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Boxing Day Test scores, highlights: Australia gift India day-two honours

Australia gifted a host of chances to key Indian batsmen on day two, leaving itself with a massive task to stay in the Boxing Day Test. 

Sam Landsberger
3 min read
December 27, 2020 - 7:36PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Australiaâs Mitchell Starc (2nd R) celebrates with teammates after dismissing Indiaâs Mayan Agarwal (not pictured) on the first day of the second cricket Test match between Australia and India played at the MCG in Melbourne on December 26, 2020. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --
Australiaâs Mitchell Starc (2nd R) celebrates with teammates after dismissing Indiaâs Mayan Agarwal (not pictured) on the first day of the second cricket Test match between Australia and India played at the MCG in Melbourne on December 26, 2020. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Australia's butter fingers have loosened its grip on the Border-Gavaskar series as fears grow the MCG pitch is flattening into another batsman’s paradise while Ajinkya Rahane is still at the crease.

Travis Head saved the worst of Australia's five dropped catches for the last ball of day two as his diving attempt to finally remove Rahane (104 not-out) popped out when his elbows touched the ground.

India put down chance after chance at Adelaide Oval only to drop two players for Boxing Day and then watch Australia drop five catches on day two.

Alarmingly for the Aussies, India is undefeated from 11 Tests in which  Rahane has scored a century.

Mitchell Starc celebrated his 250th Test wicket but walked off the MCG a frustrated man after Steve Smith and Head both put down Rahane off his bowling with the second new ball.

“Our last ball (Head's drop) pretty much sums up our day,” Starc said.

“We probably could’ve got (Rahane) out three or four or maybe five times before he got to 100.

“But he’s run his luck there and scored 100.”

Four of the five chances were put down behind the stumps as Matthew Wade’s ginger right knee forced the Aussies to reshuffle their cordon.

Wade replaced specialist first slip Joe Burns next to captain Tim Paine in the morning and another two nicks fell just short of the former wicket-keeper.

Rahane was on 73 when Smith’s disastrous series took another turn for the worse when he dropped the stand-in skipper at second slip, while opener Shubman Gill was given lives on seven (Marnus Labuschagne) and 31 (Paine).

Starc warned there were plenty of runs left in a match that India (5-277) already leads by 82 runs.

“Once the ball got a bit softer the wicket’s pretty placid,” Starc said.

Pat Cummins celebrates the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara after a brilliant catch by Tim Paine.
Pat Cummins celebrates the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara after a brilliant catch by Tim Paine.

“By the end of today there’s not too many demons in it anymore.

“I think that’s typical Melbourne. It flattens out and even with that extra bit of grass to what we’re normally used to here it’s become a pretty flat wicket.

“It’s important for us now when we get the chance to bat again to bat big and to bat us into the game again.”

India appeared little chance of squaring the series at 1-1 after Australia’s hour of bowling power skittled the tourists for 36 runs last week, their worst ever Test score.

But with captain Virat Kohli now watching on TV from Mumbai, Rahane’s new-look outfit has a shot at becoming the first touring team to win consecutive Boxing Day Tests since England in 1982 and 1986.

While India ground Australia into the dirt on a flat MCG pitch in 2018, it was in 2014 where Rahane made the ground.

The 32-year-old thumped 147 at the MCG six years ago and, after Smith granted him a life on 73, the humble and modest skipper put his foot down to crush the second new ball.

Batting in Kohli’s No.4 position, Rahane thumped two half-volleys from Patrick Cummins to the boundary as Australia lost control of a Test match it has never really looked comfortable in.

“For him to respond in this manner says a lot about him says a lot about his character and says a lot about how good a Test match player he is,” Ricky Ponting gushed on Channel 7.

India has previously won just seven Tests on Australian soil and securing No.8 without Kohli, Mohammed Shami (arm), Rohit Sharma (quarantine) and Ishant Sharma (adductor) would secure Rahane’s place in history.

A double-strike from Cummins rewarded his brilliant eight-over spell to begin the day, removing Gill and nemesis Cheteshwar Pujara before Rahane steadied.

Rahane and Ravi Jadeja (40 not-out) will resume at 5-277 on day three, with India already leading by 82 runs.

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Updates

Nathan Lyon on Australia's fielding woes

Tim Michell

"Pretty frustrating day if I’m being honest. I think the bowlers hung in there pretty well all day … we created chances but it’s not like the Australian fielding team. We dropped way too many chances," Lyon told ABC.

Stumps?

Tim Michell

And as if to rub salt into the wounds after that dropped catch, the covers are back on due to rain.

Play was due to finish in 13 minutes and stumps have been called.

More than 23,000 socially-distanced fans turned out to the MCG today.

Let's hope for better weather tomorrow.

Today was owned by Ajinkya Rahane who deserves all the plaudits after a brilliant hundred.

This Test could be decided in the first session tomorrow.

Thanks for following our blog and I'll be back tomorrow about 10am to do it all again!

Make that five dropped catches!

Tim Michell

Ajinkya Rahane is gifted another life, this time by Travis Head.

Mitch Starc nails a pinpoint bouncer which catches the edge and balloons to Head, who sprints in from point only to drop the ball as he dives to the ground.

Rahane has now been dropped on 73 and 104.

That was a sitter.

Rahane celebrates captain's ton

Tim Michell

What an innings and what a moment for Ajinkya Rahane.

His team desperately needed him after being routed for 36 in Adelaide and losing Virat Kohli, who has returned to India – and boy has he delivered.

The stand-in skipper has gone to triple figures with a cut shot off Pat Cummins.

"It's been right out of the top drawer…a captain's knock," former Test opener Chris Rogers said on SEN.

He was dropped by Steve Smith on 73 but hasn't given much away otherwise, reaching his second ton against Australia and second at the MCG.

He made 147 against the Aussies in 2014 in Melbourne.

"To play an innings of this class is just unbelievable," Rogers added.

"I'm sure he's had some highlights throughout his career but I would dare say he'd put this in the top two or three."

Tim Michell

The partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Jadeja is out to 85.

Jadeja has added some extra mettle to India's batting at No.7 after missing the first Test.

Ravi Ashwin, who also has a Test ton, is slated to come in at No.8.

"The Aussies have just got to get a bit of control back," former Australian all-rounder Simon O'Donnell says on SEN.

DROPPED! A life for Rahane

Tim Michell

That could be a huge moment in the Test!

Three deliveries into the new ball, Rahane flashes at a full, wide ball from Starc which flies quickly to Steve Smith.

It was a good catching height but burst straight through his hands.

The Indian skipper soldiers on with 74 not out.

Australia has taken the new ball

Tim Michell

Sensing Australia is under the pump, the MCG crowd has cheered the arrival of the new ball…

Cringeworthy crowd moments – it's good to be back!

Robert Craddock on Rahane's innings

Tim Michell

Crash is loving the patience and determination of India's stand-in captain: "Lovely innings by Ajinkya Rahane. So cool and measured. He seems to relax every batsman he shares a partnership with.

"When he gets beaten he just scratches the crease and on he goes. Great temperament.

"His calmness helped India's bowlers on day one. New ball arrives next over.

"Huge hour. Australia would not want to be 70-plus behind."


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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/boxing-day-test-follow-all-the-live-scores-from-australia-v-india/live-coverage/eabb65632b88f5c982ee48d7113ae674