Australia were all over India in the first session of the second day of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 Test match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to stand a realistic chance of gaining a first innings lead.
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Resuming from their overnight score of 21/0 in nine overs, India scored 67/4 in 26 overs in the morning session today to still be 175 runs behind Australia’s first innings total of 263.
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon was the sole destroyer picking all the four wickets thus far. It took only six wicket-less overs at the start of the day for Australia captain Pat Cummins to make the first bowling change in the form of bringing Lyon in place of debutant spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.
Furthermore, it took only seven balls for Lyon to draw first blood in the form of dismissing India vice-captain KL Rahul (17). A dismissal similar to that of Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne off India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin from yesterday, it witnessed Rahul getting out for a <25 score for the ninth consecutive time in this format.
Much like his counterpart in Ashwin, Lyon also turned the tables on Saturday picking the all-important wickets of India captain Rohit Sharma (32) and batter Cheteshwar Pujara (0) in his second over of the day. While Sharma misjudged the length to play a fuller delivery on the back foot, Pujara was found wanting in front of the stumps after he chose to keep his bat behind the front pad.
Lyon, who bowled nine overs on the trot in his first spell of the day, also managed to send Shreyas Iyer (4) back on the pavilion after Peter Handscomb grabbed a fantastic catch at short leg.
Virat Kohli replaces Rohit Sharma on Day 2 at Arun Jaitley Stadium
With former captain Virat Kohli (14*) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (15*) set to resume proceedings in the afternoon session, India will be hoping for them to take them to build a solid partnership. Kohli, in particular, will have to end a lean patch in this format for that to happen.
Coming in to bat at No. 4 after Sharma’s dismissal, Kohli was welcomed at his home ground with loud chants of “Kohli Kohli” in spite of the hosts losing their captain.
Batting for India in Delhi after almost four years, Kohli’s bountiful fans in the national capital would be praying for him to play a monumental knock in his 14th innings here in international cricket. Speaking particularly about Test cricket, Kohli averages 80.16 at this stadium including a century and two half-centuries.
