New Delhi: Ravindra Jadeja, coming back from knee surgery and a long gap, picked five wickets and Ravichandran Ashwin picked three to restrict Australia to 177 in the first inning of the Nagpur Test. The bounce and turn in the second session have shown that as the game progresses the pitch will reveal its demons. After taking the charge in the first session, Australia was restricted by spin in the next one.
That’s a 5-wicket haul for @imjadeja ???
His 11th in Test cricket.
Live – https://t.co/edMqDi4dkU #INDvAUS @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/Iva1GIljzt
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2023
India started well with two early wickets from Mohammed Siraj and Shami, dismissing the openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner. It was the 82-run partnership between Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne that brought back Australia into the game. The visitors ended the first session on a high note as Labuschangne started quickly and showed class later.
The pitch started to provide some turn in the second session and Jadeja dismissed Labuschangne for 49, just to dismiss Matt Renshaw on the next ball. Steve Smith, who was earlier dropped by Virat Kohli in the slips, went on to score 37 off 107 before Jadeja went past his defence.
Alex Carey reverse swept through the spin challenge and played a quick inning of 36 runs off 33 balls. Ashwin managed to get him out on a sweep shot after the ball struck his bottom edge and hit the stumps, and with this, the off-spinner became the second fastest to 450 Test scalps. He also dismissed Australian captain Pat Cummins.
Jedeja went on to dismiss debutant Todd Murphy and Peter Handscomb, who stood his ground, got out for 31 off a sweep shot against the left-arm spinner. Ashwin ended the inning with a carrom ball to hit Scott Boland’s stumps.
While India wrapped Australia early, Nathan Lyon and Murphy will look to do the same for their side. Visitors winning the toss and choosing to bat is expected to give them some edge in the fourth inning.
