IND vs AUS 2nd Test, Day 1 Stumps: Fifties from Finch, Harris, Head make India toil

IND vs AUS 1st Test, Day 1 Stumps: The hosts easily amassed 277 runs by the end of the day’s play at a loss of 6 wickets. At stumps, skipper Tim Paine was batting on 16 along with Pat Cummins (11*)

The first day of the second Test against Australia in Perth turned out to be extremely tough for India. The visitors toiled very hard to restrict the run flow right from the beginning as the hosts easily amassed 277 runs by the end of the day’s play at a loss of 6 wickets. At stumps, skipper Tim Paine was batting on 16 along with Pat Cummins (11*).

Soon after the lunch break, Ishant Sharma picked up the first wicket in the game, removing Peter Handscomb on 7. In the 55^th over, Ishant bowled a shorter one which Handscomb tried to steer over the slip cordon. The ball went at the pace of knots and Kohli leapt up, threw his right hand and plucked the ball from thin air.

TAKE A BOW @IMVKOHLI 🇮🇳👑

A piece of genius from #KingKohli in the slips https://t.co/EM9t1uPKGo #Kohli #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/64WGLLKDKM

— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) December 14, 2018

Kohli and his men were indeed delighted with this dismissal but soon, a frustration was visible on their faces and the reason was – an outstanding partnership stitched by Shaun Marsha and Travis Head. The duo well-strategised their stint at the crease and targeted every bowler over by over.

Meanwhile, Marsh was dropped by Rishabh Pant off Hanuma Vihari’s delivery while batting on 24 and this fumble cost India a penalty of 20 runs.

The duo batted for almost 22 overs and piled up 84 runs before Vihari finally, got the hold off Marsh on the last ball of the 77^th over. Once again his extra bounced trapped the southpaw and Rahane took an easy catch at the slip to remove him on 44.

Oh, what a feeling for India late on day one with this ripper grab from Ajinkya Rahane!#AUSvIND | @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/jImfIOFY2k

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 14, 2018

India had a sigh of relief after a long time while on the other hand, Head reached his third fifty of his Test career. But before he could capitalize the opportunity, he was caught by Mohammed Shami off Ishant’s delivery in the 83rd over. Travis Head ended up scoring 58 off 80 balls including 6 boundaries.

FIFTY! Travis Head brings up his third Test half-century from 70 deliveries, featuring five boundaries: https://t.co/mzWOwn19la #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ybk4wg8b6o

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 14, 2018

The Aussies scored 132 runs in the last session before the umpires called for the stumps. Skipper Tim Paine and Pat Cummins will resume the innings at 277/6 on day 2.

Earlier today, India scalped three wickets in the post-lunch session with fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and part-time spinner Hanuma Vihari bagging one each.

Openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch gave the hosts a steady start. Batting comfortably on a pitch which did not have too much bounce despite some green cover, they frustrated the all-pace Indian attack with a 112-run stand.

Both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were down on pace and struggled at times to maintain line and length. The Indians managed to claw their way back into the game after lunch.

Bumrah gave India the first breakthrough after resumption by trapping Finch leg before with an excellent delivery which kept low and seamed in sharply.

Usman Khawaja batted 38 balls for just five runs before virtually gifting away his wicket to Umesh Yadav with a rather forgettable stroke.

Australia suffered another blow just three overs later when Vihari bagged Harris' wicket thanks to a superb catch by Ajinkya Rahane at first slip.