A brilliant Day 2 for India: Gill and Pujara started the day well by playing out the initial hour and then Rahane stitched together 50-run stands with Vihari and Pant before putting on an unbroken 104 runs (corrected) with Jadeja. Australia have bowled well but their catching has been poor... very poor. Gill, Pant and Rahane have all got lives and they all made it count.
At close of play on Day 2, India are 277/5 – ahead by 82 runs. Rahane on 104 and Jadeja on 40 are at the crease.
India 277/5 after 91.3 overs: DROPPED!!! Rahane, on 104, gets another life. Head drops an easy one. Off Starc again. Terrific delivery. Rain comes down immediately after and it is stumps.
28 overs, 88 runs, 0 wickets in the final session. Brilliant for India.
India 276/5 after 91 overs: Rahane clearly likes batting in Boxing Day Tests. He has made his opportunities count.
2013: 51* & 96 vs SA
2014: 147 & 48 vs Aus
2020: 104* (today) vs Aus
India 274/5 after 90 overs: Meanwhile, the Rahane-Jadeja stand is now worth 100 off 179 balls. How good have they both been... India’s lead is now 79 runs.
India 268/5 after 88 overs: This is called rising to the occasion. 100 off 195 balls. What an innings! Well played, Ajinkya Rahane! Stunning knock... just what the team needed.
100*, 197 balls, 11 fours
India 260/5 after 86 overs: Rahane has found a better attacking rhythm now. Still watchful but prepared to play a few more shots. The lead is up to 66 runs. Australia will start getting a little angsty now.
India 254/5 after 84 overs: Australia’s bowlers have been a bit too short but perhaps the Rahane shots have put them off a little. Perhaps, they are thinking about the lead. India ahead by 59 runs now.
India 251/5 after 83 overs: Rahane starting to play a few more shots now. A four over backward point off the last ball of the Starc over showed he is ready to attack anything loose now. After being dropped, he seems to have flipped a switch. He is taking on the new ball and he is still there for now.
India 244/5 after 82 overs: A lovely straight drive by Rahane off Cummins was the highlight of the over. Didn’t try to hit it hard and then he smiled.
India 236/5 after 81 overs: Dropped! Rahane, on 73, gets a life. Steve Smith at second slip fails to hold on to a high chance. Big miss! Starc the bowler.
India 232/5 after 80 overs: The second new ball is available and it has been taken right away. India lead by 37 runs. Five wickets still in hand.
India 225/5 after 77 overs: Just three overs to go for the new ball. How India face the second new ball is probably going to define the match...
India 223/5 after 75 overs: Rahane and Jadeja putting together a vital stand – they brought up the 50th run of their partnership in 91 balls. This is very good from India.
India 218/5 after 74 overs: India’s lead is up to 23 runs now. Jadeja and Rahane are doing this right – rotating the strike, getting the odd boundary.
India 214/5 after 72 overs: Lyon into the attack and Rahane took the opportunity to use his feet to the off-spinner. He got four runs for it and will look to do a little more of this before the new ball is taken.
India 208/5 after 70 overs: Ten overs to go for the new ball – which could being runs or wickets. What will India’s approach be? Will they try and score a few more runs? India are 13 runs ahead.
India 202/5 after 68 overs: Steve Smith was just moved out of first slip into second slip and what does Rahane do? Edges one right through the vacant first slip region. Luck going India’s way in this innings so far. Starc getting the ball to go across the right-hander now.
India 198/5 after 66 overs: India have taken the lead. It hasn’t been easy but they have stuck to the task at hand admirably. What kind of lead will be good for them?
India 193/5 after 65 overs: The Aussie bowlers have fielders in the deep for the short ball and they are peppering Jadeja with a few. Can he resist the temptation?
India 192/5 after 64 overs: And play begins again. The last session of what has already been a very interesting day. Can India make their advantage count to truly take control?
The covers are coming off and play should begin soon.
India 189/5 after 63.3 overs: It starts drizzling at the MCG just ahead of the tea break. Players go off quickly. Covers on the wicket. A good session for India despite the two wickets. In the session: 26.3 overs, 99 runs, 2 wickets. Rahane needs to carry on till the end for India – the bigger the lead, the better for India. They bat last in the Test.
India 185/5 after 63 overs: Rahane would have / should have reset his goals after reaching fifty. As Gavaskar would say, ‘Take fresh guard, start again.’
India 184/5 after 62 overs: Rahane has led from the front. As captain and now as batsman. A measured fifty for Rahane. Calm, patient and in control. 53 off 111.
India 173/5 after 59.1 overs: WICKET! Starc strikes to send back Pant (29). Feathered it to Paine. Nice little cameo though. But the wicket has come at just the right time for Australia. Perhaps it bounced a bit too much and was not wide enough. Pant c Paine b Starc 29(40)
India 173/4 after 59 overs: India continue to inch closer to Australian total but they must be careful not to think too far ahead.
India 166/4 after 57 overs: The 50-run stand between Rahane and Pant has come off 73 balls. This was a change of pace India needed. The visitors trail by 29 runs.
India 160/4 after 56 overs: DROPPED! Green, at gully, fails to hold on to a tough chance from Pant (26) off the last ball. Cummins was the bowler.
India 157/4 after 55 overs: Runs continue to flow and Pant’s positive attitude is starting to rub off on Rahane too. This is good for India but wickets are still the key.
India 147/4 after 52 overs: Pant continuing to play some shots. Just the right kind of intent. The game is moving along now. This stand is worth 37 off 50 balls.
India’s first fifty runs: 88 balls
Second fifty runs: 156 balls
Third fifty: 71 balls.
India 147/4 after 52 overs: Lovely pull shot for four by Pant. He picked that early. Needs to make sure his shot selection remains good. If he can hang around for a while, India will find themselves in a good position but if he gets carried away, Australia could find a way back into the game. India trail by 48 runs now.
India 135/4 after 51 overs: A fascinating battle. A few wickets can get Australia back in the game but India need to just hang in there for as long as possible. Pant showing restraint so far.
India 134/4 after 50 overs: Cummins is back in the attack after that long 8-over spell in the first session.
India 122/4 after 49 overs: Pant vs Lyon is going to be an interesting battle. The left-hander wants to get bat on ball as often as possible and he likes to play shots.
India 122/4 after 47 overs: Pant certainly shouldn’t look to just block. That isn’t his natural game but he needs to mix caution with aggression carefully. India need Rahane to bat on and on.
India 116/4 after 46 overs: Rishabh Pant in the middle and it will be interesting to see how he goes about his innings.
Rahane got some treatment on his back just before Lyon over in which the wicket fell.
India 116/4 after 44.4 overs: WICKET! Lyon breaks the 52-run stand. Vihari walking back after making 21. Went for the sweep, ball popped up off the glove. He had just hit a lovely late cut but then tried to play one shot too many against the turning ball.
India 112/3 after 44 overs: Hazlewood starting to mix in a few short deliveries now. Rahane pulled one away for four and Vihari got a top edge off another one.
India 102/3 after 42 overs: This is going to be a tense, absorbing session. A lead will be crucial for India and for that they need Rahane and Vihari to stay together for as long as possible.
India 100/3 after 41 overs: Lyon getting some big turn there. He is getting it to turn square. Maybe it is the right decision to go with him from one end. Gives a chance to the pacers to rest too.
India 93/3 after 39 overs: Lyon takes the ball from the other end. Given that it is overcast, the decision comes as a bit of a surprise. A pacer might have made more of the conditions.
India 90/3 after 38 overs: Hazlewood starts off the new session with a maiden over. It is overcast in Melbourne and he was getting a fair bit of movement.
Here’s how the batting and bowling scorecards look like ahead of the second session:
India first innings
| Runs | Balls | 4s | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayank Agarwal | lbw Mitchell Starc | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Shubman Gill | c Tim Paine b Pat Cummins | 45 | 65 | 8 |
| Cheteshwar Pujara | c Tim Paine b Pat Cummins | 17 | 70 | 1 |
| Ajinkya Rahane* | 10 | 42 | 1 | |
| Hanuma Vihari* | 13 | 40 | 1 |
India first innings
| Bowlers | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Maidens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | 9 | 23 | 1 | 2.55 | 3 |
| Pat Cummins | 12 | 26 | 2 | 2.16 | 5 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 8 | 18 | 0 | 2.25 | 2 |
| Nathan Lyon | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2.33 | 1 |
| Cameron Green | 5 | 12 | 0 | 2.40 | 1 |
07.25 am: You can watch the Tim Paine catch here. If you are just waking up, it was a morning of some sensational bowling by Pat Cummins. India actually did well to lose just two wickets.
Session break:
Watch: A sensational delivery by Cummins, an equally good catch by Paine accounts for Pujara at MCG
India 90/3 after 37 overs: And that is lunch. India have done well not to lose more wickets but they would have liked a few more runs. 26 overs, 54 runs, 2 wickets, RR 2.08
India 87/3 after 35 overs: At long last, Lyon comes into the attack. He only got one over yesterday. Surprising to see that Australia haven’t used him more given the success Ashwin had. Another maiden over.
India 87/3 after 34 overs: And edged four took Rahane to 8 off 34. He hasn’t looked to be positive at all after coming in. Making sure Indian fans aren’t missing Pujara.
India 83/3 after 33 overs: India looking to take this to the end of the session now – just around 14 mins left.
India 82/3 after 32 overs: Starc is getting swing but he hasn’t got the line right yet. The ball invariably ends up on the leg-stump or just outside. Rahane and Vihari continuing to play cautiously.
India 80/3 after 31 overs: Green replaced in the attack by Hazlewood. The young allrounder didn’t do too much damage to Australia’s chances but he wasn’t having a great impact either. The batsmen could breathe a little easier.
India 77/3 after 29 overs: Green continues but he still hasn’t really found his line or length. Vihari got a four in the last over as Green strayed onto the pads.
India 70/3 after 28 overs: Starc is finally into the attack and he starts off with a maiden over. That brings Cummins’ 8-over spell to an end.
Pat Cummins
Last evening: 4-1-14-0
This morning: 8-4-12-2
Stunning spell, good pace and what stamina. India were playing and missing but Cummins kept at it and finally got the reward he deserved.
India 70/3 after 27 overs: Green continues but it is odd to see him bowl when Starc hasn’t bowled a single over today.
India 67/3 after 26 overs: A few quiet overs as India try to ensure there is no collapse here. But a few edges falling short of the slips again too. Very odd to see so many edges drop short in Australia. Is it because of the drop-in pitches?
India 64/3 after 23.4 overs: WICKET! Cummins strikes again. Excellent catch by Paine, one-handed to his right. Pujara gone after making 17 off 70. What a spell by the Aussie pace bowler though – his seventh over on the trot, high pace and superb accuracy. Just reward for him. Pujara c Paine b Cummins 17(70)
India 61/2 after 22 overs: WICKET! This time Cummins gets his reward for a fine, fine spell. Gill edges that through to the keeper. The young opener was dropped twice in his innings (on 4 and 28) but he wasn’t third time lucky too. Shubman Gill c Paine b Cummins 45(65)
India 57/1 after 19 overs: Gill edged one through the vacant fourth slip area for a four but those were the only runs in the over. The young opener seems to be playing a little away from the body now. Needs to survive this spell.
India 53/1 after 18 overs: Another maiden over for Cummins. He is bringing some serious pace to the middle – all the deliveries were above 144 km/h.
India 53/1 after 17 overs: The bowling remains on point but India have had luck on their side. The batsmen need to make the most of it – survive now and put your team in a strong position.
India 52/1 after 16 overs: A few plays and misses for Pujara in the Cummins over but he is still there and that is all that matters for now.
India 50/1 after 15 overs: India have their first fifty-run partnership of the innings: Gill and Pujara have put on 50 off 84 balls. But it has not been easy today. It has been anything but. Important for India to get through this first hour without losing too many wickets.
India 40/1 after 14 overs: Another maiden over from Cummins. A tough start to the day for India.
India 40/1 after 13 overs: Big inside edge from Gill, on 28, off Hazlewood but Paine fails to hold on. Second life for the batsman, who was dropped on 4 earlier. The next ball after being dropped Gill got a four. India have their first runs off the day.
India 36/1 after 12 overs: A review to start the day but Pujara survived. Paine thought the batsman had nicked it through to him but the review showed he hadn’t. Cummins was on the mark to begin the day – the day begins with a maiden over.
Gill and Pujara are back on the field. It looks a bit overcast. Here we go!
04.55 am: Shubman Gill did so well last night to get through a few tough overs and India will hope he does the same during the first session of Day 2.
04.44 am: It drizzled a bit at Melbourne today morning and the pitch was under covers for a bit. It has cleared up now but it might have trapped some moisture and that might make for a very interesting first hour of play.
Hello, good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the second day of the second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. It promises to be another eventful day in the series that has not been short on action so far.
The score might read a number that makes Indian fans uncomfortable these days but at 36/1, it is the visitors who hold the advantage. Not for the first time in this series, India have enjoyed a good day. Australia were dismissed for 195 in their first innings of the second Test Saturday by an Indian team desperate to restore pride after losing the opening clash between the teams in Adelaide.
Jasprit Bumrah, Ravi Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj were all in the wickets as the hosts folded inside the first day after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Marnus Labuschagne top-scored with 48 on a pitch offering the bowlers both bounce and spin. Bumrah was the pick of the attack with 4/56.
Australia won the first Test in Adelaide by eight wickets.