Ranchi Test, Day 2: India end at a strong 120/1 in response to Australia's 451

KL Rahul and Murali Vijay stitched together a 91-run opening partnership as India made a strong response to Australia’s first innings score of 451 on the second day of the third Test in Ranchi.

Rahul was ultimately dismissed by Pat Cummins for 67 but Murali Vijay (42 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12 not out) took India to stumps without any more damage.

Earlier on, Steve Smith carried his bat through Australia’s innings finishing with 178 as Australia were bowled out for 451. Glenn Maxwell also scored his maiden Test ton while Ravindra Jadeja starred with the ball, picking up figures of 5/124.

Here’s how the day played out:

4.35 pm: That’s it. Steve O’Keefe bowls the last over of the day, it’s a maiden and India finish the day on 120/1, trailing Australia by 331 runs.. They’ll be very pleased at how they responded to Australia’s 451. Steve Smith, on the other hand, will be happy at KL Rahul’s wicket but will know he has his work cut out the next day.

4.31 pm: Vijay getting into his groove now. Goes down the ground and creams a boundary. There’s a bat-pad chance and Steve Smith goes for a review but Snickometer says no edge. Last ball takes Pujara’s edge but it hit Steve Smith’s boot at first slip as he got up too early. Will that cost Australia again? India 120/1.

4.28 pm: Lyon gives away two and then Hazlewood comes back in. Typically steady over, except off his fifth ball where he tried too hard for the in-swinging yorker but became a juicy full toss which Pujara slams away for a boundary. Australia 115/1, two overs left in the day.

Jadeja gets some Harsha love.

4.20 pm: Now Hazlewood back. Good move from Smith. Tidy over. Gets the maiden. Just nagging away on a length. India 109/1.

Talk about being hard on a player. Damned when he does, damned when he doesn’t!

4.15 pm: Lyon looking a lot sharper. Gets one to hold its line and Pujara is saved by a thin inside edge. India 109/1.

4.10 pm: Cummins is back for the sixth over of this spell. Tests Pujara out with a bouncer. Pujara nudges a two. Good contest. Can India play out these last 20 minutes? India 107/1.

4.05 pm: Two sweeps from Vijay off Lyon and the 100 comes up. The first one was a top-edge and Vijay was lucky it didn’t go to hand. The next ball was a much cleaner hit and went to where it was intended. Another deflection for four. 12 runs off the over. Vijay has destroyed the momentum Australia had built after the wicket. Australia 105/1.

4.02 pm: Cummins on fire. First ball to Pujara was an inswinger which Pujara just got out. Last ball was angling in, very scary leave there. Can Australia work some magic in the last hour? 93/1.

4.00 pm: GOT HIM! Cummins’s persistence pays off. He’s been menacing and the short ball takes the top of Rahul’s bat and goes to Wade. Well-deserved wicket from Cummins there. He’s worked him over. India 91/1, Rahul goes for 67.

3.53 pm: The difference between the spinners and the pacers. O’Keefe gifts five runs, doesn’t look even threatening. Cummins probes away and is testing India’s openers with his bounce and lengths. India 91/0.

It doesn’t really look too encouraging, yeah.

And we’re back on the pitch again? Like seriously?

3.47 pm: Cummins almost yorks Vijay but he survives. India cruising now. India 84/0.

Have to laud that discipline...

Certainly looks like that. Struggling to take even one right now.

3.43 pm: And on cue, O’Keefe comes on and the tap is turned on. Easy drive for a single. Comes down the ground for another single. Moves to 60. India 83/0.

3.40 pm: Steady over from Cummins. Only one run conceded. How long can Australia bowl their pacers? They have to get the spinners in sometime. India 81/0.

3.30 pm: Hazlewood again and spoils the good rhythm by going too leg-side. Rahul easily tucks it away for a four. Too easy. India 80/0. Drinks.

3.25 pm: Cummins is in. He delivers that famed slower ball but Rahul doesn’t seem to think much of it and pats it away for a single. The Aussie pacers are still keeping the run flow low. Australia 74/0.

Rahul has been so consistent. Reminds me of another consistent Rahul...

3.21 pm: Good over from Hazlewood. He’s the only bowler asking questions. Getting definite reverse and moving the ball both ways. Vijay watchfully plays him out while Gavaskar makes jokes about “Come in” Cummins in the comms box. India 73/0.

3.15 pm: KL Rahul sweeps and sweeps well for a boundary. Another half-century in this series, his fourth. Great batting. Strike rate is 75+. India 73/0.

3.10 pm: Vijay gets another four for an edge to Lyon. This is getting frustrating for Australia now. I can’t see them getting a wicket now. Absolutely nothing really happening, except India getting cheap and easy runs. Hazlewood is getting some definite reverse, Vijay just manages to get a flick on it. And unlucky next ball! Gets Rahul’s edge again, but no second slip and it runs away for four. Eventful but no wicket lost. India 68/0.

3.05 pm: Hazlewood is back into the attack. His first ball nips back but Vijay drives gloriously for a boundary. Just four runs there. It’s 55/0.

3.00 pm: Fifty-run partnership up for India. Just the opening stand India wanted. India 51/0.

Yup, you’re a pessimist.

2.55 pm: India’s best opening partnership this series. It’s been serene stuff from these two. Hardly look troubled. O’Keefe keeps plugging away. India 49/0.

2.50 pm: And just when we were saying tight, India get a move on again. O’Keefe is too straight and he gets milked for singles and then tucked down leg for a boundary. Rahul gets another two off the back foot after O’Keefe pulls his length back. Eight runs off the over. India 44/0.

2.45 pm: KL Rahul pre-meditates a sweep and manages to get bat on it. Just a single. Tight stuff from Australia but India don’t look troubled. 36/0.

Lyon against the two openers:

2.42 pm: O’Keefe did get Rahul’s edge but it goes wide of slip and runs away into the boundary. It’s gone very overcast in Ranchi. Vijay and Rahul settling into a nice rhythm now. India 35/0.

That’s quite pessimistic.

2.34 pm: Nathan Lyon into the attack. 8/50 in the first innings in Bengaluru, wicketless in the second. What will he do? Vijay sweeps him away for a single off the second-last ball. Rahul takes another single. Australia 26/0.

2.30 pm: Steve O’Keefe gets proceedings underway after tea. KL Rahul rocks back and hits him on the backfoot for four. He’s got such great hands. India 24/0

And a stat to enliven up the last session of the day:

Jadeja also did a Dhoni, in Ranchi!

2.10 pm: That’s tea. Lovely boundary in the over before tea. Gets back on his back foot and punches it away for a boundary, KL Rahul. Second boundary of his innings. Cummins is mixing up his lengths nicely. But Rahul is up to the task and opens his bat well next ball to guide it away beyond third-man for his second boundary of the over. Lovely little contest here. India go to the break at 20/0.

2.05 pm: Five minutes before tea. Steve O’Keefe gets a go. Doesn’t look very menacing. India’s openers get two runs off him. It’s 11/0.

2.00 pm: First boundary of India’s innings as Rahul flicks Cummins away. Well-played, considering it was bowled at 148 ticks. A few words exchanged between the two after the four. Still steady. India 9/0.

Just how good was Jadeja?

That’s a big comparison.

1.51 pm: Cummins gets one to snap up at KL Rahul’s jaw. He just about shrugs it away. Very good bowling from the two opening pacers. Not one loosener. The last ball is a good bouncer. Very quiet start for India. India 4/0.

1.47 pm: Hazlewood is probing away. He was exceptional in Bengaluru with a six-wicket haul in the second innings. Tight lbw call to Rahul first ball, then beats his bat. India manage to get two off the over. India 3/0 in 3 overs.

A look at Warner’s vast home-away disparity.

And Rahul’s mastery of Hazlewood.

1.43 pm: Pat Cummins comes on to bowl. Bowling for the first time in Tests after 2011. Steady over. Good rhythm. Maiden. India stay at 1/0.

1.39 pm: Steady first over from Hazlewood and India’s openers. KL Rahul took a tight single off the first ball and Murali Vijay solidly blocks out the rest. India 1/0.

1.33 pm: India’s openers come out to bat. Kohli was seen in the dressing room shadow-practicing. Good signs for India.

1.20 pm: Run-out here and again it’s Jadeja’s brilliance. Steve Smith looks to take a two and Jadeja collects at the stumps and throws blind. Brilliant run out. Australia bowled out for 451.

No need for Australia to get too ahead of themselves, yet.

But what an innings it was from Smith. He deserved a double century. Unlucky.

Jadeja also deserves to put his feet up. A brilliant five wicket haul.

1.18 pm: Steve Smith’s not taking any more singles. Refuses singles off the first three balls and takes it on the fourth ball. 450 up for Australia. Hazlewood keeps it out. Australia 450/9.

1.11 pm: Umesh took a tumble after the wicket and Gavaskar thought it was because of his shoes. Smith still looks unconcerned. He took the single off Lyon and pulls the reverse sweep out for the first time in tthis fine knock. Still gets a single off the second last ball of the over. Jadeja strikes off the last ball and takes a fiver! Lyon gives a catch straight to bat pad to Karun Nair and Australia are 449/9.

1.04 pm: Finally a wicket. Partnership turns 50 and O’Keefe impulsively hooks a bouncer from Umesh Yadav. Hits it straight down Murali Vijay’s throat at fine-leg. O’Keefe goes for 25, Australia 446/8.

12.57 pm: O’Keefe now gets his highest Test score. Partnership is getting better. It’s currently 47. Smith is into his 170s. Australia 442/7.

This is a hilarious story about how a trolley-watcher at a Ranchi hospital pretended to be a doctor and ruled Kohli out of the series. The media lapped it up on Thursday evening.

This is a dream delivery from Jadeja to get Cummins.

12.47 pm: Jadeja bowls a maiden. Nair misfields in the next over off Umesh and gives Smith a single. Smith’s sheer intensity has been so good to watch. A hint of a grin and some banter with umpire Ian Gould. His batting average of 61.36 is currently second only to Bradman, for batsman with over 2000 runs. O’Keefe pulls and pulls well for a boundary. Australia 440/7

Wow, take a bow, Smithy. This is one fantastic record.

What would Australian fans do without the Marsh brothers?

12.41 am: Good late cut from O’Keefe and he gets a boundary off one that was marginally short from Jadeja. Umesh Yadav is back for the first time after lunch. The runs are coming now and the partnership is 40. Australia 435/7.

The key question. Will he score 200 if he bats above Smith now?

12.34 pm: Two appeals from Jadeja and Ashwin but nothing much else. Then one nips back in from Ashwin, squares O’Keefe up, takes the inside edge and runs away to the boundary. The pitch is doing things now. Interesting. Australia have to get as many as possible. 426/7.

12.28 pm: Brilliant batting from Smith as he comes down the ground and whips Jadeja away for another boundary. Now O’Keefe erupts! Goes straight down and hammers Ashwin down the ground for a boundary! Looks steady otherwise. Australia 420/7.

Something to hold on to for India.

12.21 pm: Two thick edges from Jadeja and Ashwin but both have eluded slip. Vital runs here. Australia 410/7.

12.18 pm: Quiet from Ashwin and Jadeja first up. O’Keefe has looked solid here, without taking undue risks. How much can Australia get? They’re currently 404/7.

Praise for Jadeja.

It would be his second double century. He’s been out on 199 before.

12.15 pm: We are off after lunch. Ashwin springs up and delivers a maiden. The commentators are saying 400 isn’t enough, Australia need 500. All on Steve Smith. Australia 401/7.

11.30 am: That is lunch. 102 runs in the session in 28 overs. Three wickets in the session, two of which came in one over from Jadeja. The left-arm spinner has looked the most dangerous of all the Indian bowlers. On the other hand, that quick push for runs by Wade might prove very important in the overall scheme of things. Australia 401/7

At the other end, Steve Smith has just carried on. Not once has he looked fluttered. Just calm, composed and hungry for runs. It’s his sixth score of 150 now.

11.28 am: Amidst all this, Steve Smith gets to his 150. Sixth score of 150 and all for the Australian captain. He’s been quiet this morning but this has been an innings of high class. Australia 398/7.

11.23 am: ONE MORE! What a ball from Jadeja! Too good for Cummins. It pitches on legs and spins away and hits off. Four wickets for Jadeja and India sense a chance here. Australia 395/7.

11.20 am: GONE! Jadeja is the man again. He’s just been pinging away and it gets Wade’s edge. Three wickets for Jadeja and Australia are six down. Partnership of 64 in 14.2 overs comes to an end. 395/6.

11.18 am: Another impressive sweep from Wade for a four. He’s ratcheting along at a good pace now. India are giving him easy singles as well. On the other hand, Steve Smith is gently motoring along and is in sight of his 150. He’s 147 and Australia are 393/5.

11.10 am: But Wade and Smith go on their merry ways. Jadeja was milked for two runs but Wade uses his feet to hit Ashwin for another four next over. The partnership is over 50 and in very quick time. Australia 386/5.

11.05 am: Prayers finally answered. Ashwin is given an over. Wade sweeps him for two. Comes down the ground and smashes him over mid-wicket for a boundary. Wade is a good batsman, very quick with his feet. Australia 379/5 and Steve Smith is on 144.

11.00 am: Wade got a nice boundary through third-man off Umesh Yadav. Jadeja gets through an over and concedes just two runs. Australia 372/5.

England scored 537, 477 and 400 in three Tests last year. They drew the first match and lost the other two.

WHERE IS ASHWIN??

10.55 am: Expensive over from Jadeja. Yes, it just doesn’t sound right, does it? Three runs on the first ball, four byes off the second. Overall nine runs in the over. Good urgency from Wade and Smith. Australia 364/5.

Seriously, where is Ashwin?

Kohli would have probably killed someone by now.

And if you missed it, this is how the Big Show destroyed his big bat on the first ball of the day.

10.49 am: Australia go past 350. Matt Wade strokes Umesh through the covers for a fine boundary. Seven runs in that over. Australia 356/5.

And Maxwell, with his century, became the second Oz batsman after Shane Watson to score a ton in all three formats.

10.45 am: Good batting by Wade and Smith. They’re trying to ensure Jadeja doesn’t settle into a rhythm. Singles have taken them to 349/5.

10.40 am: Solid over from Ishant. Wade blocks it out. Australia 346/5.

The Maxwell dismissal:

10.35 am: Finally, Jadeja’s maiden spurt is over. Five balls he bowled at Wade and Wade defended. Then the keeper dashed down the ground and him through mid-wicket for four. Good bowling, but good batting as well. Australia near 350. 345/5.

Yes, Rahane can think about bringing him on now.

10.28 am: Things are happening now. Ishant gets a thick edge from Smith but Saha indicates it didn’t carry. Smith and Maxwell put on 191 but the score is not beyond India in any which way at all. If India can trigger a collapse....but Smith hears our sentiments and whips away a boundary on leg. A pathetic collision/misfield between Pujara and Umesh gives away another four. It’s drinks and Australia are 341/5.

Ravindra Jadeja is doing what he does best: building pressure. Four overs, four maidens, one wicket so far today.

10.21 am: GONE! This was on the cards, I think. Two maidens from Jadeja and he finally gets one to spin and bounce. Takes Maxwell’s edge and he departs after a fantastic century. Australia 331/5.

10.20 am: What happened there? Horrible running from Smith-Maxwell but Ishant didn’t come back to the stumps! Maxwell was out by yaards! That is a definite chance missed and you can bet Kohli would be fuming if he was out there right now. India 331/4.

10.12 am: Oooooh...Jadeja gets one to rip and turn sharply. Just misses Maxwell’s edge on 99. He stays on 99 as Jaddu delivers the maiden. Tense stuff. Smith gets a single and Maxwell finally gets his century with a rough drive which goes through the cordon! His first Test hundred and what an innings it has been! Australia 328/4.

If he celebrates like this, don’t blame him. He deserves it after all the flak he got.

10.04 am: Spin for the first time in the day and Ravindra Jadeja wheels through in a jiffy for a maiden. Umesh’s short ball is causing a few problems, another one doesn’t come up as much as Maxwell thought it would and takes his body to the keeper. He keeps a single and moves to 99 next ball. Australia 323/4.

9.57 am: A tricky over but Maxwell moves to 98 at the end of it. He tried a ramp and was beaten first and went for a wild heave down the leg-side. But then sorted himself, took a two and played the ramp properly for a boundary. Australia 322/4.

9.51 am: Maxwell moves into the nineties with a boundary through third man again. Rahane is missing a trick here, he needs to plug that gap. Australia 316/4.

Ok, I’ve heard better but I’ll give you a laugh on this.

9.45 am: Umesh’s last ball was low, but credit to Maxwell, his bat speed was good and he got it down quickly. He moves on to 87. Australia 310/4.

CricViz gave India almost a 70 percent chance of winning around lunch on the first day. Now it says 20 percent chance of a draw.

9.42 am: Steve Smith gets a four through third man on the first over he faces of Day 2. Five runs off it. Australia are up and running. 308/4.

He’s. Not. Even. Playing. This. Match.

9.33 am: Right we’re underway. And it’s an eventful start. Umesh Yadav hits Glenn Maxwell’s bat hard on the first ball of the day. So hard that it broke his bat into half. Umesh gives a wry grin and gestures at his muscles. Maxwell shows off his own muscles by muscling a cover drive for four last ball. 300 up. Australia 303/4.

No Kohli out there yet.

9.25 am: A quick look at what the pundits are saying ahead of the start:

Oh, and did you know India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a Ravi Shastri fan? Nor did we!

9.00 am: Good morning, y’all, and welcome to the coverage of the second day in Ranchi.

Ok, let’s get the big question, from an Indian fan perspective, out of the way. Virat Kohli? Yay or Nay? The evening was a hotchpotch of confusion yesterday with some reports saying he was out of the match and the Board of Control for Cricket in India later clarifying that his shoulder injury wasn’t serious. This is what BCCI tweeted in the morning:

And then this is what this Australia journalist tweeted:

Mind-games, yeah?

But if Kohli doesn’t play, it will hurt India. Because Kohli’s counterpart, Steve Smith, may be a brain-fade artist but he’s also looking every bit the best batsman in the world, says Ashish Magotra.

The other good thing about Smith and Maxwell’s partnership that the focus was finally back on cricket after a eventful week between the Tests, says Chetan Narula.

Also, if you ever wanted an explainer on the art and science of pitch curation, head right over and read this magnificent interview of ex-Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik by Jaideep Vaidya.