Australia v India: Australia in control at stumps on day two, as India battle to survive

Well, what an action-packed day that was. Runs, wickets and drama - there is no such thing as a slow Test any more.

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In control: Mitchell Starc and his Australian teammates.Credit: Getty Images

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Australia are in control of this second Test, leading by 29 runs with India five wickets down, but with the dynamic and unpredictable Risbah Pant still at the crease, the tourists still have a good chance of forging a lead.

Travis Head is the day two hero, his crunching century turning this contest, before fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland went to work.

Pat Cummins reintroduced himself into the attack, and was soon rewarded when he knocked over captaincy counterpart Rohit Sharma (six off 15 deliveries) with what Brett Lee described as a “peach of a delivery”.

Rohit barely had time to push forward before a fullish delivery from Cummins speared past his defensive blade and dismantled the stumps.

Out of sorts: Rohit Sharma is out of form.Credit: Getty Images

“Every move he makes, he has an ace in his hand,” Adam Gilchrist said of Cummins on Fox Cricket.

“To produce that in your first over back in a spell is all class.”

Added Brett Lee: “What an absolute peach of a delivery.”

Rohit made only three in the first innings, and is a man well down on form with the bat. He has much work to do ahead of next week’s third Test in Brisbane.

India are 5-106, still trailing by 51 runs.

Mitchell Starc’s lbw appeal against Rohit Sharma, before he had scored, was granted, but replays showed Starc had overstepped the popping crease. Further replays showed the decision would have been overturned anyway as the ball had hit the bat first. Rohit is now off the mark after a clip to fine leg for two.

Mitchell Starc tore through the defences of Shubman Gill.Credit: AP

Shubman Gill (28 off 30 deliveries) is the latest Indian batsman to fall, a major gap between bat and pad exposed by a searing inswinger from Mitchell Starc. The tourists are 4-86, still trailing by 71 runs.

Indian great Ravi Shastri, on Fox Cricket, described the movement as “banana swing”, such was the arc of Starc’s bullet.

Have Australia missed a trick here by not having a third slip?

Gill pushes at a full-length delivery from Starc and gets an outside edge which is almost spectacularly taken by Steve Smith, diving to right at second slip. The ball brushed Smith’s fingertips.

Short stay: Virat Kohli.Credit: AP

However, had their been a third slip, Gill almost certainly would have been out. Considering India’s predicament as we speak, a third slip would almost appear mandatory.

Meanwhile, Pant continues to play audacious strokes, including a reverse slip over the slips cordon off a short ball from Scott Boland. Wow.

It’s been a disappointing match for Kohli, dismissed for seven and 11, the Australians successful twice with their “fourth stump” game plan.

Scott Boland has continued his habit of picking up big-name wickets on Australian soil.Credit: AP

As we mentioned earlier, the Australians maintained a disciplined line just outside off stump to Virat Kohli, and the plan worked a treat when the batting master prod forward to Scott Boland and tickled an edge through to Alex Carey, ending his innings of 11 off 21 deliveries.

India are now in all sorts of bother at 3-66, still trailing by 91.

Having a good night: Alex CareyCredit: Getty Images

Wow – the left-handed Rishant Pant charges Boland on his first ball and smacks the Victorian over mid-off for four.