India Vs Australia 2nd Test: Nathan Lyon claims career-best 8/50 as visitors dominate Day 1

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Bengaluru, March 4: Nathan Lyon returned with career best figures of 8/50 as India were bundled out for paltry 189 in the first innings on the opening day of the second Test match against Australia here on Saturday (March 4).

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In response, the visitors reached 40 without any loss in 16 overs when the umpires dislodged the bails to call off the day's play. David Warner (23*) and Matt Renshaw (15*) will resume Australian innings on Sunday (March 5).

Barring KL Rahul (90) no other Indian batsman managed to offer any resistance to the off-spinner, Lyon, as hosts were reduced in 71.2 overs at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Resuming the tea session at 168/5, India lost the remaining five wickets in a span of just 21 runs on a wicket that had good bounce for the batsmen.

This is India's another batting collapse after shambolic batting performance in Pune. Six Indian batsmen failed to even reach the double figure mark as visitors never let the game slip off their hands.

Rahul lone positive in India's batting:

Rahul's calm and composed 90-run-inning was the only bright-spot for the hosts as they kept losing wickets from the other side at regular intervals. Almost every batsman returned in a hurry.

Rahul's local team mate Karun Nair was the second highest scorer for India with 26. Australia spinner Steve O'Keefe and pacer Mitchell Starc got one wicket apiece as hosts rattled the Indian batting order.

Lyon completes eight-for:

Lyon removed Ravichandran Ashwin at an individual score of 7 and later removed Wriddhiman Saha for 1 to complete his fifer. Lyon's (8/50) is the best bowling performance by a bowler at this venue.

He also surpassed Brett Lee's record 53 Test wickets to become highest wicket-taker against India.

Rahane, Nair get stumped:

Ajinkya Rahane's poor form against spinners continued as the right-handed batsman was stumped by Matthew Wade off Nathan Lyon. He was dismissed for 17.

Local boy Karun Nair (26) became Wade's second victim from behind the stumps, this time against Steve O'Keefe. Nair too paid the price for failing to read the spin and going too far away from the crease. He was the fifth Indian wicket to fell at 156.

Kohli departs for 12:

India suffered their third and biggest blow in skipper Kohli, who was dismissed LBW by Nathan Lyon at an individual score of 12. It was another error of judgement from Kohli, who tried leaving an offbreak delivery headed straight for the stumps, and paid the price of leaving it. (Kohli criticised for 'leaving the ball')

Kohli,thus, put his side in a spot of bother as hosts lost three wickets with out even touching three-figure-mark. Kohli also took the help of the DRS, but to no avail.

Pujara falls at the cusp of lunch:

It was a brilliant first session of cricket as both the teams played sensibly, but the visitors dominated most of the session as they got two wickets and kept things tight for the Indians. India lost the crucial wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara (17) at the brink of lunch to lose the edge. Pujara was caught at forward short-leg by Peter Handscomb off Nathan Lyon as the 53-run partnership between him and KL Rahul came to an end.

Mukund fails to impress on his comeback Test:

56 Tests were missed by Mukund between his last appearance, in 2011, and this comeback match. Only Parthiv missed more for India (83). He was dismissed for duck by Mitchell Starc.

Opening remains a concern for India:

Opening still remains a concern for India as nine different pairs have opened for Virat Kohli & Co. in Tests since 2015 - the second-most after England (10).

A couple of changes for India:

Earlier, in an early cheer for the Indian fans, India skipper Kohli won the toss and decided to bat. Kohli had no second thoughts after winning the toss and immediately said he's going to bat first on a typical Bengaluru pitch.

The hosts have made a couple of changes in their playing XI. Tamil Nadu batsman Abhinav Mukund has replaced injured Murali Vijay while triple centurion Karun Nair has been included in the team in place of all-rounder Jayant Yadav.

However, skipper Kohli once again showed his confidence in pacer Ishant Sharma, who has managed to retain his spot in the playing XI.

This is Kohli's 25th Test as captain and he is yet to play with the same playing XI in two consecutive matches.

Australia are playing with the same team at M Chinnaswamy Stadium that played against India in Pune, last week.

Stung by the humiliating defeat in the series-opener, Kohli will face the toughest battle of his fledgling captaincy career against a resurgent Australia in Bengaluru.

It's not often that an Indian cricket team goes into a home Test match trailing 0-1 and that's exactly what makes the contest at the 'Garden City' even more enticing.

Kohli and Co. are like cornered tigers after being hammered in their 333-run defeat against the Australians on a rank turner where unheralded Steve O'Keefe went home with figures of 12 for 70.

Playing XI:

India: Virat Kohli (Captain), KL Rahul, Abhinav Mukund, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.

Australia: Steve Smith (Captain), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Steve O'Keefe, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

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