The stage was set for Day 2 of the Dharamshala test to be the defining day of the Border-Gavaskar trophy, but with the amount of momentum shifts we have had in this amazing 4 match series, we should have known better.
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India started off the day fighting against some brilliant new ball bowling by Cummins and Hazlewood and lost only Vijay in the first session. Runs were hard to come by but it felt like the Indian top order was laying a solid foundation for the middle order to cash in during better batting conditions.
But the runs refused to flow, pressure piled up but still it looked as if everything was going according to plan for India. True surface, ball coming onto the bat and not much spin for the bowlers meant that India could run away with the game, especially with 8 wickets in hand. But the post tea session changed it all, and no matter how much you thought that Day 2 would be the defining day, it just silently passed the baton to Day 3.
Nathan Lyon suddenly started to extract a lot of bounce and spin from the surface and the Indian batsmen couldn’t cope up with his trickery. Pujara and Nair both gloved one to short leg and Rahane fell for a straighter one. And then Ashwin did not judge the flight well and was adjudged leg before wicket. India lost 4 in the final session and the match now hangs in the balance, slightly tilting towards Australia, as India have to bat last.
This is how Twitter reacted to Lyon pegging back India once again:
Bounce is turning out to be Lyon's trumpcard in Dharamsala. Karun is the fourth wicket to fall, OUT for 5. India: 167/4 #IndvAus
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 26, 2017
Another absorbing day of Test cricket. Once again, Lyon showed the importance of putting the body behind the ball…extracted extra bounce!
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 26, 2017
The extra bounce extracted by Lyon (left) is illustrated by this comparison with Ashwin (right). #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/jtCy1ZvnkD
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) March 26, 2017
#IndvAus | 4th Test Day 2 | India are 248/6 at stumps, trail Australia by 52 runs. Yesterday it was Kuldeep's day today Lyon's.
— Meenakshi Joshi (@IMinakshiJoshi) March 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/sanjaymanjrekar/status/845955383181094912
https://twitter.com/AltCricket/status/845951545028022275
So pleased for @NathLyon421 and feel for @patcummins30 after some brilliant luckless bowling. Two of cricket's really good guys. #IndvAus
— Malcolm Conn (@malcolmconn) March 26, 2017
Nathan Lyon has taken 18 wickets in this series so far. 13 of those 18 wickets have come in Post-Tea session. #INDvAUS
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) March 26, 2017
Nathan Lyon draws level with Graham McKenzie's career tally of 246 wkts … equal 9th all-time for AUS … 2 behind Richie Benaud #INDvAUS
— Glenn Mitchell (@MitchellGlenn) March 26, 2017
Another top spell from Nathan Lyon. India have three spinners..all they need is the least possible deficit. Have to try & touch 300 #IndvAus
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) March 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/DennisCricket_/status/845947151620308992
Some legend in Perth cycled 200km just to draw a picture of Nathan Lyon…#INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/mjhKMGQenM
— TAB (@tabcomau) March 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/sharebossindia/status/841989898563280896