Australia v India second Test live: Kohli, Rahane lift tourists
The Perth Stadium crowd have witnessed a magnificent day of Test cricket as Kohli and Rahane kept the tourists in the contest.
- The King and his deputy lift India
- Perth treated as India press on
- CA considers four-day Tests
- Starc makes early breakthrough
India finished day two 3-172 at Perth Stadium, after bowling Australia out for 326. See how it all unfolded below.
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Andrew Faulkner 8.55pm: The King and his deputy lift India
And so ends a magnificent day’s Test cricket, where the world’s best attack ran into the world’s best batsman (among those not suspended). There was nothing wrong with the Australian bowling today; Kohli’s just that good.
Rahane’s no slouch either and his counter-attack eased the pressure on his skipper. Kohli’s cover-driving will long be remembered by those in attendance today. One such stroke, off Cummins, was little more than a forward defensive shot — that went for four. Less obvious was his concentration and determination. He thrives on the big occasion and there’s nothing bigger than the prospect of going two-up in Australia. His running between the wickets was illustrative — he turned twos into threes and ran yet another hard three in the last over of the day.
After a watchful period, Rahane flowered again late in the day, punching Hazlewood for a straight four, then carving him for another over point. That he could do so was because he could trust the surface: the pitch has defied good judges to play better on the second day. At stumps the tourists are 3-172, with Kohli on 82 (181 balls, nine fours) and Rahane on 51 (103 balls, six fours and a six). India’s leaders have hauled them back into the Test … Australia’s lead is now only 154.
Andrew Faulkner 8.00pm: Perth treated as India press on
The final attendance is in — 19,042. They’ve been treated to a magnificent day’s cricket. Starc’s back into the attack, this time from the Langer End, as Paine strives to break this stand, which has just hit 50. Kohli’s been hit on the midriff and hands but has settled into a nice groove by taking singles to get off strike. After his early charge, Rahane’s tempered his game to go to 32 from 63. The skipper’s on 61, and at 3-132, the Australian lead is now under 200.
Andrew Faulkner 7.19pm: Rahane fires, Kohli reaches fifty
Rahane has come out hitting to race to 23 from 22 balls. Highlights of his short hand include hitting Starc over third man for six, and hooking the same bowler to the fine rope for four. Rahane has been aggressive from the outset to launch a one-man counter-attack.
Starved of the strike, Kohli looked on approvingly before playing an uppercut of his own to bring up a 109-ball 50. Lyon has replaced Starc at the Members End with the Indians 3-113.
Andrew Faulkner 6.55pm: Starc gets the breakthrough
The Australians at last have the breakthrough they so desperately needed. Pujara’s stoic hand has ended in the most unfortunate way, with the No 3 caught down the leg-side by Paine from Starc.
WICKET: Pujara is out on 24.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 15, 2018
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The batsman didn’t get enough on his attempted leg glance and Paine moved well to accept the catch. Ajinkya Rahane is the new batsman, joining Kohli (43 from 100 balls) with the score 3-82. Pujara’s 24 came from 103 balls and included one four. The hosts have the opening they were waiting for …
Adrian McMurray 6.38pm: Review lost
Big shout from Cummins for lbw on Pujara, it’s not given, but Paine signals for the review! No bat involved … but it was missing well over the stumps. Review lost and Pujara remains. India 2-75.
Andrew Faulkner 6.04pm: Star pair keep India in the contest
And so ends a gripping session of Test cricket. At Tea the tourists are hanging tough on 2-70, with Kohli on 37 and Pujara on 23. They’ve added 62 to right the ship after both openers were out with just eight on the board.
The excellent Australian bowling has been matched by Test batting of the highest quality from the Indian stars. And there was nothing more sublime than a Kohli cover drive — against Lyon’s spin — that sped across the fast outfield to the extra cover rope just before the break. At 2-8 the tourists would’ve been fretting about the follow-on; now that’s out of the equation, although so much still depends on this pair, especially given India’s long tail.
Andrew Faulkner 5.45pm: Tough cricket in Perth
The battle of wills continues as Australia’s star bowlers fight a war of attrition with India’s champion batsmen. Cummins (six overs for six runs), Lyon (five from seven overs) and now Hazlewood have stopped the flow of runs but the wickets have dried up at the same time.
After 28 overs the tourists are 2-59, with Kohli on 31 from 71 and Pujara 18 from 70. The Australians have built the pressure expertly, but the Indian batsmen are refusing to wilt. It doesn’t get much better than this: tough, hard Test cricket with no verballing, just genuine stars matching their wits and their supreme skills.
Peter Lalor 5.20pm: CA considers four-day Tests
Cricket Australia will consider four-day Tests, but is tied to the five day format until at least 2021 due to the introduction of the Test Championship next year.
New chief executive Kevin Roberts, like his predecessor, James Sutherland, is interested in the idea.
South Africa played a four-day Test against Zimbabwe in 2017 and the length of Test matches has varied through the years.
“The Test Championship is five day Test cricket out to 2021, so that doesn’t change, but outside of that there are other possibilities to consider and beyond that, beyond 2021 what it might look like,” Roberts said on SEN in Perth Saturday.
“There’s a bit to be said for it isn’t there, and it’s certainly something I think we need to be open-minded to down the track.
“The average duration of a Test match is just a shade over four days and certainly without jumping to conclusions that that is the right solution, it is one possibility we’ve got to be open to.
“There’s been timeless Tests over the years, we know there were even three-day Tests, so Test cricket has not been five days in duration forever and I think the concept of four days going forward is something we need to be open to without jumping to conclusions.”
A four-day Test would have the advantage of taking out Monday finishes if the game starts on a Thursday.
Administrators and broadcasters have long been frustrated by the need to block out five days when games regularly finish in fewer.
CricViz provided data for an article in the UK Telegraph in 2017 which revealed a steady decrease in matches stretching into the fifth day.
More than three quarters (75.2 per cent) of Tests between 1975 and 1979 went into a fifth day, rising to 77.1 per cent in the 1980s. That figure dropped to 58.3 per cent this decade.
Andrew Faulkner 4.55pm: Test cricket at its best
The Test has entered a fascinating stage as the battle between bat and ball tightens. After peeling off 13 runs from a Hazlewood over — including two exquisite flicked fours through straight mid-wicket and a sublime off-driven boundary — the Australians have dried up Kohli and Pujara as well.
Cummins has started with two maidens on the trot and Lyon has added another at the other end. After 16 overs the tourists are 2-40, with Kohli on 21 and Pujara on 11. The Perth crowd is being treated to Test cricket at its very best.
Andrew Faulkner 4.23pm: Can Kohli save this one?
Kohli has punched his second ball down the ground for a boundary as the Test teeters on a tipping point. So much rests on the skipper now both openers have departed with two runs between them.
A searing Hazlewood yorker accounted for Rahul, whose feet were as muddled as his stumps were about to be. The opener fell for two to reduce the tourists to 2-8. They’re now 2-19 as Kohli and Pujara set about rescuing their side.
4.10pm: Hazlewood bowls Rahul
KL Rahul b Hazlewood 2
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) December 15, 2018
India 2–8.
Amazing what happens when you pitch the ball up
Andrew Faulkner 3.20pm: Starc makes early breakthrough
Starc has landed a huge blow just before lunch, demolishing Murali Vijay’s stumps to get the opener for a duck. Starc had been fast — in the high 140s — but was struggling with his direction, but the wicket ball was as close to perfect as a delivery can be.
It speared through Vijay’s forward defence to crash into middle and off. At lunch the tourists are 1-6, with Rahul not out on one.
Bowling porn.
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) December 15, 2018
Swinging yorker from Starc destroys Murali Vijay’s stumps. Gone for a duck.
India 1-6
Andrew Faulkner 3.00pm: Australia all out for 326
The Australians have been bowled out for 326. Hazlewood went for a duck — brilliantly caught by Pant diving in front of first slip. Pant might have equalled the dismissals record in Adelaide but his glovework was patchy in the first Test. But this was a gem of a catch.
It was his second catch in two balls from Ishant Sharma’s bowling. Starc went down swinging, his healthy outside edge flying to Pant, who moved well to pouch the ball in both gloves. Ishant finished with 4-41 from 20.3 overs.
Andrew Faulkner 2.46pm: India’s double strike
At last India has a breakthrough. And one brings two — Paine has fallen lbw to Bumrah the over after Yadav dismissed Cummins. Yadav breached Cummins’ thus-far impenetrable defences to knock back off stump.
WICKET: Paine is out after an unsuccessful DRS review. #AUSvIND #FoxCricket pic.twitter.com/pUCknOqejm
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 15, 2018
In making 19 from 66 balls, Cummins has once again given sterling service with the bat. Paine (38 from 89 balls) looked plumb and his review proved the evidence of one’s eyes — it appeared he momentarily was playing French cricket. Both wickets fell on 310 leaving Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon at the crease.
Adrian McMurray 2.36pm: Another quick wicket
WICKET! WOW! Just two balls later, Paine is gone, lbw! Bumrah gets him, he opts to review but it was hitting. Australia lose a review. The hosts now 8-310.
Double blow!
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 15, 2018
Tim Paine follows Pat Cummins to the sheds and Aussies are suddenly 8-310#AUSvIND live: https://t.co/srfYejz8uS pic.twitter.com/F5rUrRJoiY
Adrian McMurray 2.35pm: Cummins departs
WICKET! Cummins’ very solid innings comes to an end, Yadav with the breakthrough for India. Australia 7-310, Starc joins the skipper in the middle.
Andrew Faulkner 2.17pm: 300 up for Australia
Choruses of “C’mon Aussie” are duelling with the Bharat Army’s drummers as Paine and Cummins bat on. The Australians could scarcely have started better this morning. Paine (34) and Cummins (19) have added 28 runs to take the score to 6-305.
Australia moves to 6-300 and I can’t understand why India is bowling this back of a length leave-able stuff.
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) December 15, 2018
Paine 32no
Cummins 16no
India’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, was held back for the first 45 minutes’ play, and was off the field for a few overs this morning. When he finally was tossed the ball, he beat Cummins with two of his first three balls. The pitch might have quickened up but there doesn’t appear to have been as much movement as yesterday. The Indian quicks are giving the batsmen too many to leave: as Damien Fleming has said, they need to be straighter on a helpful pitch.
Andrew Faulkner 1.50pm: Luck favours the hosts
In a twist, the Australians have had some luck going for a single to take them to the devil’s number, 287. Non-striker Cummins was in trouble when Paine called for a sharp single. Cummins was caught on his heels and was in deep trouble — whereupon KL Rahul, charging in from cover, failed to pick up the ball.
Otherwise the Australians have started well to safely negotiate the opening five overs. They’ve taken the score to 291, with Paine on 29 and Cummins 12. A compulsive hooker of the Andrew Hilditch school, Paine picked up a boundary in the third over when he heaved Mohammed Shami to the backward square rope. As is Kohli’s method, the Indian skipper immediately dispatched a man to patrol the territory. There was no stopping a lovely back-cut four in Shami’s next over. Paine’s leading from the front again …
Adrian McMurray 1.20pm: Play resumes on day two
We’re underway on day two! Mohammed Shami to begin for India, Paine and Cummins in the middle for the hosts.
Adrian McMurray 12.35pm: Gideon’s take on Perth Stadium
While we wait for play to begin on day two, take the time to read Gideon Haigh’s piece on yesterday’s play and more specifically, Australia’s newest Test venue.
“No doubt it (Perth Stadium) will serve Australian rules football well,” he writes. “But compared to the WACA it has all the atmosphere of an aircraft hangar, all the history of a 7-Eleven, and its largely deserted terraces yesterday featured more shades of grey than a novel by Graham Greene.”
Andrew Faulkner 12.10pm: What will day two pitch deliver?
It’s gone all tropical in Perth on a day for the bowlers. After a night in which a spectacular lightning storm barrelled down from the north, lighting up the coast but not delivering much in the way of rain, the day has dawned under heavy cloud. So add the prospect of prodigious swing to the sideways movement and pace offered by the pitch.
The pitch on day two. Thoughts?
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Mild and cloudy - a light shower dusted Perth this morning - ahead of day 2. #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/O4S28b9mB9
— Andrew Faulkner (@AndrewFaulkner9) December 15, 2018
But before the Australian quicks can do their thing, Tim Paine (16 not out) and Pat Cummins (11 not out) will resume with the score 6-277. Some are saying that’s already a good score on a bowlers’ pitch, but judgment is best reserved until both sides have batted.
Players and officials are lining the rope around the pitch to peer over as if looking over a precipice. We’re all wondering what this day two pitch will do …
Ben Horne 12.00pm: No-ball drama leaves its mark on Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma’s overstepping past caught up with him yesterday.
After it was revealed Sharma had bowled at least 16 uncalled front-foot no-balls in the first Test in Adelaide, an analysis from the Seven Network stopped the official count at 22.
It’s understood the International Cricket Council are likely to mark the match officials from Adelaide harshly for having the blinkers on when Sharma was charging in, and in just the seventh over in Perth yesterday it was clear the blitz was on.
Robert Craddock 11.30am: Bancroft feels pain of giving ‘free hit’ to Harris
Banned opener Cameron Bancroft sat in a suit drinking water high in the northern stand as Marcus Harris, his friend and rival, made hay against India’s attack in Perth.
In every way it was a sobering experience and one which spotlighted a telling quote Bancroft made when he returned to Australia after being banned for nine months for ball-tampering in South Africa.
“Through the last few days, sitting in my own company, the thing that breaks my heart the most is that I have given up my spot in the team for somebody else for free,” Bancroft said.
“People know that I’ve worked so hard to be able to get to this stage in my career, and to know that I have just given somebody an opportunity for free is devastating for me.’’
Andrew Faulkner 11.00am: No quick solution to tourists’ long batting tail of woe
Virat Kohli called heads but India said we’ll have a tail. A long one.
In gambling on four quicks for the second Test in Perth, the Indian selectors perhaps mistook the city’s new cricket ground for the adjacent casino.
They went all in to play an XI brimming with pace but with precisely no specialist spinners.
And being six out, all out, in the second innings in Adelaide (losing 4-4), they’ve achieved what seemed impossible by making the lower order even weaker.
With Ravi Ashwin (four hundreds, one abdominal strain) on the sidelines, the tourists have brought in Umesh Yadav, highest score 30, average 11.08.
Yadav joins Mohammed Shami (11.39), Ishant Sharma (7.92) and Jasprit Bumrah (1.42) in a tail almost as long as the queues snaking and baking on the concrete outside the stadium yesterday.
Peter Lalor 10.30am Heat on India to perform
There’s cracks in the pitch, the ball is flying high and shooting low, there’s seam and there’s swing, but Australia have managed to coax a trio of half-centuries in trying conditions to establish a solid foundation on the first day of Test cricket at Perth’s new stadium.
Marcus Harris, in just his second Test, topscored with 70 while his opening partner Aaron Finch (50) and Travis Head (58) helped Australia to 6-277.
“I thought we batted really well today,” Finch said after play. “It’s always tough to judge a wicket until two teams have batted on it.
“I think when you win the toss and bat, to get through the toss five or six down is a goal. Not so much runs, as opposed to the position you see yourself in the game.
“No doubt with the wicket there were some challenges at times, we saw the second new ball went around a little bit, even the old ball went around a little bit.
“It’s going to be one of those games that is an absolute grind for both sides. The position we are in, we would have taken that at the start of the day, no doubt, especially winning the toss and batting. But you are never content with a position.”
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