New Delhi: After an innings and 132-runs win in the series opener at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, Team India won't mind the opening Day of the second Test match in Delhi. Even though it was Australia who won their second toss in a row and opted to bat first, once again amid all the talk of the spinners it was India's Mohammed Shami who came to their downfall. Shami, in fact, was the pick of the Indian bowlers, returning with figures of 4/60 as the Kangaroos were bowled out for 263 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who scalped the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith both in one over, picked up 3 wickets for 57 while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja also had 3 wickets to his credit for 68 runs. Thrice in the Australian innings did they lose two wickets in a over, which best sums up the day.
Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul had a tough job of surviving the last 9 overs of the day and they did so adding 21 runs but most importantly went back to the dressing room unseparated. Australia did have a moment to two to celebrate when the umpire raised his finger, adjudging Rohit caught out at short leg in what was the final over of the day but the Indian captain opted for a DRS straight away and replays confirmed that the ball had neither touched the bat not taken the glove on its way up. That ensured the hosts were wictketless at the end of the day's play.
Australia's innings saw two heroes battle it out for them today. Usman Khawaja emerged as their top run-getter getting out eventually for 81, trying to reverse sweeep Ravindra Jadeja while Peter Handscomb who made an unbeaten 72 ran out of partners. Australia had 4 significant partnerships on Day 1 but none could carry on to dominate the entire session. Openers David Warner (15) and Khawaja added 50, Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne (18) added 41 while Khawaja and Handscomb registered the joint- highest partnership of the Australian innings, adding 59 runs. Later, Handscomb and Pat Cummins (17) too added 59 runs but each time the stands had started to look threatening, India found a way to get back into the game.
Overall, it was a competitive opening day in Delhi but with the openers still unseparted, India might just be a tad happier at the end of the day's play on Friday.