Yashasvi Jaiswal on Sunday emerged as the unofficial flag-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half as India's lead swelled to a commanding 405 at tea, despite the fall of a few wickets on the third day of the opening Test against Australia. At tea, India were 359 for 5 in their second innings. A little over a month shy of his 23rd birthday, Jaiswal, who has already announced his arrival on the big stage, notched up a classic 161 off 297 balls -- his fourth century in Tests -- which has provided his skipper Jasprit Bumrah with enough ammunition to exploit the variable bounce that is starting to trouble batters. Virat Kohli (40 batting, 74 balls) used all his decade and half of experience in Test cricket is ensuring that the chase goes beyond Australia's reach and the classic on-drive off rival skipper Pat Cummins reminded one and all of the golden days that the 'King' has enjoyed in this part of the world. Devdutt Padikkal (25) and Dhruv Jurel (1) didn't make most of the big break that they got and are all set to be replaced in the next Test in Adelaide with both skipper Rohit Sharma and injured Shubman Gill set to be back in action. Rishabh Pant's (1) intent was spot-on but execution can always go wrong when one plays a high-risk game. The post-lunch session turned out to be the most productive one for Australia since the opening day as India, starting the session at 275 for 1, slumped to 321 for 5 but by then the lead was well past 360-run mark and it didn't hurt the team much. Also Read: Jaiswal's ton sails India to 275/1, Australia left scrambling for answers With no seam movement, Kohli was able to control the other factor -- variable bounce -- and his front-foot stride was way more assured compared to first essay. However if India go on to win the Test match, Jaiswal and KL Rahul (77)'s 201 run opening stand would be as important as Jasprit Bumrah's first innings five-for. Exactly 32 years ago, 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar became a global phenomenon with a hundred for the ages at the old WACA ground on a track that had those snake-like cracks and in the last two days, Jaiswal (141 batting, 264 balls) has shown the entire world that he is here to be the torch-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half. The 22-year-old has hit 15 fours and three sixes as he became the second youngest Indian batter after Sachin Tendulkar to score a hundred at Perth. Jaiswal completed his fourth Test hundred and first in a SENA country with a beautifully executed ramp shot off a bouncer bowled by Josh Hazlewood. The celebration was one for the keeps with hands in the air and gratitude for the almighty before showing his lean but muscular biceps. All his four Test hundreds are now scores of 150 plus. The six also ensured that Jaiswal and KL Rahul's opening pair surpassed the previous record stand of 191 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth way back in Sydney in 1986. Devdutt Padikkal knew that best chance to get some confidence was to score a few runs before the second new ball was taken. He had an extremely confident Jaiswal at the other end, who smashed Nathan Lyon's delivery pitched on the rough through the off-side. Jaiswal hit a gorgeous off-drive off Starc once the second new ball was taken. Jaiswal-Padikkal duo added 74 runs for the second wicket but the Karnataka player failed to convert the start that he got. (With agency inputs)
24 November,2024 01:04 PM IST | Perth | mid-day online correspondentYashasvi Jaiswal on Sunday emerged as the unofficial flag-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half as India's lead swelled to a commanding 405 at tea, despite the fall of a few wickets on the third day of the opening Test against Australia. At tea, India were 359 for 5 in their second innings. A little over a month shy of his 23rd birthday, Jaiswal, who has already announced his arrival on the big stage, notched up a classic 161 off 297 balls -- his fourth century in Tests -- which has provided his skipper Jasprit Bumrah with enough ammunition to exploit the variable bounce that is starting to trouble batters. Virat Kohli (40 batting, 74 balls) used all his decade and half of experience in Test cricket is ensuring that the chase goes beyond Australia's reach and the classic on-drive off rival skipper Pat Cummins reminded one and all of the golden days that the 'King' has enjoyed in this part of the world. Devdutt Padikkal (25) and Dhruv Jurel (1) didn't make most of the big break that they got and are all set to be replaced in the next Test in Adelaide with both skipper Rohit Sharma and injured Shubman Gill set to be back in action. Rishabh Pant's (1) intent was spot-on but execution can always go wrong when one plays a high-risk game. The post-lunch session turned out to be the most productive one for Australia since the opening day as India, starting the session at 275 for 1, slumped to 321 for 5 but by then the lead was well past 360-run mark and it didn't hurt the team much. Also Read: Jaiswal's ton sails India to 275/1, Australia left scrambling for answers With no seam movement, Kohli was able to control the other factor -- variable bounce -- and his front-foot stride was way more assured compared to first essay. However if India go on to win the Test match, Jaiswal and KL Rahul (77)'s 201 run opening stand would be as important as Jasprit Bumrah's first innings five-for. Exactly 32 years ago, 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar became a global phenomenon with a hundred for the ages at the old WACA ground on a track that had those snake-like cracks and in the last two days, Jaiswal (141 batting, 264 balls) has shown the entire world that he is here to be the torch-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half. The 22-year-old has hit 15 fours and three sixes as he became the second youngest Indian batter after Sachin Tendulkar to score a hundred at Perth. Jaiswal completed his fourth Test hundred and first in a SENA country with a beautifully executed ramp shot off a bouncer bowled by Josh Hazlewood. The celebration was one for the keeps with hands in the air and gratitude for the almighty before showing his lean but muscular biceps. All his four Test hundreds are now scores of 150 plus. The six also ensured that Jaiswal and KL Rahul's opening pair surpassed the previous record stand of 191 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth way back in Sydney in 1986. Devdutt Padikkal knew that best chance to get some confidence was to score a few runs before the second new ball was taken. He had an extremely confident Jaiswal at the other end, who smashed Nathan Lyon's delivery pitched on the rough through the off-side. Jaiswal hit a gorgeous off-drive off Starc once the second new ball was taken. Jaiswal-Padikkal duo added 74 runs for the second wicket but the Karnataka player failed to convert the start that he got. (With agency inputs)
24 November,2024 01:03 PM IST | Perth | mid-day online correspondentYashasvi Jaiswal on Sunday emerged as the unofficial flag-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half as India's lead swelled to a commanding 405 at tea, despite the fall of a few wickets on the third day of the opening Test against Australia. At tea, India were 359 for 5 in their second innings. A little over a month shy of his 23rd birthday, Jaiswal, who has already announced his arrival on the big stage, notched up a classic 161 off 297 balls -- his fourth century in Tests -- which has provided his skipper Jasprit Bumrah with enough ammunition to exploit the variable bounce that is starting to trouble batters. Virat Kohli (40 batting, 74 balls) used all his decade and half of experience in Test cricket is ensuring that the chase goes beyond Australia's reach and the classic on-drive off rival skipper Pat Cummins reminded one and all of the golden days that the 'King' has enjoyed in this part of the world. Devdutt Padikkal (25) and Dhruv Jurel (1) didn't make most of the big break that they got and are all set to be replaced in the next Test in Adelaide with both skipper Rohit Sharma and injured Shubman Gill set to be back in action. Rishabh Pant's (1) intent was spot-on but execution can always go wrong when one plays a high-risk game. The post-lunch session turned out to be the most productive one for Australia since the opening day as India, starting the session at 275 for 1, slumped to 321 for 5 but by then the lead was well past 360-run mark and it didn't hurt the team much. Also Read: Jaiswal's ton sails India to 275/1, Australia left scrambling for answers With no seam movement, Kohli was able to control the other factor -- variable bounce -- and his front-foot stride was way more assured compared to first essay. However if India go on to win the Test match, Jaiswal and KL Rahul (77)'s 201 run opening stand would be as important as Jasprit Bumrah's first innings five-for. Exactly 32 years ago, 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar became a global phenomenon with a hundred for the ages at the old WACA ground on a track that had those snake-like cracks and in the last two days, Jaiswal (141 batting, 264 balls) has shown the entire world that he is here to be the torch-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half. The 22-year-old has hit 15 fours and three sixes as he became the second youngest Indian batter after Sachin Tendulkar to score a hundred at Perth. Jaiswal completed his fourth Test hundred and first in a SENA country with a beautifully executed ramp shot off a bouncer bowled by Josh Hazlewood. The celebration was one for the keeps with hands in the air and gratitude for the almighty before showing his lean but muscular biceps. All his four Test hundreds are now scores of 150 plus. The six also ensured that Jaiswal and KL Rahul's opening pair surpassed the previous record stand of 191 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth way back in Sydney in 1986. Devdutt Padikkal knew that best chance to get some confidence was to score a few runs before the second new ball was taken. He had an extremely confident Jaiswal at the other end, who smashed Nathan Lyon's delivery pitched on the rough through the off-side. Jaiswal hit a gorgeous off-drive off Starc once the second new ball was taken. Jaiswal-Padikkal duo added 74 runs for the second wicket but the Karnataka player failed to convert the start that he got. (With agency inputs)
24 November,2024 01:02 PM IST | Perth | mid-day online correspondentYashasvi Jaiswal hit his fourth Test hundred as India reached 275 for 1 at lunch on the second day of the opening Test against Australia on Sunday. The 22-year-old slammed 12 fours and three sixes during his unbeaten 141, marking his maiden century on Australian soil. India, which managed only 150 in their first innings, now lead by 321 runs after bundling out Australia for 104 in their first essay. Also Read: Jaiswal, Rahul throw Australia off balance with strong opening stand During the break, Jaiswal was batting alongside Devdutt Padikkal, who reached 25 not out, as the duo carried India forward after KL Rahul's dismissal for 77. Jaiswal and Rahul stitched a record-breaking 201-run stand for the opening wicket, the highest by an Indian opening pair on Australian soil. Brief Score: India: 150 & 275 for 1 in 84 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 141 not out, KL Rahul 77; Mitchell Starc 1/81) vs Australia: 104. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 12:50 PM IST | Perth | PTIJustin Greaves scored a patient maiden century in only his third test before West Indies declared at 450-9 on the second day of the first test against Bangladesh. Greaves, who finished 115 not out, had a previous highest score in tests of 33 and only one century in 43 first-class matches before compiling a composed hundred from 181 balls, batting at No. 6. He completed the first century of West Indies' innings after Mikyle Louis was out for 97 and Alick Athanaze for 90 on the first day. Bangladesh was 40-2 at stumps, trailing by 410 runs when bad light stopped play with seven overs left in the day. Shahadat Hossain was 10 not out and Mominul Haque on 7. The tourists lost Mahmadul Hasan Joy (5) and Zakir Hasan (15) in 20 overs before the close. West Indies resumed Saturday at 250-5 after being sent in when Bangladesh won the toss. They were 261-7, the match closely balanced, when Greaves was joined by Kemar Roach, batting at nine. The pair put on 140 for the eighth wicket to fully turn the match in West Indies' favor. Roach made a painstaking 47 from 144 balls, following the example of Greaves whose innings of 206 deliveries included 128 dot balls. "Me and Justin are from the same country and he understands my batting ability so he just backed me in the situation and obviously it paid off," Roach said. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer’s century sends IPL auction buzz through the roof "We're good mates, we have very good conversations at the cricket and outside cricket so that's what helped us in the middle." The 30-year-old Greaves, playing his first test for 10 months, hit only four fours, including the boundary that brought up his century. Otherwise, he took 52 runs from singles, 38 from twos and nine from threes in an excellent example of running between wickets. His batting form had been hinted at by the fact he scored four centuries in domestic one-day matches in West Indies. "It was a fantastic effort," Roach said. "He's one who wants to learn ... I've had big hopes for him from the time he started." Roach also restrained his attacking instinct, hitting two boundaries and scoring at a strike rate of 32.6 as he played a vital support role to Greaves. When Roach came to the crease, Greaves was only 18 after resuming Saturday at 11 not out. The pair came together in the 87th over after Alzarri Joseph (4) was brilliantly caught in the gully by Zakir Hasan from the bowling of Hasan Mahmud. They built their partnership diligently, ticking off milestones. Greaves reached his half century from 88 balls and by lunch the West Indies had recovered to 336-7, scoring at a steady three runs per over. Brief rain breaks failed to disturb the batters' concentration. Roach finally was out in the 134th over when the total was 401-8. Mahmud delivered a ball outside off stump which beat Roach's shot as it curled back to hit middle. Greaves was 98 when Roach was out but kept his concentration and avoided the fate of Louis and Athanaze who both fell just short of maiden centuries. He reached his personal milestone four balls later, raising his bat to acknowledge the applause of the crowd. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 11:50 AM IST | North Sound | AP | PTIYashasvi Jaiswal established his status as the next big batting superstar with a superb hundred on his maiden appearance on Australian soil as India extended their overall lead to 321 at lunch on the third day of the opening Test on Sunday. At the break, India reached 275 for 1 in their second innings despite losing KL Rahul's (77) wicket. Exactly 32 years ago, 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar became a global phenomenon with a hundred for the ages at the old WACA ground on a track that had those snake-like cracks and in the last two days, Jaiswal (141 batting, 264 balls) has shown the entire world that he is here to be the torch-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half. The 22-year-old has hit 12 fours and three sixes and currently has Devdutt Padikkal (25 not out) for company. And just like Sunil Gavaskar and Tendulkar, the latest batting sensation from 'Mumbai School of Batsmanship' is showing his voracious appetite for runs, slowly striding towards another 'Daddy Hundreds'. Jaiswal completed his fourth Test hundred and first in a SENA country with a beautifully executed ramp shot off a bouncer bowled by Josh Hazlewood (0/23 in 16 overs). The celebration was one for the keeps with hands in the air and gratitude for the almighty before showing his lean but muscular biceps. The six also ensured that Jaiswal and KL Rahul's opening pair surpassed the previous record stand of 191 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth way back in Sydney in 1986. Also Read: Jaiswal, Rahul throw Australia off balance with strong opening stand Rahul, who played one of his most compact defensive innings on the second day, was more intent on scoring some quick runs with the Kookaburra ball being 60 plus overs old and hardly doing anything off the pitch which had flattened considerably. A few overpitched deliveries from Mitchell Starc did fetch him some runs but a hundred that was there for the taking didn't come though. Once they became the first opening pair to add 200 runs, Rahul got one from Starc angled in and the nick was taken low by Alex Carey. Devdutt Padikkal knew that best chance to get some confidence was score a few runs before the second new ball was taken. He had an extremely confident Jaiswal at the other end, who smashed Nathan Lyon's delivery pitched on the rough through the off-side. Jaiswal hit a gorgeous off-drive off Starc once the second new ball was taken. Jaiswal-Padikkal duo added 74 runs for the second wicket in decent time. (With agency inputs)
24 November,2024 11:42 AM IST | Perth | mid-day online correspondentA total of 1,574 players will go under the hammer in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Monday which includes 1,165 Indian players and 409 overseas players, all competing for a place in the world's premier T20 league. The comprehensive list of registered players features 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from Associate Nations. Specifically, the breakdown includes 48 capped Indian players, 272 capped international players, 152 uncapped Indian players who previously played in IPL seasons, 3 uncapped international players with prior IPL experience, 965 uncapped Indian players, and 104 uncapped international players. Among the 409 overseas players, Australia leads with 76 registrations, followed by South Africa with 91, and England with 52. Other notable countries include New Zealand with 39, West Indies with 33, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka with 29 each, and the USA with 10 players. Players from Bangladesh (13), Ireland (9), Canada (4), Netherlands (12), Zimbabwe (8), Scotland (2), UAE (1), and Italy (1) have also registered. With each of the ten IPL franchises able to fill a maximum squad of 25 players, 204 slots will be available at the IPL 2025 player auction. The event promises to be highly competitive as teams build their rosters for the next three years. Also Read: 'Rishabh Pant may go for more than Rs 25 crore': Raina A total of 574 players were released by the respective franchise ahead of the mega auction. Of the 574 players, 366 are Indian, while 208 are overseas, including three from associate nations. The auction will see 318 Indian uncapped players and 12 uncapped overseas players in contention. There are 204 slots available, with 70 reserved for overseas players. The highest reserve price is set at INR 2 crore, with 81 players opting for this bracket. The largest segment comprises players with a base price of INR 30 lakh, totalling 320. Among the standout names are Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul, part of the 12 marquee players. These three captains were released by their respective franchises ahead of the retention deadline. For the first time since 2018, the marquee players are divided into two sets, comprising seven Indian players and five overseas stars. The first set includes Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Arshdeep Singh, while the second features KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj. The overseas marquee players are Mitchell Starc, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, David Miller, and Kagiso Rabada. Several teams will deploy Right-to-Match (RTM) cards during the auction. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), having retained six players each--the maximum allowed--will not have any RTM cards. Punjab Kings (PBKS) hold four RTMs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) three, and Delhi Capitals (DC) two. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Gujarat Titans (GT), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Mumbai Indians (MI) each have one RTM. RTM cards enable teams to buy back released players by matching the highest bid. In this auction, the team with the highest bid can increase their offer once more, after which the team holding the RTM card can match the final bid to secure the player. The IPL 2025 Mega Auction promises to deliver high-stakes action, with marquee players and strategic manoeuvres set to enthral cricket fans. (With agency inputs)
24 November,2024 11:35 AM IST | Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) | mid-day online correspondentThe “X-factor” that Rishabh Pant offers will trigger a bidding war for him in Sunday’s IPL mega auction in Jeddah and the wicketkeeper-batter could smash the Rs 25 crore barrier, reckoned former India batter Suresh Raina. Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out Rs 24.75 crore to acquire the services of Australian pacer Mitchell Starc ahead of IPL 2024, the highest in the tournament’s history, and Raina felt it could be broken this time. “More than his batting and keeping, he’s a great character to have in the team when he is a captain. Any owner or coach would not like to miss his X-factor,” Raina, IPL Expert, JioStar, said. So will Pant break the Rs 25-crore mark? “I think he will go for more than that. Punjab, Delhi, KKR, and RCB have the money. So, when he comes to the auction, expect him to go 4-5 crores higher than Rs 25 crore,” said Raina, the first player to breach the 5000-run mark in IPL history. Highlighting Pant’s on-field energy and rapport with players, Raina, a four-time IPL winner with Chennai Super Kings, said: “He has that strength, the bonding he has with players, and everyone wants to play under him, which makes him special.” Also Read: Jaiswal, Rahul throw Australia off balance with strong opening stand “No one will leave him. This is a three-year auction. If you’re getting Pant for three years. CSK don’t have that budget, but I definitely see him going to RCB or maybe as the captain of KKR. He will bring a lot of fans if he goes to KKR,” the former India left-hander added. Royal Challengers Bengaluru needs a captain after releasing Faf du Plessis, and Raina said they have many options in the auction room like KL Rahul, Pant or can even go back to Du Plessis. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 08:01 AM IST | Kolkata | PTITilak Varma became the first batter ever to notch three successive hundreds in T20s, while Shreyas Iyer underlined his credentials with a smooth century ahead of the IPL mega auction, as the two Indian batters hogged the limelight in the first round of the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday. Shreyas, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders despite leading them to the IPL 2024 title, made a timely reminder about his skills with an unbeaten 57-ball 130 (11x4, 10x6) for Mumbai against Goa in a Group ‘E’ match at Hyderabad. Shreyas’ hundred led Mumbai to 250 for four, but Goa made a spirited chase before ending up at 224 for eight, going down by 26 runs. Suyash Prabhudesai was their top-scorer with a 52. Also Read: Jaiswal, Rahul throw Australia off balance with strong opening stand In a Group ‘A’ match, Tilak, who made hundreds recently against South Africa at Centurion and Johannesburg, added one more three-figure knock to the list against Meghalaya in Rajkot. The left-hander made 151 off just 67 balls with 14 fours and 10 sixes to guide Hyderabad to 248 for four in 20 overs. In the process, he also became the first Indian male cricketer to score a 150-plus score in T20s. In a Group ‘C’ match in Mumbai Rinku Singh made 70 off 38 balls (8x4, 4x6) but Uttar Pradesh failed to chase down Delhi’s 233 for three. UP made 186 for eight. Nitish Rana’s 42-ball 61 too went in vain. Former India pacer Ishant Sharma was impressive while taking two for 23. Brief scoresMumbai 250-4 (S Iyer 130*, S Mulani 41; D Misal 2-35) beat Goa 224-8 (S Prabhudessai 52, V Singh 47*; S Shedge 2-18) by 26 runs This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 08:00 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIVeteran all-rounder Tahlia McGrath was on Saturday named to lead the 13-member Australian women’s side against India in regular skipper Alyssa Healy’s absence in the three-match ODI series next month. Alyssa, 34, has been troubled by a knee injury, which had ruled her out during the fag end of the Women’s Big Bash League and also forced her to skip the ODI series against India, beginning in Brisbane on December 5. Also Read: Jaiswal, Rahul throw Australia off balance with strong opening stand The second and third ODIs will be played on December 8 and 11 at Brisbane and Perth, respectively. Young top-order batter Georgia Voll, who plays for Sydney Thunder in the WBBL and has had a great season, has been included in her first Australia squad, largely made up of stalwarts including Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt and Annabel Sutherland, among others. Australia will also play three ODIs against T20 world champions New Zealand from December 19-23 in Wellington. All six matches are a part of the ICC Women’s Championship, with Australia currently sitting on top of the standings. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 07:58 AM IST | Sydney | PTIYashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were opening the batting for the first time in Test cricket but watching them at work at the Optus Stadium on Saturday, one wouldn’t necessarily have thought so. Sure, there was the occasional breakdown in communication when it came to running between the wickets, but beyond the odd hiccup, they complemented each other beautifully to drive Australia to frustration on Day Two of the second Test. Bumrah led from the front After skipper Jasprit Bumrah’s 11th five-wicket Test haul had given India a handsome lead of 46 despite their modest first-innings 150, the young Mumbaikar and the more seasoned Bengalurean saw off the last four and half hours to stumps, flourishing in each other’s company and hauling their team to 172 without being separated. India are 218 ahead with all ten second-innings wickets standing, well positioned to make a strong pitch for victory over the next three days. When play started on Saturday, India’s first mission was to ensure that Australia didn’t add too many to their overnight 67 for seven. Alex Carey, the feisty wicketkeeper-batter, loomed as the biggest stumbling block but Bumrah packed him off with his first ball of the day, caught behind, to earn a merited five-wicket bag. Also Read: From intimidation to admiration, Perth crowd embraces Indian Test team The end appeared nigh when Harshit Rana extracted lift and inward movement to have Nathan Lyon caught off his glove, but last pair Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood defied the visitors for nearly an hour and a half while adding 25, Australia’s highest partnership. Debutant Rana finally ended Starc’s 127-minute resistance with the hosts bowled out for 104. There wasn’t as much help for the quicker bowlers on Saturday as 24 hours earlier, but the still-to-widen cracks did make their presence felt from time to time with more than the odd ball staying down. Jaiswal, out attempting an expansive stroke too early in his innings on the first morning, embraced discipline without becoming scoreless while Rahul relished his reinstatement at the top of the order, his organised defence and meticulous footwork—both of which had manifested themselves even on day one—standing him in good stead. Also Read: Yashasvi, Rahul score half-centuries as India take commanding 218-run lead Sensible batting Occasional moments of mild alarm notwithstanding, Jaiswal and Rahul marched along, not always consumed by the need to keep the score board ticking. Occupation of the crease was the foremost objective in the knowledge that time spent in the middle would eventually reflect in the runs’ column. By not going looking for the ball, they forced Australia into straighter lines and picked off the ones and twos regularly while also punishing the loose offerings, which weren’t numerous even though Australia’s disciplines deserted them to a certain degree. They bowled far too short far too often, but Jaiswal and Rahul weren’t complaining, bringing up individual mini-milestones and touching three figures in only their second attempt as a Test opening pair. It was the third time Rahul had added at least a hundred for the first wicket outside the subcontinent, each time with a different partner (Rohit at Lord’s and Mayank Agarwal in Centurion, both in 2021). Brief scoresIndia 150 & 172-0 (Y Jaiswal 90*, KL Rahul 62*) v Australia 104 (M Starc 26; A Carey 21; J Bumrah 5-30, H Rana 3-48, M Siraj 2-20)
24 November,2024 07:57 AM IST | Perth | R KaushikADVERTISEMENT
