Pujara, Rahane give Team India edge
The duo shared an unbeaten 93run stand, the highest of the series, giving the hosts a 126run lead after Rahul struck a fifty
India had enjoyed a glorious run in this long home season until the gloss wore off with their batsmen caving in against Australia’s spin attack on a rank turner in the first Test in Pune.
On Day 3 of the second Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, India took a major step towards redeeming themselves, especially their batsmen’s reputation at tackling spin on helpful pitches.
Cheteshwar Pujara led a remarkable comeback as India had turned a first-innings deficit into a 126-run lead, reaching 213 for four at stumps in their second innings.
BIG STAND
Pujara was on 79 and his 93-run fifth-wicket partnership with Ajinkya Rahane (40) helped rebuild confidence and set India on the route towards getting a total that can potentially win them the game and square the series.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja was under-bowled, given the fewest overs among the India bowlers on a spin-friendly track by skipper Virat Kohli, but captured 6/63, his second best innings haul, and ran through the Aussie tail in the morning.
Pujara too has faced some questions, like when talk about his slow strike rate had to be dismissed by coach Anil Kumble as not relevant to Test cricket.
On Monday, it was all about heart and intent, as Australia had an 87-run first innings lead after scoring 276 in their first innings.
Young opener KL Rahul has hit three fifties in four innings in this series, and each time only his own adventurous approach has led to his fall, so comfortable has he looked against pace or spin in conditions which have caused trouble to others.
GRITTY KNOCK
He smashed 51 to go along with his first-innings 90, and ensured the batsmen always looked for runs, and helped Pujara through his early nervous moments when off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who took eight for 50 in the first innings, got some deliveries to turn sharply from the rough or extracted bounce.
Rahul, who hit his fourth Test fifty, nicked a drive off left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe to slip, where Steven Smith took a reflex catch.
Pacer Josh Hazlewood then removed India skipper Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, promoted to No 5 to provide the leftright combination, to sent alarm bells ringing over a possible batting collapse.
But Rahane, who has struggled against spin this home season, faced more of the pace of Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood while Pujara grew in confidence against Lyon, denying the firstinnings tormentor any success.
The pitch too had slowed down, which meant the Aussie spinners were for the first time facing the heat.
A few nicks didn’t carry after Pujara was dropped on four by Smith at slip, during a phase when Lyon was asking questions of the batsmen.