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David Warner’s on the telly talking tough about his prospects with the bat in the second innings. He says India’s batsman showed the Australian batters how to do it and the secret apparently is to “apply the right application.” Of course! That must be what Ravi Jadeja was doing to his spinning finger on Day 1…
For those who came in late, here’s Geoff Lemon’s wrap of Day 2…
Preamble
Greetings cricket fans and welcome back to Nagpur on day 3 of this first Test between Australia and India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India have won both days so far, skittling Australia for 177 on Thursday then building a handsome 144 run lead on Friday thanks to a brilliant 120 by captain Rohit Sharma and entertaining cameos by Axar Patel (55 not out) and Ravi Jadeja (66 not out), who has followed his first innings 5-47 with the 18th half-century of his career. Not bad for a bloke playing his first Test since knee surgery in July!
For Australia, one man stood out: 22-year-old debutant Todd Murphy. The bookish rookie from the river town of Echuca has picked up 5-82 with his beguiling off-spin, including the prize scalps of master blasters Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. In doing so, Murphy became the 35th Australian to take a ‘five-for’ on Test debut and the youngest to do it since 1882.
Teammates Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon also achieved the feat and what they would have given to repeat the dose here. Instead Pat and Gaz have just one lonely (and expensive) wicket each and Boland is yet to draw blood. Australia’s bowlers must strike early and often this morning or it’s curtains …
The other talking points yesterday were Steve Smith’s butterfingers (he dropped two genuine chances at slip, including one on the penultimate ball of Day 2), Matt Renshaw’s knee injury (he took Travis Head’s place and scored a golden duck, now he’s got Head doing his fielding for him too!), and Australia’s batting: Will Warner find form? Can Khawaja rediscover his subcontinental touch?
Australia have three important wickets to claim before we find out. Can they claim them quickly and fight their way back into this game? Or will Jadeja and Patel kick on with the bat, then spin Australia out on this devilish Nagpur pitch?
Time to find out, folks …
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