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Australia v India, Boxing Day Test Day 2 live coverage from the MCG

Ajinkya Rahane scores a Virat Kohli-like century to seize the advantage for India on Day 2 of the Second Test against Australia at the MCG.

Peter Lalor and Daniel Sankey
10 min read
10:13AMDecember 27, 2020.
Updated 8:14PMDecember 27, 2020
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Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane his behind on his way to a half century on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG. Picture: Getty Images
Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane his behind on his way to a half century on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG. Picture: Getty Images

Welcome to live coverage of Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India at the MCG.

Daniel Sankey 6.01pm: Head drops a sitter

This was not the end to the day’s play that Australia was looking for.

A ripping Mitchell Starc bouncer caught smashed the handle and glove of Ajinkya Rahane and spooned to Travis Head at point — but after taking the ball in two hands, he somehow spilled it as he hit the ground.

And with that, rain stops play with India on 5/277, leading by 82 runs with Rahane 104 not out (200 deliveries) and Ravi Jadeja 40 not out (104 deliveries).

Daniel Sankey 5.35pm: Rahane notches his century

There were plenty of doubters about India’s prospects when captain Virat Kohli returned home for the birth of his first child — but there should never have been any doubts about the quality of his replacement.

Stand-captain Ajinkya Rahane continues to defy the home team, bringing up his century with a slashing cut to the backward point boundary off the bowling of the tireless Pat Cummins.

With Rahane 100 not out from 195 deliveries and all-rounder Ravi Jadeja (36 not out from 86 deliveries) doing a tremendous job at the other end, India is now right on top on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test. They lead by 73 runs in the 88th over of their first innings, with Rahane and Jadeja sharing in a crucial partnership of 95 runs so far.

Steve Smith will rue his missed chance when Rahane was on 74 — a sharp chance that he got two hands to, but couldn’t grasp.

Daniel Sankey 5.10pm: Can Warner answer call for Sydney Test?

If there’s one person who can make a difference to Australia’s batting woes, it’s star opening batsman Dave Warner — and he’s doing everything he possibly can to prove his fitness for the Third Test.

Earlier today, Fox Sports reporter Tom Morris tweeted vision of a Warner net session as he faced up to Jhye Richardson.

In addition to facing the best the young paceman could throw at him, Warner was also running between the wickets during the session.

Morris reported that Warner was “moving relatively freely” during the session — and that will be music to the ears of Australian selectors, with both Joe Burns and Matthew Wade struggling for runs.

Daniel Sankey 5pm: Chance dropped with second new ball

Australian captain Tim Paine takes the new ball at the first available opportunity and Mitchell Starc very nearly has a wicket with his third ball of the 81st over.

The normally-reliable Steve Smith got two hands to a sharp chance from Ajinkya Rahane at second slip but he couldn’t hold it.

After 81 overs, India are 5-236, leading by 41 runs with Rahane74 not out and Ravi Jadeja 30 not out.

Daniel Sankey 4.23pm: India turns screws on hosts

It’s a little bit of history for India at the MCG, with their innings today the fourth successive occasion in which they’ve taken a first innings lead over Australia in Tests.

After 72 overs, India are 5-214, with Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten on 70 (146 deliveries) and Ravi Jadeja (12 not out, 41 deliveries) providing able support.

Daniel Sankey 3.45pm: India looking to build big lead

Play is back underway after the tea break at the MCG despite a short delay due to light rain.

Even though the lights are on, it remains very gloomy not just overhead, but in terms of Australia’s prospects of victory.

With 16 overs remaining before the new ball can be taken, India are 5/192 ... just three runs behind Australia’s first innings total. Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane (53 not out from 121 deliveries) is well and truly set, while Ravi Jadeja (7 not out from 20 deliveries) is a more than able no.7.

Peter Lalor 3.12pm: TEA — India 5/189

Stand in captain Ajinkya Rahane’s half century has India in the ascendancy and moving toward clean air at 5/189, trailing the Aussies by just 6 runs with five wickets in hand.

The weather, however, is turning — rain is about.

It got quite dark before the MCG and you could see rain passing close to the ground.

Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane celebrates his half century. Picture: Getty Images
Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane celebrates his half century. Picture: Getty Images

It hit the ground with three balls to go in the final over before the break. Players and spectators dashed for cover.

Australia, precise and ruthless in Adelaide have looked mortal at the MCG, the Indians have shown more intent.

Rahane (53no) and Rishabh Pant put on an enterprising 50 run partnership in the second session and did it in sharp time (73 balls).

Australia’s captain Tim Paine passed a milestone when he gloved Pant from the bowling of Starc.

The wicketkeeper ‘s 150th dismissal drives home just how neat he is behind the stumps.

Paine got there in 33 Tests, and stats provided by Fox Cricket show he is in front of Adam Gilchrist (36), Rod Marsh (39), Brad Haddin (40), Wally Grout (41) and Ian Healy (47) in terms of matches needed to reach the milestone.

Daniel Sankey 2.49pm: Starc dismisses gamebreaker Pant

Mitchell Starc has claimed his 250th Test wicket — and it’s an important one for the Aussies, as Rishabh Pant was looking extremely dangerous after racing to 29 from just 40 deliveries.

The Indian wicketkeeper attempted to slash one through the off side but was beaten for pace and got an outside edge that gave Tim Paine a simple catch — the 150th Test dismissal for the Australian wicketkeeper.

India are 5/173 in the 60th over, with Ravi Jadeja the new batsman and Ajinkya Rahane (49 not out) closing in on a well-deserved half century.

Daniel Sankey 1.43pm: Lyon gets crucial breakthrough

The extra bounce of the MCG pitch has worked in Nathan Lyon’s favour as he caught the glove of an attempted sweep from Hanuna Vihari (21). The ball lobbed to Steve Smith for a simple catch and Australia have the breakthrough they desperately needed.

India are 4/116 in the 45th over, with Ajinkya Rahane (21 not out) joined in the middle by excitement machine Rishabh Pant.

Daniel Sankey 1.31pm: India creep steadily closer

Ajinkya Rahane (15 not out) and Hanuma Vihari (16 not out) have taken India to 3-012 in the first 20 minutes after the lunch break … but there were some encouraging signs for Australian spinner Nathan Lyon, who’s gotten the odd ball to turn sharply on the Day 2 pitch at the MCG.

With two left-handers the next batsmen to come to the crease, Australian captain Tim Paine will be desperate to for a breakthrough to give his star off-spinner the chance to turn the ball away from his opponents.

Peter Lalor 12.31pm: LUNCH — India 3-90

India will take this — two wickets given in the first session but the air gone out of the ball and plenty of batting to come as the total builds.

Shubman Gill’s guardian angel watched over him all the way to 45, balls have squirted wide of or short of the slips and luck which was not with them in Adelaide appears to be here.

You make your own luck and this side has shown courage and character after falling in a screaming heap there.

Captain Ajinkya Rahane (10 not out) is at the wicket with Hanuma Vihari (13 not out) and they don’t seem too troubled.

Rishabh Pant and Ravi Jadeja are next in and both will relish a situation with an older ball and a growing total.

Australia may have a battle on their hands, but they were in trouble on the morning of the third day in Adelaide.

Peter Lalor 11.40am: Paine proves his worth with brilliant catch

Tim Paine just proved the value of having a first rate wicketkeeper by hanging on to a brilliant catch to remove Cheteshwar Pujara and help improve Australia’s mood after an alarming first hour’s cricket.

The Tasmanian prides himself on his craft and practices for just that moment constantly. The ball from Pat Cummins went from the edge and would have fallen well short of first slip but Paine photo-bombed the moment to hold a screamer.

Tim Paine takes a brilliant catch to dismiss Cheteshwar Pujara. Picture: Getty Images
Tim Paine takes a brilliant catch to dismiss Cheteshwar Pujara. Picture: Getty Images

True, he had earlier spilt a difficult inside edge to his left but lesser glovemen would not even have gotten a glove to it.

The Australians looked ragged and the Indians protected this morning. Shubman Gill, dropped by Marnus Labuschagne last night, was reprieved by Paine in the aforementioned.

Cummins, however, got the Indian courtesy of an ambitions and injudicious stroke on 45.

Pujara’s dismissal should give Australia a little bit more rhythm.

Daniel Sankey 11.30am: Cummins strikes again for Australia

It’s a second wicket in two overs for Australian quick Pat Cummins, with wicketkeeper Tim Paine taking an excellent diving, one-handed catch after the ball caught the outside edge of Cheteshwar Pujara (17 from 70 deliveries).

Bowling his seventh over the day, Cummins got one to seam away from the Indian no.3, who looked on in despair as Paine grasped the catch in front of first slip Matthew Wade.

“It feels pretty nice out here at the moment, it feels like the ball is starting to swing a little bit,” Cummins said on Fox Cricket during a drinks break interview.

“Cool conditions, little bit of wind behind me, happy days.”

India are now 3-64, with Hanua Vihari joining Ajinkya Rahane, who’s yet to score, out in the middle.

Daniel Sankey 11.20am: Cummins gets the breakthrough

Finally, some luck goes the way of Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, who’s been steaming in all morning for little reward.

This time, he suckered Shubman Gill into a drive outside off stump and caught the edge, with Tim Paine taking the simplest of catches. Gill goes for a well-made 45 from 65 deliveries and Cummins now has the figures of 1/22 from 10 overs.

The acting Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane is the new man at the crease, joining Cheteshwar Pujara with the tourists on 2-61 after 22 overs, still trailing Australia’s first innings total by 134 runs.

11.05am: Australian bowlers a touch too straight?

Daniel Sankey 10.35am: Paine reviews caught behind on first ball of day

Drama on the first ball of the morning, with Australian captain Tim Paine reviewing an unsuccessful appeal for caught behind off the bowling of Pat Cummins.

Paine immediately celebrated when Cheteshwar Pujara (7 not out) played and missed a ball outside off stump. Hot spot didn’t show a mark on the outside edge of Pujara’s bat, and while there appeared to be a slight spike on snicko as the ball passed the outside edge, there also appeared to be contact to the pad from the inside edge of the bat.

The not out decision was upheld and Pujara survived, with Cummins bowling a maiden to start the morning. India are 1-36.

Peter Lalor 10am: India look to continue unlikely revival

The Test match is there to be won or lost today.

You can’t judge a wicket until both sides bat on it, but you can judge a team’s core strength by their response to adversity and India made a statement with its bowling, strategy and intent on day one at the MCG.

People wondered how they’d be without Mohammed Shami but a nation that struggled to produce quicks now has a stable of colts ready to go.

India Shubman Gill goes on the attack late on day one at the MCG. Picture: AFP
India Shubman Gill goes on the attack late on day one at the MCG. Picture: AFP

Bowling coach Bharat Arun is the quick whisperer and has nurtured young bowlers like Mohammed Siraj who was so impressive on debut.

He’s got more in the shed.

Cricviz stats revealed that in Adelaide 48 per cent of Australia’s bowling was on the right line and length in India’s collapse, India had 48 per cent in the right place yesterday.

India, however, have to bat today.

Shubman Gill is in and shouldn’t be. The 21-year-old who is also making his debut in this Test match was dropped by Marnus Labuschagne in slips early off the bowling of Pat Cummins.

He batted with intent and flew to 28no at stumps. Watch his front foot pull shot, some say it’s reminiscent of Ricky Ponting.

A series that looked dead after day 3 in Adelaide is alive again.

Peter Lalor 9am: Cricket fans, be careful what you wish for

For years Australian teams, fans and commentators have begged for wickets with a bit more life and now that they’ve got them, the consequence appears to be that batsmen aren’t up to the challenge and Test matches may be severely truncated.

The match in Adelaide was over half way through the third day thanks to a lively track, the match in Melbourne looks to be going the same way.

Australia was knocked over for 195 after winning the toss in brilliant sunshine. India responded with an aggressive 1-36 from 11 testing overs before stumps.

MCG curator Matt Page has produced a pitch that, like many in this city, has let its hair grow in lockdown.

The grass is longer than its ever been, longer than in Adelaide and the local batsman found the radical change of conditions too much to handle.

It made for a great spectacle but it may not make for a long one.

Read Peter Lalor’s full Day 1 analysis of here.

Gideon Haigh 8.45am: Smith’s mojo still missing in action

What goes up must come down. Few forces are so powerful in cricket statistics as reversion to the mean. Which even the world’s top ranked Test batsman is now feeling the effects of.

From 2013 to 2019, Steve Smith’s Test record developed into a kind of Uluru of cricket: amazing from every angle, impossible to stop staring at. During his comeback series in last year’s Ashes, his average bulged to more than 65. When would its upward trajectory cease, we wondered? In fact, it already had.

This happens. Having passed through three-figures the first time, even Bradman’s average fluctuated, rising as high as 112, falling as low as 89.5, before settling at 99.94.

With a rather tremulous eight-ball duck at the MCG on Saturday, Smith’s career average now sits at 62.31. Tellingly, his post-Ashes Test average is just 28 and his strike rate in that time of 34, too, compares to a career 55. In that period he has not added to his twenty-six Test hundreds; he has hit one six.

Read Gideon Haigh’s full analysis here.

Ben Horne 8.30am: Hopes alive for SCG Test, with crowds

NSW officials are holding out hope of 50 per cent crowds at the SCG should the Sydney Test be sensationally saved.

Cricket and government powerbrokers are fighting tooth and nail to hold onto the city’s iconic New Year’s Test with the belief that tens of thousands of fans will still be allowed to attend despite the current COVID outbreak on the Northern Beaches.

It comes as MCG officials talked bullishly about being able to increase its 30,000 limit for the Boxing Day Test should Melbourne take custody of Sydney’s third Test starting on January 7.

NSW Health has recorded daily live case numbers of 8, 8, 9, 7, 9 since last Tuesday, and the flat lining of numbers isn’t necessarily helping to expedite the process of making a call on whether the SCG can hold onto its Test, with Cricket Australia putting down a deadline of Wednesday for a final decision.

Read the full story here.

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