After a dominating performance on ‘Day 1’, team India have further tightened the noose around Australia’s neck at Stumps on ‘Day 2’ as well, during the ongoing first Test match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur.
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After a sedate start provided by the overnight pair of Ravichandran Ashwin (23) and skipper Rohit Sharma during the morning session, team India lost three wickets in quick succession post Lunch, with the Aussie spin bowling debutant Todd Murphy (36-9-82-5) doing majority damage.
However, the skipper made sure to stand tall at one end, and went on to smash his ninth Test century (120 off 212) of the highest order and taking the team total past Australia’s 177 in the first innings.
With the lead still being a slender one, and Sharma back in the hut as well, team India looked like in a spot of bother considering the fact that they are the ones to bat last in the Test with the pitch likely to deteriorate further.
However, the allrounder pair of Ravindra Jadeja (66*) and Axar Patel (52*) then joined hands, and after a patient start to their respective innings, took advantage of a tiring Aussie bowling attack to stitch together an unbeaten stand of 81* (185) for the eighth wicket. At Stumps on ‘Day 2’, India were standing strong with a first innings lead of 144 runs.
Rohit Sharma refers Steve Smith as ‘Pagal’ during the 77th Over
During the 77th Over of the Indian innings, a funny description for Australian batter Steven Smith was caught by the stump microphone, uttered hilariously by Rohit with Jadeja at the other end.
During the second ball of the Over being bowled by Marnus Labuschagne, Rohit was heard exclaiming – “Ye pagal hai thoda” (He’s a bit mad/freak) to Jadeja at the other end, who was keen on getting back on the strike with a couple.
The ball had been played towards the third man region by Jadeja, and Smith quickly scampered through to catch hold of it, thereby preventing a couple.
In a bid to perhaps reason out why he wasn’t keen on going for the second run, Rohit might have suggested Jadeja to beware of him (Smith), as he is bit of a freak!
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