Australia’s hopes of conquering the final frontier became all but over after being suppressed by India’s ruthless spin sensations Jadeja and Ashwin for the second time in a week during the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In turn, the Men in Blue retained the series for the fourth straight time after winning the New Delhi Test by six wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. India remain undefeated in Tests at their fortress in New Delhi since 1987. Riding on confidence that they could turn the tide by bagging the title for the first time since 2004, the Australian campaign has imploded in less than six days of cricket. (Pic Courtesy: AP)
Updated On: 2023-02-23 10:13 PM IST
Team India skipper has delivered well on all departments in the four-match series thus far. He is leading the charts in the list of highest run-scorers in the series. He has amassed 183 runs at an average of 61 in two matches and three innings overall. His batting excellence came to the fore in Nagpur Test where he notched up a brilliant 120 off 229 balls staging a lone battle against the formidable Aussies.
Questions were raised about Axar Patel’s selection over Kuldeep Yadav in the Test series, but he wisely put his all-round pyrotechnics to display, having elevated India’s batting depth to enormous levels.
His magnificent 74 came at a time when pressure mounted up on the Indian batting order as the Men in Blue stared down at a long way of crawling back into the game after struggling at 139/7 in reply to Australia’s 263. Axar built a crucial partnership of 114 (177) with Ashwin and inched closer to Australia’s first innings total.
Star India pacer Mohammed Shami has bowled India into a commanding position on most occasions in the ongoing series, besides putting up a stellar all-round show. He has bagged seven wickets already, including a magnificent spell of 4/60 in the second Test. Shami also contributed with the bat with a crucial knock of 37 in the Nagpur Test which helped India lead beyond 100 in the first innings.
Ravindra Jadeja does not require an introduction. He boasts of all the firepower in the inventory - dynamic hitter, wicket-taking spinner, and an energetic fielder. He is the leading wicket-taker in the series so far, with a mammoth 17 wickets from the first two Tests, including a fifer in the Nagpur Test and a seven-wicket haul in Australia’s second innings in the second Test. As a batsman, he has amassed 96 runs at an average of 48 in two innings.
Ranked second among bowlers and all-rounders in cricket’s longest format as of December 2021, Ravichandran Ashwin, is a name alone feared by many. He has scored an overall 60 runs in two innings at an average of 30, with 37 being his highest score in the series so far. He has claimed 14 wickets, which is the second-highest wicket haul in the series behind compatriot Jadeja.
