Perth, December 14: India will be eager to maintain their grip over Australia when the second Test begins at the Optus Stadium, Perth, here on Friday (December 14). India are leading the series 1-0 after their 31-run victory in the first Test at Adelaide. But batting first, Australia negated a tricky pitch to end Day 1 at 277/6.
Ahead of this India vs Australia Test, skipper Virat Kohli underlined the faith he has in his pace bowling unit saying the team gets more excited than nervous while seeing a green track. Kohli went into the details of his words and said the presence of a top pace bowling unit adds to the confidence of batsmen as well. So, here's MyKhel update of the first day's proceedings.
STUMPS -- Day 1 -- Australia are 277/6. Paine and Cummins are at crease.
Travis Head gives away his wicket, a loose lofted shot off Ishant and Shami was lurking in the shadows to take that easy catch. Aus are 251/6
New Ball has taken with Australia at 250/5. Nine overs remaining for the day.
50 up for Head, his second in as many Tests.
WICKET 5: Shaun Marsh went for a cut off Hanuma Vihari but only thick edged to Rahane at slips. Bonus wicket. Marsh departs for 45 and Australia are 232/5
2 fours by Marsh off M Vijay as spinners operate from both ends before taking new ball -- 3 overs away now.
200 comes for Australia in 69 overs.
DROPPED! Pant drops Shaun Marsh off Vihari on 24.
This is a good battle for day's supremacy -- India have taken 4 wickets and pacers seemed to have found the right Perth length.
Wicket NO 4: Kohli takes a fine reflex catch at second slip off Ishant to dismiss Handscomb, who looked to slash the widish delivery over slip cordon
Play resumes at Perth. Final session of the day
TEA: Australia are 145/3 -- India came back well in that session taking three wickets.
That leaping ball by Vihari to oust Harris! Lyon will be licking his lips in anticipation
WICKET NO 3: Would you believe, Hanuma Vihari's part time off spin does that. He made a ball climb on Harris whose effort to prod it away resulted in a catch to Rahane at lone slip. A wicket out of nowhere! Aus are 134/3
WICKET NO 2: Khwaja c Pant b Umesh 5 and Australia are 130/2 -- Yadav got the benefit of all that pressure applied by Bumrah
KL Rahul at 2nd slip got his hand to an uppish cut by Harris off Shami but he failed to hang on. Tough chance and Harris is 65 and Australia are 127/1
Bumrah is seriously quick here in this spell often touching 145 kmph and giving a torrid time to Usman Khawaja
Crucial session here. Bumrah looked charged up after that wicket and the run rate has dropped down to 2.8 from above 3.
Bumrah gets India's first breakthrough, traps Finch leg before for 50 and Australia are 112/1
Now Aaron Finch brings up his 50 with a single off offie Hanuma Vihari and before that he had smashed two successive fours
100 up for Australia in 33.3 overs. Finch 41 and Harris 55 are at crease.
Maiden Test fifty for Marcus Harris, came through a quickly taken single off Shami. Well done!
Now a ball from Shami keeps ankle-low to Harris, who essayed two delightful on-the-knees drive for 4s - batting might just get difficult as the days go on
Finch who looked out of sorts in the first Test, appears a lot of more confident leaving the ball outside the off stump. Perhaps, that session with Ricky Ponting worked good for him
First ball after lunch and Finch drove it for three runs.
LUNCH: 66/0 in 26 overs, excellent session for Aussies. Indian bowlers were listless about length.
Former Aus captain Clarke was talking about the necessity to pitch it up on Perth pitch and Indian bowlers have been way short so far as per the TV stats -- 54% short
50 partnership between Harris and Finch. And in good time too -- 14.5 overs
That's the first over where a bowler came to the picture -- Shami had two lbw shouts against Finch and one went upstairs for DRS but was turned down.
The fiery pitch is so conspicous by its absence as India has struggled to make an impact here