WTC Final | Twitter reacts as Australia firmly take control on Day 2 after late Ravindra Jadeja scalp

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Australia improved their chances of securing the World Test Championship title at the end of Day 2 after reducing India to 151/5 at The Oval. The Indian bowlers recovered well on the second day, but Australia, riding on Alex Carey’s 48, managed to post an impressive 469 in the first innings.

Resuming Day 2 on 327/3, Steve Smith got Australia off to an ideal start by hitting two glorious fours through mid-wicket in the opening over of the day. In the process, the ace batter notched up his 31st Test hundred, and his exceptional partnership with Travis Head set up an Australia onslaught in the first innings. However, coming to bowl the seventh over of the day, Mohammed Siraj broke the deadlock by dismissing Head for a flamboyant 163. Wickets began to fall in regular intervals from thereon, with Cameron Green being the next man to fall three overs later. Smith, too, followed them soon after as Shardul Thakur got the much-required wicket on his first ball of the day. 

Australia lost their fourth wicket in the opening session, during the 104th over, as substitute fielder Axar Patel inflicted a superb run-out to send Mitchell Starc packing without much damage. However, a spirited 51-run stand between Alex Carey (48) and Pat Cummins for the eighth wicket helped Australia regain the upper hand in the game. The pair took their side past 450 and were on a mission to add some more quick runs before Ravindra Jadeja and Siraj took three quick wickets to shatter their hopes. Yet, despite losing the last seven wickets for 108 runs, Australia’s total of 469 was more than handy to play with in the all-important encounter.

In reply, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill had five good overs, in which they scored 23 runs to get India off to an excellent start. However, their rampage did not last long, as Pat Cummins and Scott Boland dismissed them in successive overs to put India in some serious trouble. Similar to the duo, India’s Nos. 3 and 4 Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli failed to convert their starts into anything substantial. Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship, reviving India’s innings from 71/4 before Nathan Lyon dismissed the latter during the fag end of the day to hand the Men in Blue a major blow. At stumps, KS Bharat (5*) gave Rahane (29*) company at the crease, as India closed the day on 151/5, trailing Australia by 318 runs.

Is it a 2LB or not??





Cheeky Warner!

He's having poor phase as of now!

Hahahaha!!

Oh god!

Lol!

Not really!

Rahane should stay there for long!

Good runs!

Everyone are waiting for that to happen!

That's it for the day!

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