Jaiswal (90*), Rahul (62*) put India in control against Australia

India’s openers ensured they maintained their dominant position against Australia with an unbroken century stand on day two of the first Test in Perth.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul guided the tourists to 172-0 at close, a lead of 218.

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Jaiswal, who is playing in Australia for the first time, has 90 and Rahul, who is opening because regular captain Rohit Sharma is in India after the birth of his second child, is on 62.

Both were patient and willing to defend, before punishing any width or errors in length, on a pitch that carried nowhere near as much threat as the opening day when 17 wickets fell.

Australia were bowled out for 104 in the opening session, a first-innings deficit of 46.

They resumed on 67-7 and Jasprit Bumrah completed his five-wicket haul by removing Alex Carey with his first ball of the day.

Nathan Lyon soon followed but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood saw off 110 balls for 25.

Only four previous Tests have been played at the Optus Stadium in Perth and all have been won by Australia, who have batted first on each occasion.

Australia will need a strong third day if they are to extend that record.

Jaiswal and Rahul hammer home India’s advantage

Day one saw India reduced to 59-5 by the new ball and Australia were 59-7, and that spell was always going to be crucial against a fragile India line-up.

Jaiswal and Rahul’s brilliant partnership was superbly judged and timed, and has put some of those questions on the back-burner for now.

They soaked up pressure against the new ball and during an excellent Hazlewood spell after tea, but they also scored more freely when the bowling allowed.

Rahul was dogged, only scoring four boundaries, while we saw some of Jaiswal’s flair, particularly after he brought up his 123-ball half-century – his slowest so far in Test cricket.

He flicked a superb six over square leg off Starc, before hammering off-spinner Nathan Lyon for a 100m six down the ground.

The 22-year-old also showed his character by sledging Starc about his pace when India were 72-0.

Starc had exchanged jokey words with India seamer Nitish Rana, saying: “I bowl faster than you, I have a long memory,” after fending off a bouncer when batting.

Jaiswal said “it’s coming too slow” to left-arm seamer Starc, who managed a smirk in response.

Former Australia batter Mike Hussey, speaking on TNT Sports, was effusive in his praise for Jaiswal as he said: “I wanted to see him in Australia, on bouncy pitches, to see how he’d handle it, but this innings shows he can handle any conditions around the world.” (BBC)

 

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