumps, giving the tourists a 62-run lead.

India’s openers added 25 risk-free runs in the morning session but the Men in Blue collapsed from 46 for no loss to 66 for four, with Nathan Lyon running rampant. The off-spinner kickstarted his incredible morning spell with the wicket of KL Rahul. The out-of-form opener cleared the ropes against Matthew Kuhnemann to show some signs of confidence but was caught on the crease lbw by the off-spinner for 17.

Lyon also got the big wicket of Rohit Sharma with a delivery that stayed a tad low and crashed into the stumps before removing Cheteshwar Pujara for nought on his 100th Test match. Returning to the Test arena following an injury, Iyer became Lyon’s fourth victim of the morning, with Pete Handscomb taking a phenomenal catch at short leg to remove the right-hander.

Kohli and Jadeja rebuilt the Indian innings after the flurry of wickets, taking India through till Lunch without any more damage. The pair showed great defensive application and brought up their 50-run stand to bring India back into the contest, but Todd Murphy broke the stand with the wicket of Jadeja before Kohli and KS Bharat fell in quick succession, leaving India reeling at 139 for seven.

The hosts trailed by 124 runs when Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin joined hands, and the lower order saved the host’s blushes once again with another priceless partnership. The pair ate into Australia’s lead by dispatching any loose deliveries. Patel took on the left-arm spinner, Kuhnemann, and reached his second half-century of the series with a six over deep midwicket. Patel brought up the century stand with a couple of boundaries against Pat Cummins, but the new ball finally did the trick for the tourists, as Ashwin chipped one to Matt Renshaw at square leg for 37.

Cummins took a fine catch himself to remove Axar Patel for a well-made 74, and Matthew Kuhnemann cleaned up Shami to pick up the final wicket to bowl India out for 262.

The hosts had the momentum heading into the final hour of the day, but the Australian’s swift counterattack against the new ball tilted the scales in favour of the visitors. Khawaja fell to an excellent catch from Shreyas Iyer at leg slip, but stand-in opener Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne’s proactive scoring helped Australia add 61 runs in just 12 overs before stumps.